Ideas

Chopra and Silicon Valley: The Video

Federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra was in Silicon Valley this week, where he spoke to the Churchill Club, the valley's premier business and technology forum. They liked what he had to say, according to some news reports.

Digital Government

Are VA and Defense Chopped Liver?

That's the assumption I made after viewing today's meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which had an in-depth discussion on President Obama's national health IT plan. Somehow they ignored electronic health record systems that cover 9.2 million patients in the Defense Department and another 6.1 million at VA.

Modernization

DISA, GSA detail $5 billion satellite pact

A new satellite contract that the General Services Administration and the Defense Information Systems Agency are entering into will offer a $5 billion, 10-year multiple award schedule and indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity terms.

Cybersecurity

Regulators urged to lighten up on award-fee rules

Agencies asked regulators to avoid more burdensome rules and reporting requirements.

Modernization

DOD to review use of social-media technology

Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn orders a review to detail the threats and benefits from using social-networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter.

Cybersecurity

Airline crew members get fingerprint IDs

TSA has approved standards for a fingerprint identification program for pilots and other airline crew members.

Modernization

Astronaut sends Tweets from space

An Army officer is the first to post Twitter feeds from the International Space Station, NASA notes.

Modernization

Agencies get creative to recruit acquisition workforce

Administration officials say new ideas are being tried to expand the acquisition workforce.

Cybersecurity

Agencies told to target money for tech projects

Agencies should design their science and technology spending plans for fiscal 2011 around priorities reflected in the economic stimulus law and the fiscal 2010 budget, administration officials say.

Ideas

GSA Issues RFQ for Cloud Services

A <a href="https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=84317cbecb74c1f08471a130fc61933e&tab=core&_cview=0&cck=1&au=&ck=">special notice</a> posted by the General Services Administration on FedBizOps contains the first set of requirements for vendors interested in offering cloud computing services through GSA's <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090715_3532.php?oref=search">online cloud storefront</a>.