Digital Government

Roger Baker razzes reporters on lost BlackBerrys

The CIO of Veterans Affairs has been doing a lot of explaining about lost and stolen BlackBerrys at the agency.

Cybersecurity

VA gets visibility with cybersecurity tool

A VA IT official said a new tool that provides an overview of all computers and IT devices on the department's central network should be operating soon.

Digital Government

GIS' future is with crowds, clouds ... and 4-D

Geospatial technologies are exploding -- into crowdsourced applications, cloud platforms, and 3-D and 4-D environments.

People

Senators press OMB nominee on contracting reforms

Senators questioned Obama's nominee for OMB director during his confirmation hearing, getting insights on how he would run the agency.

Digital Government

Speak to us, Gen-X

According to numbers released this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average tenure of federal employees has dropped from 11.5 years in 2000 to 7.9 years in 2010.

Digital Government

Security and data ownership: Old issues in a new wineskin

Security and data center ownership were big issues 15 years ago when the federal government attempted to move agencies to consolidate data centers and share information technology services. Guess what? They still are today.

Digital Government

Culture, management issues continue to affect consolidation efforts

The success of data center consolidation initiatives will be determined more by culture and management issues than technology, according to federal managers and industry experts speaking at a recent conference on data center optimization.

Digital Government

Social Security Administration assigns modernization work

Lockheed Martin will support software development and Accenture will help with emerging technologies.

Digital Government

Republicans threaten to block support on appropriations bills

Senate Republicans pledge to withhold support from any measure unless discretionary spending is pared to a total of $1.108 trillion.

Digital Government

IRS still reliant on Social Security numbers to identify taxpayers

Agency plans to eventually replace SSNs on notices with 2-D bar codes, officials tell the inspector general.

Digital Government

VA reports 10 missing laptops, likely no personal data lost

CIO says the department will investigate if the unusually high number of lost computers is an aberration, or if something more is going on.

Digital Government

Sammie Winners Rely on Tech

The Partnership for Public Service handed out its top honor to federal employees on Wednesday, awarding eight individuals with its Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals.

Digital Government

HHS Inoculates Rural Hospitals

Rural hospitals struggling to install electronic health records received a shot in the arm this month -- an infusion of $19.8 million in federal funding from the Health and Human Services Department.

Ideas

Porn Still a Fed Problem

It seems that viewing pornography is still a problem for some of those among the Federal ranks.

Cybersecurity

Strange Facebook Status Updates

Another day, another potential <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> vulnerability.

People

Panel recommends national disaster database for DOD

A panel created by Congress recommends creating a central federal/defense data depository to track disaster response efforts and nearly 40 other measures to improve how the Defense Department supports civilian authorities for disaster responses.

Digital Government

Small businesses could suffer if fed contracting goes in-house

If agencies bring contracting work in-house, small companies believe they will bear the brunt of it, and officials want agencies to remember that.

People

OMB's new approach for IT financial system projects may be risky, GAO says

While the White House celebrates $760 million in savings from its new strategy for agency upgrades to financial systems, the GAO has published a report cautioning about risks.

Digital Government

Correction: House passes bill to keep GSA skeds open to state, local agencies

This article has been changed to correct the next step for a bill related to the Federal Supply Service. The House amended the bill, so it now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

Digital Government

Afghanistan in Your Hand

The Program for Culture and Conflict Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., has developed a database on Afghanistan to help in managing aid and development projects.