Modernization

All About Apps

A push to develop more online software applications at federal agencies is gathering supporters.

Ideas

Chopra Chided at CES

Federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra spoke at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday and his <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/01/aneesh-chopra-innovation-open-technology-standards.html">message</a> was one that should be familiar to Nextgov readers: He spoke abstractly of making government more open to innovation and specifically emphasized the importance of standards in health information technology.

Digital Government

GSA tags Steven Kempf to lead Federal Acquisition Service

The 18-year FAS veteran replaces Tyree Varnado, who retired after 35 years of federal service.

Ideas

Cybersecurity Appointee Makes History

Since his campaign President Obama has repeatedly emphasized how he wants to attract a more diverse group of Americans into public service. Yesterday he advanced that goal by appointing Amanda Simpson to be senior technical advisor to the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security.

Digital Government

Private equity firm buys majority of GovDelivery

Deal is a boost for owner of GovLoop, 'Facebook to the Feds,' management team says.

Ideas

Kundra: CIO of the Year?

Like any publication <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20091229_9301.php?oref=topstory">scrambling</a> <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20091229_7623.php?oref=topnews">to fill</a> those dark days at the end of the year, <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/leadership/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222002611">InformationWeek</a> handed out its annual awards in December.And there was one name included on the list that may come as a surprise to Nextgov readers: Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, who was named "Chief of the Year" by the magazine:

Ideas

On Deck: The Cyber Deputy

After a long wait, the country finally has it's first cybersecurity czar in the person of Howard Schmidt. Like most of the experts, having interviewed Schmidt I'm well aware the depth of his experience and expertise in this area. But any federal manager is only as good as the people who support him, which is why I was very interested to see <a href="http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=35&amp;sid=1848282">this report</a> from Jason Miller of FedNewsRadio about his potential deputy:

Modernization

Report finds agencies are better aligning IT and business systems

The federal government is slightly ahead of the private sector in matching its computer systems to its mission, analysts conclude.

Digital Government

Senators introduce bills to boost acquisition workforce roles, training

Legislation would create a three-year graduate program in federal procurement and increase the visibility of the Federal Acquisition Institute.

Digital Government

GSA awards geospatial services agreements to four firms

$20 million blanket purchase agreement was awarded at the request of the Geospatial Line of Business, chaired by the Interior Department.

Digital Government

Panel: Government should educate workforce on benefits of social media

Agencies can encourage employees to embrace social media through training and adopting tools that align directly with the organization's mission, panelists say.

Ideas

Facing 21st Century Problems

Today's news that technicians have located <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20091214_7919.php">22 million missing</a> Bush administration e-mails will be rightly viewed as a victory for the transparency community, particularly the two organizations that pursued the lawsuit. Failing to install an electronics record keeping system will go down as another failure for the Bush administration, albeit a relatively minor one.

Ideas

Senators Want Answers on Networx

Whenever you've got what looks like a clear-cut case of government waste, some sort of manufactured political outrage inevitably follows. Taking up the mantle of the indignant taxpayer this week: Sens. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The reason for their indignation? Millions in missed savings due to <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090814_8767.php?oref=search">delays in the transition</a> to the Networx telecom contract.

Digital Government

Business starts slowly on GSA's huge IT contract

Sales volume on Alliant running behind pace of contracts it replaced, but agency officials say purchasing is where it should be for a new contract.

Digital Government

Top IT officials say transparency will improve project management

Chief information and technology officers tell senators open government directive will increase oversight of investments.

Ideas

Powers-King to Retire from GSA

Just confirmed that <b>Mary Powers-King</b>, director of governmentwide acquisition contracts and Schedule 70 for GSA's Integrated Technology Service will retire shortly after the New Year. Powers-King has 31 years of federal service, including more than 25 years managing IT programs. No successor has been named yet, although her deputy, <b>Jim Ghiloni</b>, is probably near the top of the list.

Modernization

Federal agencies' path to cloud computing remains unclear

Vendors disagree on how long it will take government to outsource apps and equipment, but agree concerns about security remains the primary obstacle.

Ideas

Public Vote on Ways to SAVE

FedBlog guest blogger Dan Munz had an <a href="http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/2009/12/save_some_money.php">interesting post</a> on Monday about the White House allowing the public to vote on the president's <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/save-award">Securing Americans Value and Efficiency (SAVE) award</a>:

Ideas

Federal Health Sites Lead Pack

As technology observers we're often quick to highlight when the government lags behind the private sector. That's why it's important to take note when the public sector does something better, which seems to be the case when it comes to providing electronic health information.

Ideas

Access and Technology

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing on Wednesday on a topic that doesn't usually reach our radar: the manner in which local radio stations receive the ratings that determine their audience size and advertising rates. The debate that took place highlighted the difficulty of creating a balance between using technology for outreach while preserving access for all groups.