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EPA Awards ICF $75 Million Health Risk Assessment Contract

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Company Will Analyze Chemical Hazards and Environmental Stressors

RESTON, Va., May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded a human health and environmental risk assessment contract to global consulting and technology services provider ICF (NASDAQ:ICFI). The single-award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract was awarded by EPA’s Office of Research and Development in the first quarter of 2024. This recompete award has a ceiling value of $75 million and a term of seven years.

ICF will bring together industry-leading health and environmental expertise to deliver assessments of chemical hazards and other environmental stressors identified as national priorities to determine the impact they may have on people, communities and the environment. As part of this work, ICF will use cutting-edge technologies and data analysis tools, including Litstream®, their proprietary software that leverages machine learning, to conduct systematic literature review. ICF will also develop novel methods, guidelines and models for future health analyses, including cumulative impact assessments.

“For over 30 years, ICF has supported EPA’s risk assessment programs, helping the agency develop a scientifically defensible understanding of the complex interrelationship between people and nature,” said Jennifer Welham, ICF senior vice president for health, people and human services. “We look forward to continue providing research and data modeling and analysis tools to further protect human health and the environment, as well as help the agency meet their environmental justice goals.”

Since 2011, ICF has supported EPA in evaluating over 2,200 chemicals for risks to human health and the environment. In the second half of 2023, ICF was awarded $33 million in task orders to perform additional chemical risk assessment work.

ICF uses the power of science to help clients make informed decisions and better protect public health. The company’s over 150 environmental health experts—health and data scientists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, microbiologists, researchers, statisticians and more—identify, collect, manage, evaluate, model and interpret scientific data to produce broad-based analyses that stand up to intense scrutiny and establish a solid foundation for developing scientifically sound conclusions.

Read more about ICF’s health and risk assessment services.

About ICF
ICF is a global consulting and technology services company with approximately 9,000 employees, but we are not your typical consultants. At ICF, business analysts and policy specialists work together with digital strategists, data scientists and creatives. We combine unmatched industry expertise with cutting-edge engagement capabilities to help organizations solve their most complex challenges. Since 1969, public and private sector clients have worked with ICF to navigate change and shape the future. Learn more at icf.com.

Caution Concerning Forward-looking Statements
Statements that are not historical facts and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties are “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may concern our current expectations about our future results, plans, operations and prospects and involve certain risks, including those related to the government contracting industry generally; our particular business, including our dependence on contracts with U.S. federal government agencies; our ability to acquire and successfully integrate businesses; and various risks and uncertainties related to health epidemics, pandemics, and similar outbreaks. These and other factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements that are included in the “Risk Factors” section of our securities filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of the date hereof, and we specifically disclaim any obligation to update these statements in the future.

Contact: Lauren Dyke, lauren.dyke@ICF.com, +1.571.373.5577

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Vitesse Systems Welcomes Rollin Hughes to Drive Growth in Space and Ground Antenna Solutions

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NEWARK, Calif., April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Vitesse Systems, a leading provider of mission-critical components and assemblies for the space and defense industries, today announced the strategic appointment of Rollin Hughes as its new Business Development Executive. With over 25 years of robust experience in selling and supporting both government and commercial clients within the microwave and satellite solutions sectors, with a particular focus on ground antenna applications including small mobile and fixed ground-stations with multi-band feeds, Hughes joins the Sales and Marketing team to further enhance Vitesse Systems market presence in this key area.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rollin Hughes to the Vitesse Systems team,” said Matt Alty, CEO of Vitesse Systems

Rollin Hughes brings extensive experience selling and supporting government and commercial customers to Vitesse Systems. Hughes began his distinguished career in aerospace and defense at Sikorsky Aircraft, subsequently broadening his expertise into electronic warfare, airborne downlinks, and covert audio and video products. Since 2005, his focus has been within the satellite communications sector, where he has excelled in selling leading-edge hardware to end-users, system integrators, and OEMs servicing both mobile and fixed air, land, and sea-based terminals. His deep knowledge extends to legacy, current, and developing GEO, MEO, and LEO satellite constellations, UHF/VHF tactical communications, and digital waveforms for both the Department of Defense and civilian agencies.

