People

Arlington completes first phase of ERP upgrade

The new ERP system replaces older, mainframe-based systems that outside vendors no longer support.

Modernization

Phoenix teams with immixTechnology

Three Phoenix Technologies products are now available through immixTechnology.

Cybersecurity

Expert: Cybersecurity lapses could cost public trust

Government and industry must invest in protective and proactive measures, he said.

People

OFPP nominee lays out agenda

Paul Denett sees a need for more training for the acquisition workforce and clearer performance standards for government contractors.

Modernization

DHS Special Report | Component approach aiding IT infrastructure consolidation

Until last October, the Homeland Security Department did not even have a global access directory—a basic requirement for a large organization. Employees couldn’t find each other if they were in different DHS directorates. Now, secretary Michael Chertoff can send an all-department e-mail with a few select addresses instead of sending it to each component agency and ordering it to cascade through those organizations.<@SM>

People

Interior's shared-services center takes on double duty

The National Business Center will soon undertake financial management of and human resources support for the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.

People

GSA seeks e-Travel tracking system

It issued an RFP for a management system to capture data and generate reports.

Modernization

DHS Special Report | Integration takes root

A modest number of IT and security initiatives are now gaining traction in the Homeland Security Department—including border screening and targeting programs, port and harbor monitoring, and the use of geospatial mapping to improve disaster response, as GCN <a href="http://www.gcn.com/print/25_16/"><b>reported last week</b></a>. In this, the second of a two-part special report on DHS, GCN looks at several fledgling and pending IT projects that form pockets of promise.

Modernization

DHS Special Report | Can DHS meet IT cybersecurity expectations?

The Homeland Security Department’s stagnant cybersecurity program stands in stark contrast to its progress in other IT areas. The job of assistant secretary for cybersecurity and telecommunications remains open, as it has been since secretary Michael Chertoff created it last October.

People

VA expands online burial data features

The Veterans Affairs Department has made available online the grave locations of more than 3 million veterans and dependents buried in national cemeteries.<@SM>

People

Safavian convicted

The former OFPP head has been found guilty of covering up dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

People

Customer satisfaction at all-time high for fed Web sites

The Social Security Administration’s Internet Social Security Benefits Application site earned 88 points, the highest total.

Modernization

Dennett promises accountability, better prices

Paul Denett, the nominee to be Office of Federal Procurement Policy administrator, promised to be vigilant in assuring that the government gets the best prices on services it procures.<@SM>

Modernization

Veterans’ benefits agency tightens data security

The Veterans Benefits Administration is taking additional steps to ensure that veterans’ data is secure.

Modernization

DHS Special Report | Authentication, ID are in the cards

Robert Mocny, deputy program manager for the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology program, has a simple vision for making the borders more secure.<@SM>It doesn’t have to do with 12-foot fences, or unmanned aerial vehicles or anything fancy. It is a simple card combining two technologies that have been around for decades—biometrics and radio frequency identification.

People

House to assess impact of set-asides on Alaskan firms

Two committees will examine whether the additional procurement advantages Alaska Native Corporations receive actually benefit Alaska Native people.

Cybersecurity

FEMA pledges better disaster relief fund payouts

Poor use of IT frequently led to payment of fraudulent claims in 2005.

People

Bond to push ITAA agenda among feds, on Capitol Hill

He told FCW that IT is "fundamental to the rapidly accelerating pace of innovation."

People

Making EVM matter

Earned value management has been around for decades but is now becoming an essential part of how agencies manage projects. Why should you care?