Defense of AMS Flexibility, Efficiency, and FAA Procurement Needs

This ABA Public Contract Law Journal article argues that the FAA's Acquisition Management System (AMS) is superior to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) for the FAA's unique procurement needs. The Note analyzes how the AMS, created in 1996 to replace the FAR for FAA acquisitions, provides necessary flexibility and efficiency for life-cycle management of the National Airspace System (NAS), including the NextGen modernization initiative and ATC modernization efforts.

Modern Distortion Index for State Enterprise Procurement Bias

The ABA Journal of Public Contract Law published an academic Note proposing the Modern Distortion Index (MDI), a new quantitative framework for measuring competitive distortions caused by state-influenced enterprises in international procurement markets under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement. The framework integrates antitrust metrics including the Adjusted Herfindahl-Hirschman Index and Lerner Index to assess concentration, pricing power, and state influence.

Federal AI Procurement Prioritizes Speed Over Integrity Safeguards

The ABA Public Contract Law Section published an analysis examining how federal AI procurement policies create corruption vulnerabilities. The article warns that agencies are acquiring opaque AI systems without adequate transparency, audit rights, or testing requirements, leaving 'regulation by contract' as the primary safeguard mechanism. Practical recommendations are offered for agencies to implement within existing authorities.

Linguistic authentication patent for access using language affinities

USPTO published patent application US20260095450A1 disclosing a method for authenticating users by identifying language affinities across multiple languages. The system uses linguistic proficiency patterns as an authentication factor when users request access to resources. Inventors include Uri Kartoun, Sophie Batchelder, Hamid Majdabadi, and Jeremy R. Fox.

Device attestation system verifies trust in managed networks

USPTO published patent application US20260095449A1 for a device attestation system in managed networks. Inventors include Meni Orenbach, Michael Tahar, Fritz Daniel Alder, Ahmad Atamli, and Dmitri Shiffrin. The application covers approaches for verifying device state and establishing trust in network devices through self-attestation using network messages.

Cloud Permission Access Control Patent Application

USPTO published Fortinet Inc.'s patent application (US20260095448A1) for cloud-based permission management systems implementing least-privilege access controls. The invention collects permission usage data, analyzes usage levels against predefined parameters, evaluates whether permissions fall outside usage windows, and generates reports for responsible entities. Application No. 18901455 was filed September 30, 2024.

Data Flow-Oriented Access Control Patent

The USPTO published patent application US20260095447A1 by inventor Jan HRASTNIK disclosing a system for data flow-oriented access control in service-based architectures. The invention enables services to transmit access contexts to a centralized access control service for validation, which then generates appropriate authorization checks for downstream services. This facilitates consistent authorization enforcement across distributed application stacks.

Device authentication without subscription using external credentials

USPTO published patent application US20260095446A1 disclosing methods and systems for authenticating user equipment (UE) without mobile network subscription using external credentials. The invention involves an authentication proxy that communicates with service provider AAA servers to derive master session keys for secure non-public network access. Inventors: Andreas Kunz, Sheeba Backia Mary Baskaran, Genadi Velev.

Biometric-based distributed authentication method and apparatus

USPTO published patent application US20260095445A1 for a biometric-based distributed authentication system involving user terminals collaborating with N servers. The 9-inventor method uses verification fragment values and biometric input data to perform user authentication. Application No. 19331957 was filed September 17, 2025.

Service Access Method with Authorization Certificates and Routing Nodes

USPTO published patent application US20260095443A1 by inventors Zhihong JIANG et al. covering a service access method using authorization certificates. The solution involves a service authorization server receiving requests from terminal devices, verifying access against locally configured policies, issuing time-limited service authorization certificates, and routing access requests through verification nodes to application servers. Filing date June 30, 2023; Application No. 19112244.