Digital Government
Protests halt CSC's work on TSA infrastructure contract
Unisys Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. have filed protests with the Government Accountability Office objecting to the awarding of a $500 million contract to Computer Sciences Corp.
Digital Government
What's at Stake in VistA Project
As I <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20091014_6336.php>reported last week</a>, the Veterans Affairs Department <a href=http://www.iaconline.org/Pages/default.aspx>asked the Industry Advisory Council</a> for its help in modernizing its venerable, but more than two-decade-old, Veterans Health Information System and Technology Architecture, or VistA.
Cybersecurity
Bill would make fraud-detection available for TARP
Technology the credit card industry uses to detect fraud could be applied to the Troubled Asset Relief Program, according to an expert who helped draft a House bill that calls for the use of such technology.
Ideas
'Used Gov' and Social Messaging
Usability guru Jakob Nielsen and his team at the Nielsen Norman Group recently released a research report on the design and usability of social messaging and RSS feeds. In the <a href="http://www.useit.com/alertbox/streams-feeds.html">outline of the findings</a> Nielsen posted on his <a href="http://www.useit.com">Web site</a>, he bluntly states, "we have a long way to go to improve the usability of social network messaging and RSS feeds."
Digital Government
Federal Pay Gap Rises In 2009
Alyssa Rosenberg <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=43832&dcn=todaysnews">reports</a> at <em>Government Executive</em> that the gap between average pay for federal and private sector workers rose 1.25 percent in 2009, according to the Federal Salary Council. The pay gap increased from 25.71 percent in 2008 to 26.42 percent in 2009, with the largest gaps occurring in Cincinatti (4.52 percent); Sacramento, Calif., (2.82 percent); Washington (2.8 percent); Hartford, Conn., (2.63 percent); and New York City (2.61 percent).
Ideas
No Need for IT in Cabinet
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano shot down the prospect of a cabinet-level information technology position during an online video address on Tuesday.
Acquisition
Justice needs technology support
The department is considering as many as 15 contracts on a multiple-award contract along with a possible small-business set-aside.
Digital Government
DOD budget forecast threatens new technology deployments
Personnel and equipment costs might cut deeply into key defense acquisition programs over the next several years, reports Michael Bruno at Aviation Week.
Cybersecurity
Napolitano asks public's help with cybersecurity
Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano said today cybersecurity is a shared responsibility and urged private persons to get involved.
Digital Government
HHS faces hurdles on electronic exchange of medical lab results
Medical labs vary widely in how prepared they are to use electronic medical records, according to testimony today.
Digital Government
Perspective on Future of Federal IT
Navy Department Chief Information Officer Robert Carey <a href="http://www.doncio.navy.mil/Blog.aspx?ID=1380">writes</a> at the Navy CIO Blog about the future of the federal cybersecurity and IT workforce. Carey offers some perspective on how to move the workforce into the information age and deliver more effective IT in support of mission needs.
Modernization
3 governing challenges, 3 Web solutions
Agencies use Web 2.0 tools, such as blogs and wikis, in a technique named crowdsourcing to get public input on policy issues.
People
VA and industry join to develop health record strategy
The VA's CIO has asked an industry group to advise the department on whether to deploy the VistA digital health record system more broadly to private hospitals and providers.
Modernization
How Facebook can work for you
Having a landing spot such as a Facebook fan page can be a dynamic place for people to see goings-on with minimal effect on the organization’s official Web page, writes Joshua Salmons.
Modernization
5-minute citizen engagement plan
Agencies can better engage the public by learning from less serious sites that seek to 'make people happy for five minutes a day,' writes FCW columnist Mark Drapeau.
People
The 'browser mafia' must lead the IT revolution
Consensus on strategy is fleeting, but most recognize that IT is a catalyst for fundamental change, writes FCW columnist Chris Bronk.
Digital Government