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.

OMB offers first major rewrite of grant-making, oversight processes

New proposed guidance from the Office of Management and Budget would streamline and consolidate grant regulations for every agency. Comments on the recommendations are due May 2.

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GSA's strategy for OASIS leaving vendors discontented

At an industry sponsored event, GSA tried to clarify its plans for the multi-billion dollar governmentwide contract, which will let agencies buy complex services from one place. Questions about how OASIS fits with the administration's strategic sourcing initiative and the expectation for price standardization were among the biggest areas of concern from companies.

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OMB lays out 11 goals to give Section 508 some punch

Steven VanRoekel, the federal chief information officer, and Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Joe Jordan issued a memo detailing a new strategic plan after a recent Justice Department compliance survey found mixed results. This is the fourth memo since 2005 from the Office of Management and Budget trying to get agencies to meet the law's requirements. David Capozzi, executive director of the Access Board, said new 508 regulations could be to OMB for approval this spring.

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NASA CIO Cureton to retire in April

Linda Cureton has decided to leave government service after 30 years, including the last four as the space agency's chief information officer.

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FAA's deputy CIO Cooper to leave government

Steve Cooper will head back to the private sector to his former management consulting business.

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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.

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Experimental website aims to overhaul RFP process

The Presidential Innovation Fellows Program and SBA launch RFP-EZ to make finding and bidding on Web and digital services contracts worth $150,000 or less easier. The team of three found the six-month project also could test out tools for contracting officers to write better RFPs.

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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

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NASA readies draft RFP for SEWP V

NASA announced earlier this week it would release the draft request for proposals on or about Feb. 8, with a final solicitation scheduled for early summer.

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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.

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GSA names Sharpe new FAS Commissioner

Tom Sharpe will move over from the Treasury Department to take over the Federal Acquisition Service.

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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.

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CIOs expected to know more under new core competencies

The CIO Council updated the Clinger-Cohen Act core competencies and learning objectives.

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Patience running thin with White House open government efforts

The White House reaffirmed its commitment to an open and transparent government in President Barack Obama's second term. But government watchdog advocates say their frustration is growing with the slow and inconsistent progress agencies are making to make information more easily available.

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NNSA CIO Osborn retiring

Bob Osborn, the National Nuclear Security Administration's chief information officer, is leaving the government after more than 36 years of service.

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DHS's Locatis leaving after only 9 months

Mike Locatis, the DHS Assistant Secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, is returning to Colorado after serving in the federal government for more than two years.

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Unions frustrated by slow-roll of some labor-management forums

At the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations meeting, several employee representatives said the time has come for the committee to put more pressure on agencies to have more of the collaborative forums up and running well. During a time of budget reductions, possible furloughs and a government shutdown, the unions say the forums provide a way for agencies to better manage all of these fiscal challenges.

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Navy reducing IT spending ahead of schedule

The Department of the Navy is finding real dollar savings by moving to enterprise software licenses, managing mobile devices and services better and reducing the number of printers and the amount printed. Terry Halvorsen, the DoN CIO, said they are on track to meet the goal of cutting 25 percent of their IT budget in five years.
January 17, 2013

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Agencies tackle cloud, mobile, big data convergence

OMB and NIST are seeking help from industry and academia on how to integrate cloud computing and the large amount of information that is created from mobile computing. The goal is not just to know what data agencies have, but the value the data brings. With all this focus on cloud and big data integration, could agencies be on the hook for a new "big data" strategy?

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GSA's Tangherlini sets new priorities as part of reform efforts

In a memo to employees, the acting administrator signals he's in for the long term by outlining six areas to focus on in 2013 and beyond.

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