Digital Government

OMB prioritizes CX in budget planning

The inclusion of customer experience and service delivery priorities in budget preparation guidance from OMB will likely get the attention of agencies as they prepare their budget requests for the next fiscal year, experts told FCW.

Ideas

Channel of Choice: The End Goal for CX in Government

The federal government has to offer options that serve everyone while also improving customer experience.

Acquisition

What's going on at NITAAC

The National Institutes of Health's governmentwide acquisition organization supports much more than HHS

Modernization

FTC's Tech and Cyber Modernization Sees Success and Ongoing Challenges

The agency’s report indicated that the Federal Trade Commission was on track and making progress towards most of its tech-related goals, while offering a plan for future goals.

People

Karl Mathias settles in at HHS

The chief information officer at the Department of Health and Human Services talks about his priorities, the department’s effort to develop a new cybersecurity strategy and what keeps him up at night

Cybersecurity

U.S. and Israel Strengthen Cybersecurity Partnership

Both countries have pursued a bilateral cybersecurity agreement between their financial agencies since 2021, amid critical infrastructure threats. 

Ideas

FBI’s Mar-a-Lago Search Warrant Affidavit Reveals How Trump May Have Compromised National Security – a Legal Expert Answers 5 Key Questions

A search warrant expert breaks down the affidavit the FBI used to search Mar-a-Lago, and the national security concerns it presents.

Policy

Recent Grads Often Don’t Consider Federal Employment, Survey Says

Many federal agencies continue to face critical workforce gaps in areas like cybersecurity, IT and automation.

Acquisition

DHS looks to cyber self-assessments over CMMC model

DHS is considering how it might use self-assessments for vendors to measure their cyber hygiene—an approach that would set it apart from the Defense Department’s plans for third-party assessments.

Digital Government

Traffic Overwhelms Student Loan Sites Following Biden’s Debt Relief Announcement

Student loan company Nelnet said providers received no advance warning about the White House’s loan forgiveness plan, contributing to confusion and site outages.

Emerging Tech

Energy Awards Over $540 Million for Green Tech Research

This latest series of funding will be divided among existing research programs to support President Joe Biden’s plan for a net zero economy by 2050.

Exclusive People

Much-hyped effort to help DHS land cyber talent is slow to make hires

So far about four hires have been made under the Cybersecurity Talent Management System, with the agency hoping to make offers to 150 new cyber specialists by the end of September.

Policy

Federally Funded Research to be Free and Publicly Accessible Under New White House Guidance

A memo issued by the acting director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy requests federal agencies update and implement their public access policies by the end of 2025.

Ideas

Just 1 Hour of Lost Sleep Saps Our Generosity

New research links lack of sleep to reduced generosity, suggesting a link between lost rest and broad social problems.

Cybersecurity

Capitol Hill Takes Aim at Twitter Following Whistleblower Complaint

The allegation of rampant security failures on Twitter’s platform prompted lawmakers to double down on data handling practices.

People

The contractor responsible for the TSP’s troubled recordkeeping transition pledges to improve

Since the TSP moved to Accenture’s recordkeeping system on June 1, participants have bemoaned a variety of issues with the new service.

Digital Government

Executive order will guide $52 billion in CHIPS Act funding

The White House is establishing a steering council to direct the implementation of nearly $52 billion in semiconductor research and development featured in the recently passed CHIPS and Science Act.

Digital Government

How the VA’s adoption of Login.gov is going

The agency is standing up in-person identity proofing to help veterans who struggle to go through the identity proofing process online because of a lack of connectivity or existing digital credentials.

Modernization

Government Launches New Website to Support Semiconductor Funding Law

The Department of Commerce’s CHIPS.gov will provide available resources and information as it begins to implement the new program.