Digital Government

Panel questions VA outsourcing IT systems work to Navy

CIO says Veterans Affairs will work to improve statements of work, be more specific on what it wants and create a repository of contract documents.

Digital Government

Army to buy e-mail system that could be expanded across Pentagon

Project could unify 1.2 million uniformed service members and 650,000 Defense civilians on a single, compatible e-mail platform.

Digital Government

Agencies may be unable to meet request for downloadable data

Much of government data is stored in a format not conducive for searching and manipulating -- requirements that will be part of the open government directive, e-gov professionals say.

Cybersecurity

NRC, FERC to cooperate on cybersecurity for nuke plants

Regulatory commissions will coordinate to protect nuclear power facilities.

Ideas

Kundra: Transparency Will Take Time

Speaking at a Washington conference on government technology, the <a href="http://www.gov2summit.com/">Gov 2.0 Summit</a>, this morning, federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra acknowledged that to achieve the transparency the Obama administration has promised there would need to be upgrades to many agencies' antiquated IT infrastructures. Delivering those upgrades on the other hand, may be a task that outlasts both Kundra and the administration.

Ideas

More Recovery Funds for Airport Security

The Homeland Security Department will infuse airports with $35.4 million in recovery funds to enhance security, bringing the total amount of recovery dollars dedicated to screening and explosives detection technology to $1 billion.

People

National health network needs incentives too

The United States runs the risk of ending up with 50 separate health IT networks — and all the headaches they entail.

Digital Government

Retirement Roundup

Alex Parker's <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?filepath=/dailyfed/0909/091009pb.htm">Pay & Benefits Watch column</a> highlights several pieces of legislation affecting federal employees that Congress left unresolved at the end of July. Meanwhile, Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., on Wednesday sent a letter to House conferees participating in negotiations regarding the fiscal 2010 Defense Authorization bill (<a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02647:">H.R. 2647</a>), urging them to retain the federal employee provisions included in the House-passed version of the bill.

Modernization

It’s not about cookies; it’s about service

Web analytics tools can improve online government services without compromising privacy, writes Alex Langshur, president of the Web Analytics Association.

Digital Government

VA Kicks Off Innovation Competition

Last month, President Obama <a href="http://whatsbrewin.nextgov.com/2009/08/obama_and_the_911_gi_bill.php">suggested</a> the Veterans Affairs Department tap its employees for ideas on how to cut the claims backlog at the Veterans Benefit Administration. Today, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki kicked off the "Innovation Competition," open to VA employees on an internal Web site.

Digital Government

Aides defend presidential powers in cybersecurity bill

Senate aides familiar with proposed comprehensive cybersecurity legislation say the bill would clarify the president’s authority for dealing with a cyberattack, not give the government sweeping new powers.

Cybersecurity

Contractors lose bid to suspend E-Verify enforcement

A second attempt to delay the E-Verify rule from becoming effective for federal contractors has failed

Acquisition

How contractors can help agencies save money

The contracting community should work together to find creative ways to meet OMB’s goal of reducing contract spending.