Cybersecurity
The military services are working out security policies for thumb drive use
Given the potential threats and technical hurdles, officials expect it will take time to develop new guidelines for transferring data on flash media.
Modernization
Census takes a walk on the cloud
Agency relies on cloud computing for 2010 decennial count and looks to build its own infrastructure for 2020.
Ideas
Education Error Message
President Obama has put the government in charge of student loans, but it appears that the federal IT system isn't quite prepared to handle that responsibility.
Digital Government
Army cyber office going full steam ahead
An Army Cyber Directorate official says his office is making moves on cyber defense -- and is eager to do it better, faster and cheaper than the federal government status quo.
Digital Government
A Do-It-Ourselves Anniversary Site
As I <a href=http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2010/03/the_vietnam_war_anniversary.php>observed</a> last week, the Defense Department just this month decided to start developing a Web site to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, which is this year.
Digital Government
Army prepares contract action on enterprise programs
As the Army moves forward with Global Enterprise Information Construct, new opportunities are cropping up for contracts for Army IT services.
Cybersecurity
Privacy Gets a Boost
Privacy groups have been pushing for years to revise a federal privacy law that pertains to digital media. They got a start yesterday. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said they intend to hold hearings this spring on amending the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.
Modernization
Justice IG hits FBI's Sentinel IT program
Rising costs and delays with the FBI’s project for a Web-enabled electronic case management system worry the Justice Department’s inspector general.
Acquisition
Is GSA gunning for other GWACs?
Blogger Steve Kelman argues that the federal government is better off having GSA compete with other agencies for acquisition business.
Acquisition
Administration hopes for ripple effect from outsourcing policy
The administration wants a workforce that can carry out the government's operations and reduce the reliance on contractors.
Ideas
E-Pay Stubs: Thinking About Defaults
Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/blog/10/03/29/SAVEings/">announced</a> on Monday that the National Finance Center, which processes payroll for 675,000 federal employees, will start issuing electronic pay stubs as a default.
Modernization
NASA engineers join Toyota investigation
The Transportation Department, looking into alleged acceleration problems with Toyota vehicles, is getting help from NASA engineers with expertise in electronics and software.
Digital Government
HHS' PR Contract Draws Criticism
It didn't take long for controversy to swirl around a $26 million contract the Health and Human Services Department recently <a href=http://healthitupdate.nextgov.com/2010/03/madison_ave_to_gild_health_it.php>awarded</a> to a major public relations firm to sooth the public's fear that their privacy may be compromised as the medical industry moves to electronic health records. (Nearly 60 percent of Americans surveyed last year said they were not confident that their medical information would be properly protected in an EHR, according to <a href=http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/upload/7887.pdf>a poll</a> conducted by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University's School of Public Health.)
People
DOD IT nominee lacks military experience, but does that matter?
Teresa Takai's strong information technology and government background are enough to overcome her lack of military experience, industry officials say.
Digital Government
Public Sector Lags on IT Benefits
While providing a flexible and desirable working environment is necessary to attracting and retaining the younger, technology-oriented workforce, only 13 percent of state and local government agencies provide workers with laptop computers, according to a new <a href="http://www.govexec.com/pdfs/033110ww.pdf">study</a> by Intel and IT consultant Wipro.
Digital Government
White House wants industry's help on IT managment
The Obama administration wants to apply industry's best practices to how the government manages large, expensive IT projects.
Acquisition