Ideas

Feds Want Their Firefox

Top government executives -- even the very top, politically appointed execs -- need to understand that federal employees have some strong opinions about the technology they use in their jobs. That was evident at a town-hall event Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held for the department's employees.

Ideas

Hold on Groves Explained

After weeks of speculation, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., has finally revealed his reasons for placing a hold on the nomination of Robert Groves to be Census Bureau Director. Vitter was one of the only votes against a procedural motion yesterday that resulted in a voice vote on Groves' nomination, <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hXx_Z-rGJjGfdC5MFYs7vCq4fQzwD99DRK2O6">which was confirmed</a>.

Digital Government

Evaluating the 3Rs

Officers Council to establish a work group to develop recommendations for improving the administration and oversight of the 3Rs -- recruitment, retention and relocation incentives. The work group will responsible developing approaches for measuring the cost-benefit of the 3Rs program to the government, after which the work group with evaluate what the impact would be on recruitment and retention efforts if agencies were to scale back their funding of the 3Rs.

Digital Government

Improving Work-Life Balance

Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry met with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, General Services Administration Acting Administrator Paul Prouty and officials from the Federal Reserve Board to discuss ways to create a model federal work-life program that improves the wellness, morale and productivity of federal employees, OPM said on Tuesday.

Modernization

GAO: Better management needed for e-health project

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments are making progress on electronic health records interoperability, but the project's management needs to be improved, the Government Accountability Office said.

Acquisition

Audit agency reaffirms earlier ruling against HUBZone preference

SBA and OMB contended GAO overreached its authority in ruling that HUBZone businesses should get priority over 8(a) small businesses and service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity: Senate bill would make international cooperation a priority

A new Senate bill would ask the secretary of state to work for international collaboration to improve cybersecurity.

Modernization

GAO refreshes guidelines for rating computer data reliability

The GAO has released new guidance for assessing the reliability of computer-processed data used in conducting audits; it replaces previous guidelines published in 2002.

Digital Government

Metro urged to add safety backup

The Washington Post

Digital Government

Is a national GIS on the map?

Government Computer News

Digital Government

Senate approves E-Verify expansion

Amendment to Homeland Security spending bill allows employers to use electronic verification system for existing employees as well as new hires.

Digital Government

DHS awards contract for new X-ray machines in federal buildings

New systems provide software features that display sharper images and allow security officers to highlight materials such as chemical substances.