Technology
Top News
- IRS to pay $70M in bonuses, Grassley says
- Small companies won't feel effect of lowered contractor pay cap
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- As VA works to eliminate one backlog, one more might emerge
- BRAC-like commission proposed to hunt down government cost savings
- Sequestration claims another conference: DHS's GFirst cyber event
- Postal Service closing Capitol Hill post offices in 'symbolic' move
- Senators seek cost cuts for F-35 fighter jet
- Fed pens new furlough song
- Web guru Dorris brings new life to government websites
- EPA CIO Jackson returning to private sector
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- NSA leak case gives vendors reason to reevaluate personnel
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
White House petitions: Huge response, headache too
As the Obama administration kicks off its second term, it's upping the threshold for responding to Americans' petitions from 25,000 signatures to 100,000, a reminder that government by the people can sometimes have unintended consequences. In this case, a wildly popular transparency initiative has spawned a headache of the administration's own making.
Understanding the federal business process
Bill Fox, a senior consultant at Aegis.net discusses business process management with host John Gilroy.
January 29, 2013
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 28, 2013
Eric Green of NIH talks about his agency's search for a top data scientist. Dr. Elizabeth Stanley of Georgetown University discusses a new meditation program she helped develop for the Marine Corps. David Capozzi of the Access Board discusses new access standards for agencies. William Pretzer of the National Museum of African American History and Culture talks about trolling the inauguration for presidential memorabilia.
Hackers take over sentencing commission website
The hacker-activist group Anonymous says it hijacked the website of the U.S. Sentencing Commission to avenge the death of Aaron Swartz, an Internet activist who committed suicide. The FBI is investigating.
FAA's deputy CIO Cooper to leave government
Steve Cooper will head back to the private sector to his former management consulting business.
Inside the Reporter's Notebook: Web analytics tool, reaction to FAS commissioner and FedRAMP
News and buzz in the acquisition and IT communities that you may have missed this week.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 25, 2013
Bob Dacey, chief accountant at the GAO, talks about the latest audit report. Melissa Emrey-Arras, GAO's acting director for strategic issues, discusses how some agencies are cloaking their rule-making processes. Ed Zurndorfer, registered employee benefit consultant, offers advice on how to prepare for your April 15 tax filing.
Perakslis shifting the FDA to a data-centric approach
The Food and Drug Administration's new Information Management Strategic plan is helping to create a new infrastructure to support using data to meet its mission.
January 24, 2013
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 24, 2013
Sally Claggett of the U.S. Forestry Services reports on efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. EEOC's Dexter Brooks wants to hear your thoughts on how the commission can better enforce anti-discrimination laws at federal agencies. Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.) fills us in on how the government can triage dangers in cyberspace. Dr. Rebecca J. Johnson discusses a new approach to teaching ethics.
VA moves mobile from concept to reality with veteran homelessness app
The Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development departments created a mobile app in two weeks to improve the process for counting homeless veterans. The successful development effort puts the notions detailed in the Digital Government Strategy into practice.
VanRoekel dismisses need for IT reform, calls for more flexibility
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held its first hearing on the steps needed to reform IT management across government. But federal CIO Steven VanRoekel said he has the authority needed to improve how agencies spend money on technology programs. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the committee's chairman, is developing legislation to update laws governing the management of IT.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 23, 2013
Michael Nelson talks about a Bloomberg Government study on the issues surrounding big data. Anthony Robbins of Brocade Communication discusses IT reform. Fedlink Executive Director Blane Dessy discusses how expanding his program will help cut government costs. Alex Bolton of The Hill newspaper fills us in on Congress' plans to solve the debt ceiling crisis.
What's new at Microsoft?
Susie Adams, Microsoft's chief technical officer for Federal Sales joins host John Gilroy to discuss four surprising facts about Microsoft and the federal government.
January 22, 2013
Pentagon researches new life for dead satellites
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is spending $180 million to test technologies that could scavenge defunct communication satellites for their valuable parts and recycling them to build brand new ones for cheap.
Video: House committee fires first shot in IT reform revolution
Later today, the full membership of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will begin to consider legislation to reduce wasteful IT spending.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 22, 2013
OPM's Angela Bailey discusses how agencies are struggling to fill critical skill gaps in the hard sciences. Procurement attorney Joe Petrillo fills us in on what to expect with the new defense authorization law. Jacque Simon of AFGE says her union is frustrated with the lack of attention being paid to federal workers' concerns over sequestration. John Palguta of the Partnership for Public Service discusses possible changes agencies may face in President Obama's second term.
Commerce considering managed service to fix cyber weakness
The Commerce Department issued a request-for-information asking for input from vendors around 11 cyber capabilities.
Federal Drive Interviews -- Jan. 21, 2013
Prof. Martha Joynt Kuman compares today's ceremony with previous inaugurations. Paul Lawrence of Ernst and Young discusses how the president's cabinet may change in Obama's second term. Staff writer Kevin Baron of Foreign Policy Magazine discusses the limitations of the inspector general. Senior Airman Daniel Burkhardt talks about an app he helped to develop to help people navigate today's inauguration. Col. Gina Humble talks about the role the military will play in today's ceremonies.
DoD standardizing, synchronizing cyber training
The department is creating and trying out a universal curriculum for five foundational cyber roles in 2013. DISA is leading the effort and will add new roles next year as it refines the training. The agency says it is doing all it can to synchronize its training not just across DoD, but across the entire federal government in line with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE).