Rollin Hughes shared his enthusiasm for his new role, stating, “I am excited to contribute to Vitesse Systems’ continued growth and to address the evolving technical needs of the antenna market, especially in expanding our ground antenna solutions. I am particularly eager to grow our military business, where seamless communication across multiple assets is critical, including robust ground-based systems. I believe Vitesse’s testing and on-site engineering capabilities strongly position us for sustained success in the electronic warfare market and the delivery of advanced ground antenna technologies.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Rollin Hughes to the Vitesse Systems team,” said Matt Alty, CEO of Vitesse Systems. “His extensive experience and deep understanding of the satellite communications landscape, particularly his knowledge of various satellite constellations and tactical communication systems, coupled with his understanding of ground antenna requirements, will be invaluable as we continue to expand our reach and serve the evolving needs of our government and commercial customers. Rollin’s proven track record and customer-centric approach align perfectly with Vitesse Systems’ commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions.”

About Vitesse Systems

For over 55 years, Vitesse Systems has been a trusted partner in the aerospace and defense industries, providing advanced technical solutions for the most challenging applications. We specialize in the design, build, and test of critical solutions for electronic warfare, radar, and next-generation communications across air, ground, sea, and space. Headquartered in Newark, California, Vitesse operates facilities in California, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Nevada. All Vitesse facilities are ITAR Registered and DFARS compliant, serving a broad 1 spectrum of aerospace and defense customers.

Media Contact

Matthew Parisi, Vitesse Systems, 1 5103993650, pr@vitessesys.com, vitessesys.com

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SenseTime’s SenseNova V6: China’s Most Advanced Multimodal Model with the Lowest Cost in the Industry

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Integrating AI into Everyday Life 

HONG KONG, April 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SenseTime launched its newly upgraded large model series, SenseNova V6, at its Tech Day event held in several locations, including Shanghai and Shenzhen. Leveraging advances in the training of multimodal long chain-of-thought (CoT), global memory, and reinforcement learning, the model delivers industry-leading multimodal reasoning capabilities while setting a new benchmark for cost efficiency.

The capabilities of the SenseNova V6 model have been greatly enhanced, with strong advantages in long CoT, reasoning, mathematical capabilities, and global memory. Its multimodal reasoning capabilities ranked first in China when benchmarked against GPT-o1, while its data analysis performance outpaced GPT-4o. It also combines high performance with cost efficiency. Its multimodal training efficiency is aligned with that of language models, providing the lowest training costs in the industry. Its reasoning costs are also the lowest in the industry. The new lightweight full-modal interactive model, SenseNova V6 Omni, delivers the most advanced multimodal interactive capabilities in China. It is China’s first large model that supports in-depth analysis of 10-minute mid-to-long form videos, benchmarked against Gemini 2.5 Turbo to be among the strongest in its class.

Dr. Xu Li, Chairman of the Board and CEO of SenseTime, said, “AI’s true purpose is found in our everyday lives. SenseNova V6 has pushed past the boundaries of multimodality, unlocking infinite possibilities in reasoning and intelligence.”

Multimodal long-chain reasoning, reinforcement learning, and global memory: SenseNova V6 leads the way in enabling multimodal deep thinking

As a native Mixture of Experts (MoE)-based multimodal general foundation model with over 600 billion parameters, SenseNova V6 has achieved multiple technological breakthroughs. A single model is able to perform a range of tasks across text and multimodal domains, including:

Long CoT: Trained on over 200B high-quality multimodal long CoT data, with the longest CoT reaching 64K;Mathematical Capabilities: Significantly outperformed GPT-4o in data analysis capabilities;Reasoning Capabilities: Ranked first in China for multimodal deep reasoning, benchmarked against GPT-o1;Global Memory: First in China to achieve long-form video understanding, supporting content of 10 minutes in length for comprehension and deep reasoning.

In leading benchmark evaluations of reasoning and multimodal capabilities, SenseNova V6 achieved state-of-the-art results across multiple metrics.

