FCW Insider: July 1

Congress weighs fate of DOD's chief management officer

The Defense Department's chief management office is, again, fending off political pressure to eliminate it.

NARA sharpens digital preservation plans

The National Archives released a framework for preserving government information that takes into account the proliferating variety of electronic formats – some now defunct – so that records can be saved in their original form.

Cheriyan to exit GSA

After leading a rapid expansion of the General Services Administration's Centers of Excellence program, the agency's Technology Transformation Services director will leave for the private sector in a couple of weeks.

Lawmakers, White House square off over new cyber post

The co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission said he has yet to hear from the Trump administration officials on why they're opposing legislation adding a new top White House cybersecurity official. 

Schiff: Trump's vote-by-mail attacks are 'seed' for disinformation campaigns

The House Intel Chair said the president's targeting of absentee ballots provides an anchor for foreign and domestic actors to amplify false narratives about the integrity of the 2020 election.

Deadline extended for 2020 Rising Star nominations

Help us identify the early-career innovators and change agents in government IT -- and be sure to do so before the July 17 deadline.

Quick Hits

***The Defense Department has moved to phase 2 of its multiphase reopening plan for the Pentagon reservation, Lisa Hershman, DOD's, chief management officer announced during a virtual town hall June 29. Face coverings are still mandatory when keeping a six-foot distance isn’t possible and teleworking will be encouraged at a minimum of 20%. Gatherings are also limited to fewer than 50 people.

Hershman said she wasn't sure how many DOD personnel will telework after DOD reaches the final reopening phase, but said her office was "looking at all work options" and is encouraging leaders to design plans based on their organization’s needs and consider telework capabilities. The CMO is also going to be doing a survey to learn about employees' telework experiences, including productivity and duty performance, to incorporate them in “modernizing our work approach.”

*** Robert Shea will serve as Grant Thornton's national managing principal for Public Policy beginning August 1. Shea served as the Office of Management and Budget’s associate director from 2002 to 2008, and has worked at Grant Thornton since 2010. Shea also served on the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking that helped draft the law that now mandates chief data officers at every agency, and he is a fellow and former chairman of the National Academy of Public Administration. Shea succeeds Mary Moore Hamrick, who is retiring.

*** The National Security Agency and the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security announced the successful conclusion of a pilot project that automates cybersecurity testing for mobile applications used by the federal government.

The agencies teamed up with Kryptowire to develop automated analysis of Android and Apple iOS versions of the Intelligent Waves' Hypori application to ensure its security practices are in compliance with National Information Assurance Partnership requirements. Third-party evaluators at a Leidos testing lab then determined that the pilot provided faster results with less time and personnel resources than manual vetting, while still maintaining a high level of accuracy.