Digital Government

NIST readies Smart Grid security architecture

A cybersecurity working group is developing a security architecture and comprehensive set of security requirements to accompany the Smart Grid framework being developed by NIST's office for Smart Grid interoperability. A preliminary report is expected to be released for comment shortly.

Ideas

An Unlikely Federal Contractor

Doing business with the federal government is a notoriously difficult endeavor. The myriad of regulations make the barrier to entry extremely high for the average entrepreneur unfamiliar with the BeltWay of doing things. But one two and a half year old tech company's recent entry onto the GSA Schedules program may provide a preview of the Obama Administration's strategy to bring innovation to the government.

Digital Government

The Tip of the 9/11 GI Bill Iceberg

Top officials of the Veterans Affairs Department revised the figures they <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090923_3317.php>put out yesterday</a> on payments it has made to veterans under the post-9/11 GI bill, and said that of today, only 24,186 vets have received checks, or roughly 12 percent of the 200,000 claims it expected to receive by the end of the summer.

Modernization

3 questions to consider before moving a data center to the cloud

Remaking data centers in the image of a cloud means delivering IT services to internal customers with operations that are efficient, flexible and fast.

Modernization

DISA’s view from the cloud

Henry Sienkiewicz explains why DISA set up an internal cloud-computing service and what it means for operations.

People

At a glance

More employees are working away from the office, according to a recent OPM report.

Digital Government

Telework Town Hall

<a href="http://twitter.com/wiredworkplace">Wired Workplace</a> has been trying to follow the <a href="http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23TeleworkTHM">Twitter updates</a> from Thursday's Telework Exchange town hall meeting, at which Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra were scheduled to speak, but surprisingly, there haven't been many tweets. Luckily, Alyssa Rosenberg at <em><a href="http://blogs.govexec.com/fedblog/2009/09/talking_telework_with_opm_dire.php">Government Executive</a></em> and Ed O'Keefe at <em><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2009/09/berry_teleworking_sales_pitch.html">The Washington Post</a></em> have some details from the meeting.

Cybersecurity

USCIS redesigns Web site to improve usability, access

Obama administration sees redesigned site as a model for others.

People

Agency insourcing plans make industry nervous

Although industry hears the rumblings of insourcing, experts say agencies aren't arriving at the potential savings with a full perspective of the government's costs.

Cybersecurity

Outsourcing some services could be risky

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency plans to outsource disaster recovery planning, raising security questions.

Modernization

Agencies prepare for merged Dell-Perot Systems

Agencies and experts say Dell and Perot Systems will continue providing the same level of service.

Modernization

New NASA CIO views technology as an enabler

Cureton brings social media savvy to new post as NASA CIO.

Modernization

Stimulus spenders race to the finish line

States and feds rush to meet a reporting deadline — and there is no shortage of obstacles to providing data to the public.

Modernization

Microsoft, BNY Mellon to help states track stimulus spending

Agencies can use hosted or on-site software to track and manage projects via graphical dashboards, maps and analytics.

Modernization

Recommended Reading

What type of CIO are you?; FDA and Web 2.0: Oh, how things have changed; Who built the first computer, really?; Checking up on Big Brother.

People

5 problems with federal hiring — and 5 reality checks

If federal officials know they need to hire tens of thousands of new employees in the coming years, why do they make it so hard for highly qualified individuals to land — or even apply for — a job?

Digital Government

Intellipedia Backers Receive Gov 'Oscar'

Two federal IT employees were honored on Wednesday evening for their efforts to promote information sharing across the intelligence community through the development and implementation of Intellipedia, a Wikipedia-like clearinghouse of intelligence experience.

Cybersecurity

Performance survey gives low grades to Interior, FEMA, Forest Service

Managers at the Interior Department, FEMA and the U.S. Forest Service got low rankings for using performance management data, according to the GAO.

Cybersecurity

DHS intell office to realign IT capabilities

The Homeland Security Department's top intelligence official told a House subcommittee how IT would help share security information.

Modernization

Telework speeds security-clearance process

At-home investigators at the Office of Personnel Management helped to reduce the security clearance backlog, John Berry, OPM director, said today.