People

New SBA administrator nominated

Before the ink was dry on Hector Barreto's resignation, the Bush administration had a successor on the way.

Modernization

The dervish is in the details

Despite funding cuts, Susan Smoter updated the irs.gov site and recently earned a five-point increase in customer satisfaction on the American Customer Satisfaction Index.<@SM>

Digital Government

Public-sector sales boost CDW

Sales for the company’s public-sector unit, CDW-Government, grew 13.4 percent in the first quarter to $438.4 million.

Modernization

Online extra | Security initiative looking for direction

The Office of Management and Budget plans to focus on training and Federal Information Security Management Act reporting over the next eight months under the Security Line of Business Consolidation initiative.<@SM><@SM>

Digital Government

Injured soldiers caught in the crossfire

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People

SBA administrator resigns

Democrats say Bush's choice to replace Barreto will indicate the president's commitment to small-business owners.

Modernization

Online extra | Moving to a COE easier through change management

Part of Treasury’s overall plan to migrate to HR Connect was a two-pronged change management plan.<@SM>

Acquisition

Denett's nomination sent to Senate

Doan and Portman also require confirmation.

People

DHS ramps up TWIC program

By the end of summer, DHS will check the backgrounds of 400,000 port workers, Chertoff said.

People

The key word for successful cross-agency projects: governance

Tim Young, the associate administrator for IT and e-government for the Office of Management and Budget, wants agencies to put him out of a job.

Modernization

Straight shooter

An engineer at Defense Medical Logistics Standard Support realized that he could write an open-source encryptographic module that secures data. Debra Bonner, director of operations for DMLSS, was the catalyst for moving the program forward.

Digital Government

Verizon offers wireless priority service

The service is a federal program that gives priority network access to national security and emergency preparedness officials in times of emergency.

People

Ciber wins medical outsourcing pact

Under the $13.1 million deal, the company will oversee network operations, help-desk services, Web development, systems analysis and project management.

Modernization

Online extra | Florida case offers lessons-learned for outsourcing

While Florida’s contract with Convergys Corp. of Cincinnati to consolidate and process human resource services for 32 state agencies has produced substantial benefits, it also serves as a stark example of what can go wrong when a government agency outsources certain functions to the private sector.

People

McNealy steps aside as Sun CEO

Jonathan Schwartz will replace him.

Cybersecurity

Privacy needs to be baked into systems, experts say

Agency privacy officers should not be seen as Dr. No but as people who can help focus a system.

Modernization

Recasting the privacy officer

Privacy officers can shed the naysayer stereotype by helping IT officials build privacy controls earlier in the systems development life cycle.<@SM>

Digital Government

Blogging from IRMCO

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Modernization

XO subsidiary looks for federal market

Nextlink is offering broadband wireless service to government agencies.

People

Risky business

Government-funded venture capital firms are sparking agency innovation.