Digital Government

TSA's CrewPASS passes muster

Federal News Radio

Digital Government

Using Twitter as a collective mood ring

The New York Times Blogs

Digital Government

Final public meeting on combating counterfeit technology this week

Industry and government officials hash out concerns about excessive liability for contractors.

Digital Government

GSA's new chief acquisition officer to wear multiple hats

Some IT industry executives question Michael Robertson's lack of procurement experience, but agency officials say he was hired to be an innovator.

Cybersecurity

IG fears risks to DHS stimulus money

The Homeland Security Department's inspector general has said DHS should work to mitigate risks that may affect its capability to prudently spend, manage and report on $2.8 billion it got in stimulus money, including hundreds of millions for technology.

Modernization

Security upgrades highlight DISA buying surge

The Defense Information Systems Agency plans to bolster security features embedded in its far-flung networks and data centers via several acquisition projects planned for the twilight of fiscal 2009.

Digital Government

General Eyeing Top Doc Job?

I'm picking up medium strength signals that retired <a href=http://www.health.mil/bioDetail.aspx?ID=4>Army Gen. Elder Granger</a>, who served as program executive officer for the TRICARE management activity in the Military Health System, would really like to become the next assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, replacing Dr. S. Ward Casscells, who <a href=http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090430_7776.php>retired this April</a>.

People

Insourcing fad misses the point (and misleads agencies)

Agencies that rush to bring contractor work back into the fold could be making a big mistake, according to several readers.

Ideas

Another Cyber Guru Leaves

The same week that the acting White House cyber chief stepped down, the Homeland Security Department has lost one of their cybersecurity officials. <em>The Washington Post</em> <a href=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/07/AR2009080702805.html>reported</a> that Mischel Kwon submitted her resignation after five years as the director of DHS' U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, or US-CERT, which was established in 2003 to coordinate the government's response to cyberattacks.

People

Michael Robertson becomes GSA's chief acquisition officer

Michael Robertson, who has worked closely with President Barack Obama since his 2004 Senate campaign, has become chief acquisition officer at GSA.

People

States urged to start now on health exchanges

The State Alliance for e-Health released guidance for helping state governments plan for health information exchanges.

Modernization

Customs agency ponders acquisition storefront

Officials want to use a “storefront” e-procurement Web site to streamline the purchase of preapproved products and track orders.

Digital Government

Training IT Workers On the Cheap

<a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/340583/6_ways_to_train_your_employees_on_the_cheap?taxonomyId=10&pageNumber=1">Computerworld</a> has the goods on how organizations can offer their information technology workers valuable training, even when budgets are tight. While the article is aimed at the private sector, I think there's some valuable advice for training federal IT workers as well.

Digital Government

Point-Counterpoint

Examiner.com is running a <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-3040-Life-in-the-Cubicle-Examiner~y2009m8d6-PointCounterpoint-preview-James-Hamilton-vs-Dudley-B-Dawson">series of debates</a> about generational issues in the workplace. Over the next four weeks, James Hamilton and Dudley B. Dawson, both workplace reporters, will go head-to-head on issues such as Generation Y's impact on the workplace, employee loyalty, flexible work schedules and pay. The readers decide the winner of each topic. I plan to give my two cents, and I'm anxious to see which writer comes out on top.

Modernization

DISA asks industry for help with new priorities

DISA wants to deliver on-demand, enterprisewide technology services across the Defense Department.

Cybersecurity

US-CERT director resigns

Mischel Kwon, director of the Homeland Security Department's operational cybersecurity team that handles cyber incident detection, warning and response activities for civilian agencies’ networks, has resigned. She will join RSA in early September.

People

Rising Star Robert Lech

Lech developed a grant-reporting system to help the Housing and Urban Development Department meet the requirements of the recovery act.

People

Rising Star Zhenia Klevitsky

Klevistsky contributed her time and expertise to numerous organizations in the federal IT community, including ACT-IAC, AFCEA and the Association of Proposal Management Professionals.