Digital Government

Tech firms see exchange proposal opening

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Cybersecurity

Senate amendment takes aim at Obama's 'czars'

Republicans escalate their criticism of the president's plans to appoint more than 30 so-called policy coordinators, which includes a yet-to-be-named cybersecurity czar.

Ideas

Rejected Recovery.gov FOIA Appealed

A watchdog group is contesting the government's denial of a request filed under the Freedom of Information Act to see the entire contents of the controversial, potential $18 million contract for the redesign of Recovery.gov.

Digital Government

Meyerriecks Intel Acquisition Director

Dennis Blair, director of national intelligence, <a href=http://www.dni.gov/press_releases/20090917_release.pdf>announced</a> on Thursday that he selected Dawn Meyerriecks, a former AOL executive and former chief technology officer at the Defense Information Systems Agency, as the new deputy director of national intelligence for acquisition and technology.

Digital Government

Ft. Huachuca Does It Manually

Most technologically advanced organizations monitor and log traffic on network servers automatically. That's not the case at the Army's <a href=http://www.huachuca.army.mil/site/Visitor/index.asp>Fort Huachuca</a> in Arizona.

Cybersecurity

DOD opens some classified information to non-federal officials

Some officials working at state and local intelligence fusion centers will have limited access to data on the Defense Department's classified network.

Digital Government

DHS Launches Web-Based HR Tool

The Homeland Security Department has launched a new IT platform that simplifies and accelerates its recruiting and hiring activities. The agency touts the tool, called TalentLink, as a means to help subcomponent agencies reduce their time to hire, improve the quality of candidate referrals and better manage and onboard new staff. The tool also uses electronic routing and approvals, automates the rating and ranking process and standardizes vacancy announcements using plain language.

Modernization

DISA wins awards for two Web sites

The Defense Information Systems Agency has won the Web Marketing Association’s 2009 WebAwards for the best military Web site and the best government Web site.

Digital Government

The Future of Work

The IBM Center for the Business of Government this week is hosting on its Web site a <a href="https://www.collaborationjam.com/">Collaboration Jam</a>, which brings together business leaders, technologists and visionaries to discuss the future of work. Participants can weigh in on seven forward-looking discussion topics, including collaborative business process management, the future of teamwork, healthcare, the generational divide, and work in the year 2020. While participation in the online event is restricted, I thought I'd share some of the top buzzwords that IBM has compiled using a text-mining tool:

Acquisition

A handbook on acquisition reforms

Former government officials and an industry partner offer the Obama administration's incoming acquisition team some recommendations for tackling federal acquisition issues.

Modernization

Lawmakers hit DHS on electronic border surveillance system

Lawmakers scolded Homeland Security Department officials for the latest round of delays on the SBInet electronic border surveillance project.

Modernization

Can virtualization solve security problems?

The Defense Department is seeking information on whether the technology can bolster data and infrastructure security.

Modernization

5 traps that can spoil virtualization savings

The savings that executives bank on with server virtualization do not always materialize. Here are the five biggest cost drains agencies can run into and how to keep them from sinking anticipated virtualization savings.

Modernization

Do contractor ID numbers taint transparency?

Advocacy groups are reviving long-standing questions about the suitability of corporate ownership of a critical government database.

Digital Government

The quick, cheap path to innovation

Inexpensive prototypes make it feasible to test new ideas and get user feedback.

Digital Government

The case for award-fee contracts

Award fees lead to better work from contractors — as long as they are clearly defined.

Cybersecurity

Marines' social-media ban is bad for morale

Rather than telling troops to get off Twitter and Facebook, the military should educate them about security.

Modernization

6 out-of-this-world government sites in Second Life

Teleport your avatar to one of the federal government's Second Life outposts to learn more about NASA space missions or NOAA's environmental studies.