Digital Government

NASA's Ambassadors

NASA has announced the selection of the first participants for its first Innovation Ambassadors program, which will enable some of NASA's most talented scientists and engineers to work at several of America's leading innovative external research and development organizations. During assignments of up to one year, the four ambassadors will share their own expertise while learning about innovative products, processes and business models, and upon returning to NASA, can share new ideas with co-workers and implement innovations within their own organizations.

People

Health IT exec Todd Park chosen HHS' CTO

The White House has named Todd Park of Athenahealth as CTO of the Health and Human Services Department.

Modernization

Marines: Facebook is not for the few good men

The Marine Corps has banned using social-networking Web sites on the service’s networks because of security concerns.

Cybersecurity

Agencies play by different rules on contractor award fees, says GAO

Federal agencies are not being consistent in how they distribute contractor award fees, according to a senior GAO official.

Modernization

FCC wants help on universal broadband

The FCC asks officials and the public to help develop a plan for providing universal broadband Internet access.

Digital Government

HHS names Parks as chief technology officer

The co-founder of a physician management software firm says he plans to use data, technology and innovation to improve public health.

Digital Government

Vendors worry posting of contracts will expose proprietary data

In light of publication of Recovery.gov contract, companies worry information that might be included in proposals and posted online could put them at a competitive disadvantage or compromise national security.

Ideas

Hathaway Resigns from White House

The <em>Wall Street Journal</em> <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124932480886002237.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">reported</a> this afternoon that acting cybersecurity czar Melissa Hathaway has resigned from her post for personal reasons.

Digital Government

McCain: Investigate MHS Contract

Sen. John McCain , R-Ariz., <a href=www.govexec.com/nextgov/0809/mccainRecord.doc>read</a> my entire <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090729_5415.php>story</a> on the earmarks Adara Networks had received from Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., for work on Military Health System information technology projects. He then called on the Senate floor for a full investigation of those contracts, something the Defense Department <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090728_3448.php>inspector general is doing</a>.

Ideas

What's the Deal with Medicaid Systems?

One of the most complicated networks to assemble has to be a Medicaid claims processing system. Numerous states -- <a href="http://www.cio.com/article/20133/Maine_s_Medicaid_Mistakes">Maine</a>, <a href="http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/558169.html">North Carolina</a>, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/07/13/ap6647246.html">Indiana</a> and many others -- have reported during the past several years that the development of modern Medicaid claims processing systems are over budget, behind schedule and simply don't work.