Based on more than 200B of high-quality multimodal long CoT data, SenseTime leverages multi-agent collaboration to synthesize and verify long CoT. SenseNova V6 has developed exceptional multimodal reasoning capabilities, supporting multimodal long CoTs up to 64K tokens, enabling the model’s long-term thinking capability.

In solving complex real-world problems, SenseNova V6 utilizes its robust hybrid image and text understanding and reasoning capabilities to help users with a range of tasks.

For complex document processing scenarios, SenseNova V6 is able to help users with difficult tasks through its strong multimodal reasoning capabilities. For example, in insurance claims processing, SenseNova V6 can assess whether the submitted commercial health insurance claims meet the requirements. It can detect issues such as unnecessary prescriptions and examinations, missing documents, or incomplete submissions.

Leveraging breakthroughs in multimodal reinforcement learning, SenseTime has developed a hybrid reinforcement learning framework for various image-text tasks, based on different difficulty levels and multi-reward models.

China’s first model to break the 10-minute barrier in video understanding, achieving analysis of extended content within seconds

With its global memory capability, SenseNova V6 overcomes the limitations of traditional models that could only support short videos, and now supports full-framerate analysis of 10-minute videos.

With advanced comprehension capabilities, SenseNova V6 is also able to intelligently edit and extract video highlights, helping users to retain memorable moments.

SenseTime’s proprietary technology aligns visual information (images), auditory information (speech and sounds), linguistic information (subtitles and spoken language), and temporal logic to form a multimodal unified sequential representation. Based on this framework, it applies fine-grained cascading compression and content-aware dynamic filtering to achieve high-ratio compression of long videos. A 10-minute video can be compressed into 16K tokens while retaining key semantics.

Human-like interaction: SenseNova V6 Omni launches with multi-industry deployment 

With the launch of SenseNova V6, SenseNova’s has upgraded its real-time interactive unified large model to SenseNova V6 Omni, with deep optimizations across scenarios, including role-playing, translation and reading, cultural tourism guiding, picture book narration, and mathematical explanation. 

In translation and reading scenarios, SenseNova V6 Omni enables users to achieve precise spatial interactions with a simple finger gesture. The model also accurately understands the relationship between local and global information, providing a more intuitive and human-like interactive experience.

SenseNova V6 Omni features more human-like perceptual and expressive abilities, as well as emotional understanding. It has been deployed across multiple industries and scenarios, including embodied intelligence, becoming the first commercialized full-modality real-time interactive model in China.

Full-featured version of SenseChat launched, now available for preview

SenseTime has released a comprehensive update to SenseChat, along with a brand-new app built on the complete capabilities of SenseNova V6. Through a single access point, users can engage in seamless multimodal interactive streaming experiences across text, images, and video.

The SenseChat app is available for preview and SenseNova V6 is now available for trial via the SenseChat web platform at https://chat.sensetime.com/wb/chat.

RMB100 million in vouchers released to accelerate full-stack scenario implementation

SenseTime also announced a dedicated subsidy of RMB100 million, aimed at advancing emerging fields such as embodied intelligence and AIGC. Through targeted and multi-dimensional initiatives, SenseTime is delivering a one-stop solution designed for high efficiency, low cost, and end-to-end AI implementation,  spanning expert consulting, model training, and reasoning validation.

– End –

About SenseTime

SenseTime is a leading AI software company focused on creating a better AI-empowered future through innovation. We are committed to advancing the state of the art in AI research, developing scalable and affordable AI software platforms that benefit businesses, people and society as a whole, while attracting and nurturing top talents to shape the future together.

With our roots in the academic world, we invest in our original and cutting-edge research that allows us to offer and continuously improve industry-leading AI capabilities in universal multimodal and multi-task models, covering key fields across perception intelligence, natural language processing, decision intelligence, AI-enabled content generation, as well as key capabilities in AI chips, sensors and computing infrastructure. Our proprietary AI infrastructure, SenseCore, integrates computing power, algorithms, and platforms, enabling us to build the “SenseNova” foundation model sets and R&D system that unlocks the ability to perform general AI tasks at low cost and with high efficiency. Our technologies are trusted by customers and partners in many industry verticals including Generative AI, Computer Vision and Smart Auto. 

