People

Lawmakers push for improved federal supervisor training

The Federal Supervisor Training Act of 2010 (H.R. 5522) would require federal supervisors to receive initial training within one year of promotion, as well as once every three years thereafter.

Digital Government

How to handle a congressional hearing

Two to-dos to prepare for a congressional hearing.

Digital Government

No love for OCIO at ICE

Fierce Government IT

Digital Government

Government delayed measuring rate of oil flow for five weeks

High-tech sensors could have been deployed to accurately estimate the amount of oil escaping into the Gulf of Mexico, but U.S. officials thought the deep-water well would have been capped quickly.

Digital Government

Agencies begin to get the feel of sensor technology

Concerns about the environment and lower prices for smart computer chips are driving a rising interest in remote monitoring.

Digital Government

TSA looks for administrative software to support Secure Flight

The growing program requires administrative software to manage the comings and goings of government and contractor staff, and to track equipment such as phones and computers.

Digital Government

BG Sutton Quietly Leaves PTSD/TBI Job

Army Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, who ran the <a href=http://www.dcoe.health.mil/>Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury</a> since it was established in November 2007, left that command on Monday in a very low key ceremony, I'm told.

Ideas

I'm a BARF Forum Member, Thank You

Government loves acronyms. So do technologists. But sometimes people don't think through the name of their organization, contract or program -- until it's too late. I'm not so sure the folks over at the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board were oblivious to what their group spelled out as an acronym. After all, their job is to rat out contractors or agencies that don't follow the rules. Someone over there had a sense of humor.

Digital Government

CMS Launches Incentives Website

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched on Monday a <a href=http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/>new website</a> detailing its electronic health records incentives program, an initiative designed to provide financial rewards to health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health records systems.

Modernization

Federal IT workers dubious of data-center consolidation plan

While federal IT stakeholders agree that consolidating government data centers is a good idea, some doubt if or when it will happen, while others have concerns about security and their jobs.

People

Bigger threat: National crises or unprepared managers?

More than 90 percent of federal employees believe it is important that they continue working during a national crisis, but a lack of continuity-of-operations coordination and telework eligibility may thwart their efforts.

Modernization

You've got Gmail: Berkeley Lab moving to Google platform

About 5,000 e-mail users at the Energy Department's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California are getting Google's cloud-based Gmail system for electronic communications.

Digital Government

More Reliance on IT Contractors?

A new report suggests that federal spending on information technology will grow significantly over the next five years, and that could result in the federal government having to rely more on outside expertise in order to meet increasing demand.

Modernization

Treasury plans sweeping Web overhaul

Modernization project will include redeploying Treasury's official Web site, as well as FinancialStability.gov and MakingHomeAffordable.gov, on the cloud.

Cybersecurity

Bill Puts Contractors Out of Work?

For the past couple months I've written about <a href="http://cybersecurityreport.nextgov.com/2010/04/white_house_heroes.php">continuous monitoring</a>, its <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100421_5175.php">importance</a> and the <a href="http://cybersecurityreport.nextgov.com/2010/04/state_dept_success_revealed.php">steps</a> that must be taken to change the security culture in Washington. Today we are a lot closer to breaking down barriers and implementing near-real-time situational awareness. But there are still things slowing down the transition aside from the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Sometimes the best way to find out about those barriers is to sift through the written testimonies submitted to Congress.