Acquisition
GSA further details its plan for Ascend cloud program
Software-as-a-service vendors and providers of cloud-related IT professional services are who the General Services Administration wants to hear from now.
Artificial Intelligence
Agencies have met all AI mandates for management and talent, watchdog says
The Government Accountability Office said agencies’ compliance with 13 key AI benchmarks in the 2023 executive order “is likely to increase AI expertise in high-priority areas quickly and more efficiently.”
Modernization
Could an easy radio fix have prevented the Trump assassination attempt?
“Being able to talk to other agencies real-time certainly would assist in that response,” one official said.
Artificial Intelligence
Commerce to propose rule requiring US industry to report on dual-use AI capabilities
The Industry and Security Bureau is set to publish a proposed rule that will ask U.S. companies for information on their AI capabilities per requirements under the Defense Production Act.
Artificial Intelligence
US joins Council of Europe’s AI and human rights framework
By signing the Framework Convention of artificial intelligence this week, the U.S. pledges to mitigate AI-based discrimination.
Modernization
Space missions rely on private sector engagement, NASA official says
The space agency needs to work more closely with its commercial providers to meet critical flight requirements.
Digital Government
Russia’s influence operations aim to tip US election in favor of Donald Trump, intel official says
The assessment comes two days after the DOJ and others took steps to identify and blunt Russian influence operations.
Policy
Trump vows to establish an 'efficiency commission' with Elon Musk at the helm
The former president said the Tesla CEO has “agreed” to head up a task force aimed at cutting federal programs.
Cybersecurity
5 Russian military hackers plotted to spread malware to Ukraine through a US company, new charges say
The hackers also tried to target a federal agency based in Maryland, the Justice Department alleges.
Defense
Space Force aims to track enemy aircraft with satellites by 2030s
Research underway to shift tracking of air and ground targets to more survivable orbiting assets.
Cybersecurity
White House cyber czar launches new hiring sprint
The federal government’s main occupational series for IT jobs saw 3,000 open positions in fiscal 2024.
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Cybersecurity
US says Russia conducted sustained disinformation campaign to sway 2024 election
The Justice Department unsealed an indictment accusing two Russian state media employees of contributing to the election influence efforts.
Artificial Intelligence
CIA looks to fast track AI adoption through cloud contract
A CIA official said the agency is working with the five recipients of its Commercial Cloud Enterprise contract to “get commercial [large language models] up into our high-side environments.”
Cybersecurity
Major agencies are close to meeting September zero trust deadline, federal CIO says
The deadline is linked to a sweeping 2021 cybersecurity executive order.
People
Cori Zarek exits USDS
The deputy administrator of the U.S. Digital Service has left for a new job at Apolitical.
Cybersecurity
Under a quarter of rural hospitals are using White House’s free cyber resource program, official says
The commitments from industry leaders announced in June seek to help small healthcare centers boost their cybersecurity posture.
Emerging Tech
OMB’s call for manual network scans during PQC transitions is ‘undoable,’ industry officials say
The Office of Management and Budget’s preference for conducting a manual network scan over an automated analysis has drawn criticism from private sector entities ahead of migration efforts to post-quantum cryptography.
Cybersecurity
White House plan looks to secure a foundational piece of the global internet
The roadmap for improving the Border Gateway Protocol calls on the federal government to contract with firms that can provide available secure internet routing technologies.
People
Biden formally announces 2% average pay raise for feds in 2025
The president each August must declare an “economic emergency” to prevent large automatic increases to locality pay from taking effect, in accordance with the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act.
Emerging Tech