Digital Government
VA to deploy automated tool to speed up vets' education benefits
Secretary Eric Shinseki also says developing IT systems for the Veterans Benefits Administration is a top priority.
Cybersecurity
Report: Federal spending on info security will outpace overall IT spending
Increase in cyberattacks is driving government's continued investment in cybersecurity, says tech research firm.
Digital Government
Government seeks to update paperwork rule
The administration will consider ideas on how to account for the rise of the Internet and social media in regulations intended to reduce administrative burdens on the public.
Ideas
Obama Launches Global Tech Fund
The White House on Friday invited private equity fund managers to <a href="http://www.opic.gov/investment-funds/calls-for-proposals/global-technology-innovation-fund/">submit proposals</a> for the establishment of a fund that will invest in technology access in countries with large Muslim populations.
Digital Government
Honoring Marine Maj. Corky Ram
DURHAM, N.C. -- I'm at Duke University this Friday for dedication of a <a href=http://www.dukealumni.com/olc/pub/DUKE/general/general_43.html_>memorial</a> to the Duke graduates who lost their lives on active duty since World War II, including the best company commander I ever had the privilege to serve, Maj. Cornelius "Corky" Ram.
Digital Government
Navy grapples with 'relentless pace' of technology change
Wennergren, Carey outline the Navy's progress toward implementing various information technology policies and systems that will shape the force’s interoperability and improve capabilities in defending against cyber threats.
Digital Government
Shaping the Federal Workforce
The Office of Personnel Management in coordination with the Harvard Kennedy School and the Maryland School of Public Policy will hold a roundtable meeting on Oct. 28 to discuss the future of the federal workforce, <em>The Washington Post</em> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/22/AR2009102204539_2.html">reports</a>. The event, which will be off-the-record and closed to the press, will include administration leaders, unions, congress and members of the private and nonprofit sector. Participants in the meeting plan to tackle issues including: the vision for the federal workforce in five to 10 years, filling mission-critical jobs, transforming the broken federal recruiting and hiring process, and reforming the federal pay system.
Acquisition
Schedule 70 IT sales flat in 2009
Schedule 70 IT sales remain flat but steady because of many more options for services contracts, experts say.
Digital Government
Senate Approves Federal Retirement Changes
Legislation that includes several key retirement provisions for federal employees is heading to the president's desk. The Senate on Thursday approved the final version of the fiscal 2010 Defense Authorization bill (<a href="http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02647:">H.R. 2647</a>), which includes a provision that would allow employees in the Federal Employees Retirement System to credit their unused, accumulated sick leave toward retirement. The bill also would allow CSRS workers to shift to part-time status at the end of their careers without reducing their final annuities, and would enable FERS employees who decide to return to civil service from the private sector the ability to recoup their full retirement annuity without losing credit for previous years of federal service.
Modernization
Windows 7: Real advance or just Vista-plus?
New Microsoft OS offers a few improvements over Vista, but not many. And it does not fix many of Vista's annoyances, our review finds.
People
Government agencies to spend $15 billion on health IT by 2014
Federal, state and local governments are projected to spend $15 billion in 2014 for the IT systems that support their public health and health insurance programs.
Acquisition
Social contract
The world of federal procurement and acquisition policy is about as insular as it gets in nonclassified government.
People
Lawmakers want to shake out TARP fraud with tech
A standardized, Web-accessible database showing how TARP money is spent could make it easier to detect fraud in the program, according to experts.
Modernization
Federal sites rapped over accessibility problems
When the revamped Recovery.gov went live this month, advocates for people with disabilities noticed the site had accessibility limitations. Other sites also have lapses in complying with accessibility laws.
Cybersecurity
Secret Service doesn't keep IT needs secret
The Secret Service wants industry to help it shape procurement plans for the first phase of a wide-ranging information technology overhaul.
Cybersecurity
Pointers
Federal URL shortener makes sense; Browser wars heat up; Is there any pie Google doesn't have its fingers in?; Stupid spammer tricks.
Modernization
Windows 7: Small step for Vista or giant leap?
Is Windows 7 a major advance over Windows Vista, or just a service pack in a new-product box?
Digital Government