SenseTime has been actively involved in the development of national and international industry standards on data security, privacy protection, ethical and sustainable AI, working closely with multiple domestic and multilateral institutions on ethical and sustainable AI development. SenseTime was the only AI company in Asia to have its Code of Ethics for AI Sustainable Development selected by the United Nations as one of the key publication references in the United Nations Resource Guide on AI Strategies, and was published in June 2021.

SenseTime Group Inc. has successfully listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEX). We have offices in markets including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanping, Qingdao, Xi’an, Macau, Kyoto, Tokyo, Singapore, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and South Korea, etc., as well as presence in Germany, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. For more information, please visit SenseTime’s official website or LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Youtube pages. 

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Fast Guard Service: America’s #1 Provider of 24/7 Fire Watch Services – Now Available Nationwide

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Trusted Nationwide for 24/7 Fire Watch Services—Because Safety Can’t Wait When Systems Go Down

MIAMI, April 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — When fire safety systems go down, lives and property are at risk. That’s why Fast Guard Service, a national leader in professional security and emergency response, is making it known coast to coast: If you need fire watch coverage—anywhere in the U.S., anytime, day or night—Fast Guard Service is the name to call.

From New York to California, Florida to Oregon, and every state in between, Fast Guard Service offers immediate 24/7 Fire Watch services, 365 days a year. With certified fire watch personnel trained to meet city-specific licensing requirements, we deliver compliant, professional, and prompt response to critical situations where fire alarm or sprinkler systems are down, or “hot work” (like welding or cutting) is being performed.

What is a Fire Watch—and Why Does It Matter?
Most business owners and property managers are unaware of what a fire watch is until it’s urgently needed.

A fire watch is a temporary safety measure that involves continuous and systematic surveillance of a building or area when fire protection systems—like sprinklers or alarms—are out of service.

Essentially, a fire watch professional becomes a human fire alarm, patrolling a property by sight, smell, and sound, looking for signs of smoke, fire, or heat. If a fire is discovered, they:

Call 911 immediatelyAlert all occupants to evacuateDocument activity in a fire watch logHelp prevent catastrophic loss of life and property

There is no sleeping during fire watch. The job is active, alert, and constant—fire watch can mean the difference between life and death.

State-by-State Compliance: We’re Ready Wherever You Are
Fast Guard Service ensures all fire watch personnel meet local and state-level regulations, including:

New York: Certificates of Fitness from the FDNYChicago: Bureau of Fire Prevention licensed Fire GuardsCalifornia: Local authority-approved patrols for impaired systemsFlorida, Georgia, Texas, Arizona: NFPA-compliant trained staffWashington, Oregon, Nevada: Coverage for both hot work and fire system outagesMinnesota, North Carolina, Maryland: Fire watch for system outages over 4 hoursMississippi, Alabama, and more: Trained observers for hot work or high-risk conditions

When Should You Call for Fire Watch?
You need fire watch if:

Your fire alarm or sprinkler system is out of serviceYou’re performing hot work (welding, cutting, brazing)You’re undergoing construction, renovations, or repairsYou’ve been ordered by the fire marshal or inspectorYou’re awaiting system testing or replacement

Why Choose Fast Guard Service?

Immediate dispatch, nationwideLicensed, trained, and insured professionalsCompliant with all NFPA and local fire codesReal-time fire watch logsOver 15 years of emergency service experience

“When seconds count, we deliver professional fire watch coverage with urgency, training, and care. No one does it faster—or better—than Fast Guard Service,” said Roderick C. Payne Jr., CEO of Fast Guard Service and former law enforcement officer.

Request Fire Watch Coverage Now
Fast Guard Service is standing by 24/7 to answer your call. If your building is at risk, don’t wait.

Call (844) 254-8273
Visit https://fastguardservice.com/service/fire-watch-service-guards/
Email: sales@fastguardservice.com

Fast Guard Service is a fully licensed, insured, and nationally recognized security company providing armed and unarmed guards, emergency response, mobile patrol, fire watch, and VIP protection. Founded by veterans and former law enforcement professionals, Fast Guard is the trusted name for fast, effective protection when it matters most.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

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SOURCE Fast Guard Service

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