FCW Insider: May 22

'Zero trust' requires IT and the mission side to collaborate

Since 9/11, agencies have been pushed to quickly and easily share information, but cybersecurity failures are pushing government to a zero trust model – one which brings challenges of its own. Derek B. Johnson explains.

Local governments look to Congress for help with COVID impacts

Counties and municipalities put faith in SMART, HEROES legislation to offset economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Lia Russell has more.

Obituary: Kevin Carroll

Long-time Army procurement expert and head of PEO EIS Kevin Carroll has passed away. He's remembered by former colleagues as a mentor and community builder.

Pandemic reshapes workforce paradigms at DHS

Mandatory telework has DHS and other agencies rethinking their IT security and processes. Mark Rockwell takes a look.

Zielinski to take CIO post in Dallas

As one Bill Zielinski of the top category managers prepares to take on a municipal CIO position in Texas, the General Services Administration is shifting personnel deep inside the organization. Mark reports.

Quick Hits

*** The Defense Department is looking to scale a new tool that predicts weak spots in the supply chain due to COVID-19 outbreaks and countermeasures.

The Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center developed Project Salus, a data aggregation platform that uses predictive modeling, to narrow down supply chain demands and shortages in specific locations so front-line workers can get needed equipment.

Nathaniel Bastian, the JAIC’s chief artificial intelligence solution architect and acting chief for the data science and AI engineering division, said the platform, which has been tested by combatant commanders in the National Guard Bureau and U.S. Northern Command, is in its second series of sprints and is being prepped for transition.

"Until June 1, the JAIC is actively looking to transition the capability and finalize those transition partners," Bastian said during an AFCEA International and George Mason University event on artificial intelligence May 20. That transition means making Salus, which focuses mostly on supply chain, adaptable to more generalized problem sets and future pandemic modeling efforts.

*** The Army is getting a new program executive officer for enterprise information systems. Ross Guckert, previously the deputy program executive for PEO Soldier, which focuses on developing equipment, will take over from Chérie Smith who retired May 21.