Digital Government

U.S. behind foreign competitors in manufacturing green technologies

Specialists call for the government to invest in and provide tax incentives to American companies to reverse a $9 billion trade deficit and create jobs.

Digital Government

Critics: National Archives lax in records management enforcement

Some document specialists and open government advocates say agencies' challenges with storing and retrieving e-records are due to a lack of policing, not an absence of rules.

Digital Government

Shuttering of intel e-mail draws concern for other collaboration tools

Intelligence office assures users it will replace the system with a more secure one, and other social networking tools will continue to operate.

Digital Government

131,000 Homeless Vets

That's the <a href=http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1795>stark and depressing news</a> the Veterans Affairs Department released on Tuesday, while VA said the goods news is that the number is down 15 percent from last year.

Digital Government

DHS Automates Hiring Processes

Wired Workplace spoke with Jeffrey Neal, chief human capital officer at the Homeland Security Department, on Monday about the agency's <a href="http://wiredworkplace.nextgov.com/2009/09/dhs_launches_web-based_hr_tool.php">new IT platform</a> that simplifies and accelerates its recruiting and hiring activities. The tool, called TalentLink, uses electronic routing and approvals, automates the rating and ranking process, standardizes vacancy announcements using plain language, and facilitates communication with applicants. The tool also eliminates the knowledge, skills and abilities questions traditionally found on federal applications, allowing DHS applicants to simply submit a resume, Neal said.

Ideas

Contractors Should 'Refrain' from 'Txts'

<em>The Federal Register</em> is out with an <a href="http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-24203.pdf">executive order</a>, first announced last week, that prohibits federal employees from text messaging while driving. It pressures companies with government business to "refrain" from distracted driving, too.

Digital Government

Tweeting While You Work

A new survey by Robert Half Technology shows that the government is not alone in its concerns about employee access to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter while on the job. The <a href="http://www.roberthalftechnology.com/PressRoom?pressRelease_5.request_type=RenderPressRelease&pressRelease_5.releaseId=2531">survey</a> of more than 1,400 chief information officers found that more than half (54 percent) of companies do not allow employees to visit social networking sites for any reason at work.

Modernization

Judge sends Deepwater false claims lawsuit to trial

A U.S. District Court judge refuses to dismiss the False Claims Act lawsuit against the Deepwater contractors and sets trial for next year.

People

Klossner: The link between IT dashboards and '80s hair bands

Whatever the format, whatever the hardware, bad data is still bad data.

Acquisition

Agencies late on guidance for insourcing, GAO says

Officials said they are awaiting more guidelines from OMB

Modernization

Air Force activates new cyberspace defense unit

Combat communications wing supports new Space Command

Cybersecurity

Pentagon authorizes outside firm to manage access to some DOD systems

Exostar is now permitted to issue digital certificates and smart cards on its own behalf

Modernization

Astronaut has more than 1 million followers on Twitter

Astronaut Mike Massimino tweets about experiences at NASA, or aboard the space shuttle.