With the defense budget largely completed, lawmakers turn to contractor security clearances, reports The Hill.

U.S. chases NSA leaker Edward Snowden across countries, CNN reports Secretary of State John Kerry’s comments  and the U.S. annoyance with Hong Kong. Learning Mr. Snowden had flown to Russia, Defence Talk says, Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, declared, “the chase is on.”  Meanwhile 100,000 sign a petition to pardon him, reports FCW. The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board says it hasn’t and it won’t  won’t give info to NSA, reports Gov Exec.

Saudis seeking $4 billion in support of the Saudi Arabian National Guard, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency reported to Congress.

Smartronix, Inc., Hollywood, Md., is being awarded a $17,009,473 firm-fixed-price contract with cost reimbursable, contract line items, for cyber operations support.  The includes program management, knowledge and information assurance management, network operations and maintenance, help desk and engineering support services at Quantico, Va., Camp Pendleton, Calif., and various Marine Corps detachments inside and outside the continental United States.  This contract contains two option periods, which if exercised, would bring the maximum dollar value to $39,989,046.  Work will be performed primarily within Quantico, Va. (78 percent); Camp Pendleton, Calif. (6 percent); Camp Lejeune, N.C. (4 percent); Okinawa, Japan (4 percent); Stuttgart, Germany (3 percent); New Orleans, La. (2 percent); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (1 percent); Kansas City, Mo. (1 percent); and Seoul, Korea (1 percent), with an expected completion date of June 29, 2014.  With all options exercised, the contract will continue through Nov. 29, 2015.  Fiscal 2013 Operations and Maintenance, Marine Corps funds in the amount of $17,009,473 are being obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via Federal Business Opportunities website, with four proposals received.  The Regional Contracting Office, National Capital Region, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity (M00264-13-C-0019).