Digital Government

FCC assesses impact of Comcast ruling on National Broadband Plan

The net-neutrality ruling will affect the plan, which is intended to expand broadband access in the nation, and the FCC is trying to determine just how big a blow it is.

People

OPM’s latest workplace experiments

OPM’s Results-Only Work Environment is a good example of how to bring management innovation into government, writes blogger Steve Kelman.

Ideas

Coburn: The Law's the Law

In conjunction with the release of agency plans intended to ingrain transparency into departmental activities, the White House on Wednesday released several policies aimed at accelerating those efforts. The new policies and the open government plans were released on Wednesday pursuant to an open government directive issued in December.

Digital Government

OPM Releases OpenGov Plan

The Office of Personnel Management on Wednesday released its <a href="http://www.opm.gov/open/includes/OPM%20Open%20Government%20Plan_04062010.pdf">open government plan</a>, which leverages public input to enhance transparency and public participation as part of the Obama administration's open government initiative.

Digital Government

The Weakest Health IT Link, Inc.

A major failing of the government's plan to digitize paper medical records, assert some privacy advocates assert, is that you just can't trust pointy headed bureaucrats to keep that information safe. That sentiment isn't unfounded, says a CMS official, but it is misplaced.

People

Agencies release transparency roadmaps

The Obama administration and open-government groups are reviewing the open government plans that agencies released today.

Digital Government

Tech's Effect on Personnel Reform

Alyssa Rosenberg <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=44971&oref=todaysnews">writes</a> at Government Executive about a new Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government report that encourages federal officials to move forward on personnel reform while keeping in mind that technological and regulatory changes are not a cure-all for the government's hiring and recruiting challenges.

People

OMB issues transparency rules for federal spending

The Office of Management and Budget, in keeping with the Open Government Directive, is setting rules that aim to increase the transparency of government spending.

Ideas

OGov Plans, Social Media Regs Out

You can now read the <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100402_6749.php>open government plans</a> of every federal agency, the culmination of an experiment in transparency that President Obama launched the day after being sworn into office. In addition, the Office of Management and Budget has released <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/inforeg/SocialMediaGuidance_04072010.pdf">guidance clarifying</a> that Paperwork Reduction Act restrictions on collecting information from the public do not apply to most social media efforts.

Digital Government

OMB social media guidance applies old law to new technologies

The Office of Management and Budget has clarified the application of the Paperwork Reduction Act to social media interactions.

Cybersecurity

Experts Debate Cyberwar Defense

<a href="http://www.ranum.com/">Marcus Ranum</a> and <a href="http://csis.org/experts">James Lewis</a> wrote competing op-eds on cyberwar last week, but I think they agree on more than they let on.

Digital Government

After Post, Google Zaps GPS Jammer Ads

While researching a What's Brewin' <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2010/04/gps_backup_what_gps_backup.php>item I posted this week on backups to the GPS system</a>, I conducted a Google search on GPS jammers. The results of the search staggered me -- by both the number of hits and the fact that Google also carried ads for gizmos that have no legitimate use.

Digital Government

DOD appoints new director for acquisition

Appointment comes in wake of findings by Congressional panel of poor DOD acquisition and procurement practices.

Digital Government

Navy cyber leader expects proactive capabilities this year

Navy cyber command needs cultural change in view of network warfare, updated networks and technology to take on defense in the cyber realm.

Acquisition

HHS awards $267M for health IT regional centers

The Health and Human Services Department funds centers designed to help doctors and rural hospitals use health IT.

Digital Government

Huge savings in cloud computing forecast

The savings can be significant, but the ways agencies find to achieve them vary widely. A Brookings Institution analysis looked at all levels of government, from cities to federal agencies.

Digital Government

Feds, industry to hash out cloud standards at May summit

The Cloud Summit, to be hosted on May 20 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will turn attention to creating standards for data interoperability, portability and security.

Digital Government

Will influx of iPads cripple wireless networks?

The release of Apple's iPad will add another flood of wireless-ready devices to the demand for wireless connectivity, and at least one government official fears that the proliferation of gadgets could bog down wireless networks.