Ideas
GAO Shines Light on FISMA's Failings ... Again
The Government Accountability Office once again shined a glaring spotlight on the <a href=http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09546.pdf>failings</a> of the Federal Information Security Act, reporting Friday that "significant weaknesses in information security policies and practices threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical information and information systems used to support the operations, assets, and personnel of most federal agencies."
Modernization
Info science revisited
Welcome to the world of the “Semantic Web.” It’s a generational leap from everything we know so far about how to leverage the power of the Web, though it’s not such a stretch from the old reference-desk paradigm.
Cybersecurity
Agencies riddled with security holes, GAO says
The Government Accountability Office says agencies' information security policies aren't good enough and OMB needs to improve its guidance under FISMA.
Digital Government
VA Gets Real, Suspends 45 IT Projects
The Veterans Affairs Department on Friday said it halted development of 45 information technology projects that were behind schedule or over budget, with Secretary Eric Shinseki personally making the announcement.
People
VA puts a hold on 45 IT projects
VA officials halted 45 information technology projects with a budget of $200 million that are behind schedule or over budget.
Ideas
Battle of the Browsers
Microsoft's ubiquitous Web browser, Internet Explorer, has scored some headlines this week, though not necessarily positive. Only a week after Nextgov editor Allan Holmes <a href=http://techinsider.nextgov.com/2009/07/feds_want_their_firefox.php>posted</a> a blog about State Department employees demanding Firefox, a popular IE alternative, Federal News Radio's Jason Miller <a href=http://federalnewsradio.com/?nid=35&sid=1719202>reports</a> about complaints from federal grant applicants frustrated by the Grants.gov portal, which doesn't support Firefox or Google's new browser, Chrome.
Digital Government
House Passes 2 Percent Pay Raise
The House on Thursday passed legislation that would provide federal employees with a pay increase of 2 percent in 2010. The raise, which is included in the fiscal 2010 financial services and general government appropriations bill, is one of a number of competing proposals for military and civilian pay in House and Senate appropriations bills.
Modernization
Site maps stimulus spending
The Recovery.gov Web site for tracking spending under the economic stimulus law spending has new mapping features.
Modernization
IT costs central to Real ID, PASS ID debate
Backers of the Real ID Act and proposed PASS ID Act have been debating the extent to which states need to make expensive information technology investments to improve the security of driver's licenses.
Digital Government
Health IT: More certification groups could speed stimulus-related spending
A federal advisory group has recommended that multiple organizations be able to test and certify vendor systems to meet the economic stimulus law's requirements for electronic health records.
Acquisition
House passes spending bill with outsourcing provisions
Agencies would have to create an annual inventory of services they’ve outsourced to the private sector and review whether to return the work to government employees.
Acquisition
Administration, GAO clash in turf war
The Government Accountability Office has denied the Small Business Administration’s request to reconsider recent bid protest decisions that give priority to HUBZone businesses. This might lead to a turf fight.
Modernization
Anticipated Web 3.0 jibes with open-government goals
Whereas Web 2.0 is about connecting people through social-networking applications, Web 3.0 will be about connecting information in new ways that people will find more useful and relevant. It'll be a boon for government transparency, but it won't be happening soon.
Digital Government