Federal CIO Kent Announces Cyber Reskilling Academy
Federal CIO Suzette Kent this morning announced creation of the Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy–a joint effort of the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Education, and the Federal CIO Council Workforce Committee–to kickstart the Federal government’s efforts to address gaps in the Federal cybersecurity workforce and help retrain Federal employees.
Feds Reach IT Modernization Tipping Point
A new report from MeriTalk and the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) finds that Federal finance, IT, and procurement experts believe we’ve reached an IT modernization tipping point.
DHS Launches ICT Sector Supply Chain Risk Task Force
The Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 30 announced launch of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force, which the agency said is charged with developing “consensus recommendations” to identify and manage risk to the global ICT supply chain.
DHS’ Manfra Discusses FISMA Update, Impact to CDM
Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security, said today that the new update to Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) guidance will place even more accountability on department leaders and reflects an evolution in discussions between agencies and DHS.
House Panel Considers Leveraging Internships, Telework to Build Fed Workforce
The Subcommittee on Government Operations of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing today in which members of Congress explored how to build a stronger Federal workforce.
GAO Spotlights IT in the Fight Against COVID-19, Warns Against Improper Use
Digital vaccine credentials and exposure notification apps can be used to safely reopen social and economic activities and allow for more rapid and broader contact tracing. However, an official from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the improper implementation of both technologies sparked concerns about privacy, effectiveness, interoperability, and equity that may limit their use and potential public health benefits.
GAO Prods DoD to Firm Up IP Acquisition Processes
The Department of Defense (DoD) has been taking steps to improve how it acquires and licenses intellectual property (IP) for technology required for cutting-edge weapons systems, but the agency still has more work to do with firming up responsibilities of a new IP Cadre group that it formed to make sure that the IP licensing functions work better.
Senators, Industry Discuss FedRAMP Bill, Security Issues
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a roundtable discussion on Nov. 30 with Federal officials and industry experts about proposed reforms to the General Service Administration’s (GSA) Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP).
CISA Names Members of New Cybersecurity Advisory Committee
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced the members of its new Cybersecurity Advisory Committee, which will be tasked with advising and providing recommendations to the CISA director on policies, programs, planning, and training to enhance the nation’s cyber defense.
DoE Awards Verizon $34.6M EIS Deal for Data, Voice Modernization
The Department of Energy (DoE) has awarded Verizon two digital communications modernization contracts totaling $34.6 million, utilizing the General Service Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contract vehicle, the telecommunications company announced Dec. 1.
Leveraging Enterprise Cloud for JADC2
From the frontlines to the home base, our nation’s warfighters must be connected at all times to enable information sharing and support joint decision-making. To deliver on these goals, the Department of Defense’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept – or JADC2 – aims to connect all military services on a single network.
Senate Progress on NDAA Stumbles; Leaders Pledge to Work Out Differences
After returning from the Thanksgiving break yesterday, the Senate’s progress on consideration of the fiscal year (FY) 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) stalled last night with Senate Republicans refusing to vote for cloture due to disagreements on the amendment process for the defense spending act.
Fed Officials on the Top Challenge in Digital Transformation
Digital transformation allows agencies to modernize their information technology portfolios more disciplined, well-managed, and controlled. However, Federal officials said that a lack of governance and direction makes a digital transformation difficult to achieve.
LaPlante Nominated for Acquisition Role at DoD
President Biden announced today that he would be nominating William LaPlante for Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment at the Department of Defense (DoD).
With 80 percent of every Federal IT dollar spent on life support for legacy systems, the Federal IT community is exploring new options to modernize and innovate – virtualization, cloud computing, Flash technology, software-defined options, shared services, and more. MeriTalk is staying close to the leaders on the front lines, bringing you new ideas and lessons learned.
And, as Federal IT leaders work to meet demands of an “always-on” highly mobile government, we bring you the stories and breaking news on balancing productivity with security. Our government IT news includes how agencies manage advanced persistent threats, and the steps that help guard against socially engineered threats. We look at the latest trends in malware, spyware, ransomware, and spear phishing. And – how can Federal agencies protect data from tomorrow’s cyber threats?
The MeriTalk “Industry Insider” column, offers a weekly news roundup of contracts and other activity in the Federal IT industry. Check with MeriTalk daily for the government technology news you need to know, or subscribe to get the latest stories delivered directly to your inbox. You’ll stay up to date with interesting and timely Federal IT stories on cybersecurity, big data, data center modernization, cloud, mobile, and other developments in your community – from what’s next for the MGT Act to the highly anticipated Federal IT revolving capital fund, MeriTalk brings you the trends and breaking IT news to help you modernize, innovate, and transform public sector technology and the missions you support.