Author Archive

Mohana Ravindranath

Staff Correspondent

Mohana Ravindranath covers civilian agency technology and IT policy for Nextgov. She previously covered IT for the Washington Post, and her work has also appeared in Business Insider and the Philadelphia Inquirer. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
Artificial Intelligence

Agencies Could Struggle to Remove Bias From Algorithms

It’s a regulatory challenge to ensure that artificially intelligent systems aren’t making decisions based on biased information.

Digital Government

Agencies May Want to Think Neuro-Differently About the Cyber Workforce

A French company has been placing IT consultants with Asperger’s syndrome in government positions. Could it work in the U.S.?

Digital Government

White House Launches Revamped Website

The new site is designed to match private sector quality, a senior administration official says. 

Emerging Tech

This Company Is Trying to Turn Federal Agencies into Startups

Palo Alto-based BMNT Partners teaches agencies how to design the solutions to their challenges.

Modernization

White House Releases Final Tech Modernization Plan

The far-reaching plan pushes agencies to adopt cloud and shared services.

Modernization

Here’s Who Might Dominate Alliant 2 Business

The contract may feature 61 businesses but a research firm says far fewer companies will snag most of the business.

Cybersecurity

OPM Reminds Agencies to Identify Cyber Workforce Needs

The personnel office nudged agencies to finish coding cybersecurity job descriptions as part of an ongoing workforce assessment.

Digital Government

Watchdog: Automation Flaws Granted Hundreds of People Citizenship Without Background Checks

The Electronic Immigration System, used to process naturalization documents, has major issues.

Digital Government

80 Small Businesses To Get A Spot On Alliant 2

The small business portion of the contract vehicle is valued at a maximum $15 billion.

Digital Government

GSA Plans to Democratize Its Data

The agency's central platform will let employees dabble in data sets and analytics tools.

Digital Government

Senate Confirms GSA Leader

New Administrator Emily Webster Murphy has extensive experience in acquisition.

Policy

GSA, NASA, Other Agencies Update Shutdown Guidance

Agencies have to prep their staff and their systems as the funding deadline approaches.

Digital Government

GAO: Feds Aren’t Doing Enough for Minority Tech Workers

Equal employment agencies could be doing more, such as looking at which universities they recruit from.

Policy

Government Sued Over Tattoo Recognition Technology

The Electronic Frontier Foundation argues that the program curtails First Amendment right to freedom of expression.

Emerging Tech

Thousands Apply to Trump's Drone Pilot Program

Transportation and FAA are accepting proposals to participate in drone innovation zones, where normal regulations do not apply.

Emerging Tech

GAO: FCC Needs to Consider How Connected Toasters Could Clog the Spectrum

The internet of things could eat up spectrum, but the FCC isn’t doing enough to anticipate strains.

Digital Government

Report: Government Websites Are (Somehow) Getting Worse

Most federal websites fail metrics related to load time and secure connections, according to a think tank assessment.

Digital Government

Trump Administration Has Talked Up Social Media Vetting, But It’s Nothing New

Arlington-based deep web search engine provider Giant Oak says agencies have been perusing social media accounts long before Trump took office.

Emerging Tech

The Government Wants A Handheld Synthetic Drug Detector

NIST and DARPA are looking for pre-market products that can identify synthetic opioids like fentanyl.