Digital Government

OPM Launches OpenGov Web Site

The Office of Personnel Management on Thursday launched its new <a href="http://openopm.ideascale.com/">open government Web site</a>. The new site is in response to President Obama's open government directive, which was issued on Dec. 8 and instructs agencies how to make the federal government more open, how to bring citizens into the policy-making process and how to collaborate with other government employees, the public and private industry. The directive requires agencies to create within 60 days an open government Web site and publish within 120 days an open government plan that describes how it will improve transparency and boost public participation.

Digital Government

Fed Health Plans Commit to Health IT

The Office of Personnel Management on Friday released a list of 45 health plans in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program that have made a commitment to health information technology through offering Internet-based personal health records and providing online tools for accessing health care quality, and price and cost information.

Modernization

Preservation Road: Visual and audio records say more than text ever could

NARA works to ensure that future generations can continue to learn from the past, and that increasingly requires the agency to digitize audiovisual records.

Ideas

DHS Wants Public Dialogue

The Homeland Security Department completed the first step of a three-step process to better link operations to agency missions by submitting a review of long-term strategic goals to Congress. Technology played a crucial role, said a DHS official, by providing representatives from all segments of the homeland security community with the opportunity to contribute.

Modernization

Library of Congress defines the state of the art at Culpeper facility

Some agencies that grapple with the challenges of maintaining video and audio recordings are looking outside the Beltway for inspiration.

Digital Government

Government has gone Tweeting mad!

Remember those cute shots last year of some members of Congress madly tweeting on their smart phones during President Obama’s first address to them? That was so yesterday.

Digital Government

Teleworking Through the Storm

Federal agencies in the Washington, D.C. area will close four hours early on Friday due to a major snowstorm. Alyssa Rosenberg <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=44540&dcn=todaysnews">writes</a> at <em>Government Executive</em> that the latest snowstorm has drawn attention to the administration's efforts to increase telework at federal agencies.

Cybersecurity

DHS CIO midway through IT programs review

The Homeland Security Department continues a review of its 79 major information technology programs to identify ways to help troubled programs and fix systemic weaknesses.

Digital Government

Shelby blocking scores of Obama political appointees

The Washington Post repors that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has placed a blanket hold on more than 70 Obama administration nominees because of home state concerns with the future of the Air Force's tanker fleet and disagreements with the White House over funding for anti-terrorism programs.

Modernization

SSA sets goal of 50 percent online applications for retirees

The Social Security Administration has set targets for increasing its online application rate for retirees and the disabled by 2012.

People

Fresher data would improve Data.gov, watchdog groups say

The Data.gov transparency Web site could be improved if it had newer data, used better data formats and offered more options for searching, transparency advocates said in a letter to the White House.

Digital Government

The dark side of crowdsourcing?

Crowds may have wisdom, but some crowdsourcing concepts could be turned to evil purposes, writes blogger Steve Kelman.

Acquisition

Bill would increase oversight of prime-subcontractor relations

The bill would pressure companies to keep a clean performance record by paying subcontractors on time.

Modernization

Death by distraction: New tech toys can endanger public and warfighters

The popularity of portable entertainment and communication devices creates concerns about driving and job safety.

People

Navy Cyber Command sets sail

The Fleet Cyber Command is part of the recommissioned 10th fleet, which was originally established during World War II to combat U-boats.

Digital Government

Air Force math: 2,000 PlayStation 3s = 1 supercomputer

Air Force builds a supercomputer with Sony PlayStation 3 video game consoles.

Digital Government

The $79.4B buzz killer

The Obama administration's proposed 2011 IT budget adds up to a lot of money but creates little excitement.

Digital Government

The benefits of speaking with one voice

An agencywide approach to citizen engagement services can yield many benefits.

Digital Government

Getting help with online communications

Agencies can tap many resources to learn how to improve service. Here are a couple of them.

People

Senate confirms Martha Johnson as GSA administrator

The Senate voted to confirm Johnson after Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) overrode a hold placed on her nomination by Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) that had stalled the nomination since June 2009.