Policy
Democratic Senators Introduce Bill to Include Feds in Coronavirus Response Decisions
A task force of administration and union officials would make recommendations for how agencies should protect workers during the pandemic.
Modernization
GSA Launches IT Acquisition Training Portal For Procurement Officers and Program Managers
The on-demand video courses offer continuous learning points, and many are open to the public.
Modernization
USDA Unveils Fresh Round of Farmers.gov Updates
New features on the Farmers.gov portal include a dashboard to help farmers track H-2A related application decisions in real time.
Ideas
A Post-Pandemic Guide to Building Resilient Business Comms
Agencies should ensure their communication systems are ready for another mass shift to telework in case the need comes up again.
Digital Government
National Data Service Should be Created Within the National Science Foundation, Data Foundation Says
The service could serve a central point for agencies—and state governments—to share data.
Ideas
Energy Is a Basic Need, and Many Americans Are Struggling to Afford It in the COVID-19 Recession
And the problem could get worse as the economy continues to struggle.
Ideas
How to Hide from a Drone – the Subtle Art of ‘Ghosting’ in the Age of Surveillance
An umbrella could protect from more than just rain.
Modernization
Expanded Telework Could Save Individual Feds $2.5K-$4K Annually
Lessons from the pandemic have big implications for federal offices and employees, lawmakers and experts say.
Digital Government
NIH Needs ‘Honest Broker’ To Manage New COVID-19 Data Warehouse
The health agency is looking for a vendor to act as a “neutral intermediary” to spur research without compromising patient privacy.
Artificial Intelligence
Photo Tweaks Could Protect Your Privacy from Algorithms
End users can use this technology to help mask vital attributes on their photos before posting them online.
Cybersecurity
CMMC Official Backs Light-touch Option for Continuous Monitoring of Defense Contractors’ Cybersecurity
The Pentagon’s certification program is looking for a way to keep tabs on companies during the three-year intervals between independent audits.
Cybersecurity
Was the Pentagon’s Blacklist of Chinese Companies Justified?
An independent study of the list found China uses its favored companies to wipe out competition and spread economic influence.
Artificial Intelligence
Facial Recognition Algorithms Struggle to Detect Faces Under Masks, NIST Study Finds
A new study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology found facial recognition algorithms developed pre-pandemic struggle to identify masked faces.
Ideas
Lawmakers Keen to Break Up 'Big Tech' Like Amazon and Google Need to Realize the World has Changed a Lot Since Microsoft and Standard Oil
Those cases may seem similar to today’s situation, but this era is different in one crucial way: the global technology marketplace.
Emerging Tech
How the Energy Department Is Powering NASA’s Soon-to-Launch Mars Rover
Undersecretary for Science Paul Dabbar offered a glimpse into the agency’s efforts beyond Earth.
Ideas
Racing the Clock on Election Security
There are less than 100 days left until the presidential election.
Modernization
CBP Gets $15M from Modernization Fund to Ditch Its Last Mainframe
The Customs and Border Protection Agency plans to upgrade a system that tracks imported goods and still relies on COBOL.
Digital Government
NIH Commits $58 Million to Advance Data Science in Africa
The ultimate hope is to help advance quantitative and qualitative research and health on the continent.
Digital Government
HUD IG Warns Agencies to Watch Out for Bidding Fraud
Procurement officials should be on alert for anticompetitive bidding scheme and possible collusion, the agency’s inspector general says.
Ideas