Digital Government
Officials weigh cost of transparency, with an eye on technology's role
Some open government proponents say Obama's transparency agenda may initially cost taxpayers more money. Specifically, the administration's ongoing review of classified information policy to address the problem of over-classification likely will result in some short-term overhead expenses.
Digital Government
Startup looks to provide Defense with quick-launch satellites
U.S. Space LLC in Dulles, Va., plans to offer its communications satellite service on a fee-for-service basis that is lower than what is charged by commercial satellite operators, which currently provide about 80 percent of the Pentagon's global communications satellite capacity.
Digital Government
FEMA takes open approach to social media
Agency is focusing less on message control and more on the most effective tools for disseminating information and training employees to use technology wisely.
Ideas
Public CIOs: Optimistic or Conservative?
It was great to <a href="http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090630_2193.php">see</a> that U.S. Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra was able to get the new federal government <a href="http://it.usaspending.gov/#">IT dashboard</a> up and running as promised by the end of June. Score one for a government group meeting an IT promise on schedule.
Digital Government
Vets: Choose Your GI Bill Carefully
In many cases, the new GI bill, called the 2008 <a href=http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h2642enr.txt.pdf>Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act</a>, offers a better deal than its predecessor, the <a href=http://www.mygibill.org/federalbenefits/montgomerygibill>Montgomery GI bill</a>. But not always.
Digital Government
Travelocity for Command and Control
Three companies -- FGM Inc., Booz-Allen Hamilton and SAIC -- won <a href=http://www.defenselink.mil/utility/printitem.aspx?print=http://www.defenselink.mil/contracts/contract.aspx?contractid=4062>contracts</a> on Wednesday to provide systems engineering support to the Defense Information Systems Agency for development of the Defense Department's new command and control system <a href=http://www.disa.mil/necc/overview.html>Net-Enabled Command Capability</a>.
Digital Government
Hire Power
Wednesday <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=43052&dcn=todays_most_popular">marked the deadline</a> for agencies to assign teams to work on the hiring reform efforts laid out in a June 11 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget. These teams will be responsible for mapping their hiring processes and writing plain-language job descriptions for their 10 most prevalent positions by Sept. 30.
Digital Government
Student Loan Repayments Take Effect
My former beat partner, Alyssa Rosenberg, <a href="http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?filepath=/dailyfed/0709/070209pb.htm">gives the details</a> on the new student loan forgiveness program in Thursday's Pay & Benefits Watch column.
Digital Government
Gov 2.0 Takes Off
<em>San Jose Mercury News</em> <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/topstories/ci_12737767?nclick_check=1">reports</a> on the explosion of Web 2.0 across the federal government as well as some of the obstacles that remain, including the cultures at some agencies, the absence of technical know-how, strict rules on privacy, security and access for the disabled.
Acquisition
It takes a village
As editors of a publication that reaches tens of thousands of executives and professionals in and around government, we know the importance of listening to all points of view, even — or especially — when one of those viewpoints is that we’ve got a story all wrong.
Cybersecurity
Contract change puts personal data at risk
Thousands of customers are wondering what will happen to the fingerprint and personal data they provided to a Registered Traveler operator who went out of business.
People
GSA expands on O'Hare's GWACs comments
In a recent interview with Federal Computer Week's acquisition editor, Matthew Weigelt, Ed O'Hare, assistant commissioner of the Office of Integrated Technology Services at GSA's Federal Acquisition Service, clarifies and expands upon his comments made during a panel discussion at the Washington Technology Top 100 Conference.
Digital Government
GSA recasts statements on the end of the GWAC era
GSA has been trying to tamp down concerns about a possible merger of two of its major programs, denying that a senior agency official had intended to give that impression in remarks he made at a conference last month. Despite the agency's efforts, however, some experts say blending the governmentwide acquisition contract program and the GSA schedules would be a good idea.
Modernization
SSA to monitor social media sites
The Social Security Administration wants to monitor what the public says about the agency on social media Web sites.
Cybersecurity