Jason Miller Reports 
Top News
- Congress pressures agencies to consolidate office space
- Katherine Archuleta chosen as next OPM director
- Data breach puts DHS workers at risk of identity theft
- DoD chooses interoperability over integration for new e-health system
- House GOP panel moves on deep budget cuts
- OMB fuels synergy between mobile, open data
- IRS official Lerner: 'I did nothing wrong'
- Accountability breakdown leading factor in DoD sexual assaults
- OMB reworking financial system requirements
- Federal retirement funds temporarily tapped
- VanRoekel to lead OMB management team
- Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal finalists
- Thursday federal headlines - May 23, 2013
Jason Miller covers civilian agencies in the federal government with a focus on technology and acquisition. He is also an executive editor at Federal News Radio. Jason's reports can be heard Monday - Friday on the Federal Drive and In Depth.
Commerce facing additional challenge with HSPD-12
The department is trying to figure out the best way to manage the cards of contract employees after they leave the department. Every agency using a managed service provider for secure identity card issuance faces a similar challenge. Commerce also is working on integrating physical and logical access systems.
GSA targets small businesses for new IT contracts
The agency said it will release a draft request for proposals no later than Sept. 18 for the integrated professional services IT multiple award contract.
IT budget facing 10 percent cut, would shrink to 8-year low
OMB issued fiscal 2014 technology project guidance detailing the steps agencies should take to reduce spending across six areas. Agencies also must tell OMB how it would reinvest the savings into new or innovative projects.
NASA reveals how it revived a struggling program
The space agency gave Federal News Radio an exclusive, in-depth look at a recent IT review session on its enterprise service desk. With the program faltering, NASA detailed how it used TechStat to reinforce planned solutions.
National archives gets ready to taste first fruits of TechStat labor
The National Records and Archives Administration will modify its Electronic Records System for the first time since it went into the operations and maintenance phase. Mike Wash, NARA's CIO, said the use of Technical Direction Letters is one of the key lessons learned from the TechStat session ERA went through in 2010.
Treasury tackles IT reviews in a new way
Not all agencies are using TechStat for IT projects that are in trouble. In an exclusive report, Federal News Radio finds agencies are seeing unexpected benefits in applying the evaluation tool to programs that are on track. Treasury used TechStat to figure out how best to consolidate three procurement systems.
Former GSA official Prouty fights back against firing
The former Public Buildings Service Region 8 commissioner filed an appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board against GSA for wrongful termination.
IT projects pulled from brink of failure
TechStat is rarely about shutting down problematic technology programs. In an exclusive report, Federal News Radio examines how agencies are using the analysis to support existing improvement plans, to move to agile development and to change its relationship with contractors. CBP, NARA and the FBI are recent examples of agencies taking advantage of the visibility and transparency TechStat brings to get programs back on track and completed.
GSA issues IBM a letter of concern for problems with procurement system
The General Services Administration's new System for Award Management (SAM) is not running smoothly one week after it launched. GSA told IBM to fix the system or face possible penalties.
SEC working smarter to focus on innovation
Thomas Bayer, the SEC CIO, said he reduced his operations and maintenance spending by $15.5 million last year and used those savings for business and mission systems.
DoD to rev up the cyber approval process for mobile devices
Instead of using a lengthy security technical implementation guide approval process to decide which tablets and smartphones will be allowed to use its network, the Defense Information Systems Agency wants to put the ball in the vendors' court.
Major changes to performance management in OMB budget guidance
The White House issued the updated Circular A-11 guidance for the 2014 budget development. The performance management section includes some of the most significant changes. In an exclusive interview with Federal News Radio, OMB's Shelley Metzenbaum said agencies have a multi-year plan to improve programs and accountability.
State's Swart reflects on 23 years in federal IT
Susan Swart left the State Department for the International Monetary Fund CIO. She reflects on her successes and the change in federal technology.
FBI turns troubled into triumph with Sentinel system
The long-awaited, problematic case management application met full operational capability in May. Jeff Johnson, the FBI's CTO, said about 30,000 employees have been using Sentinel for about a month. The $451 million program modernizes the FBI's workflow and document management system.
GSA seeks input on ID management in the cloud
The General Services Administration will hold a vendor day Aug. 7 in Washington, D.C. The concept of identity management in the cloud builds on the efforts included in the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC).
VA, GSA each pushes major IT acquisitions to next steps
The Veterans Affairs Department will award a $5 billion IT hardware contract in the next two months. GSA will release a request for information for cybersecurity tools in the coming days. Both are examples of a healthy and busy fourth quarter for acquisition.
EXCLUSIVE: DHS directorate withdraws controversial vendor checklist
The National Protection and Programs Directorate said it would not put a contractor communication guidance in place that would have required agency leaders to answer 15 questions before meeting with companies. Industry experts said the draft guidance would have had a chilling effect on agency-contractor communication.
Coose: Cyber evolution, gains at DHS will continue despite loss of top leadership
Matt Coose left government after more than 20 years. In his final position as director of the Federal Network Service at DHS, he said the agency's cyber capabilities matured. And agency focus on securing federal networks has never been better.
Senators tell DoJ to fix its suspension, debarment databases
Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) want regular updates from Justice officials on the steps they are taking to better input and share information on vendors who have committed crimes. The DoJ IG found the agency's internal controls and training were lacking.
OFPP trying to solve major vendor data inconsistency
The office asked for industry comment on how to get better data into the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System. OFPP asked for input on seven questions.
