Digital Government
FCW Insider: July 27, 2021
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
Artificial Intelligence
SOCOM Members Got an All-Star Crash Course in AI
Over a unique six-week course, participants met virtually with tech leaders to talk about AI's future.
Emerging Tech
DOD Wants Emerging Tech But Acts like An ‘Innovation Tourist,’ Report Says
Organizational disconnects between innovation offices and procurement officials makes broad adoption of cutting-edge tech challenging, according to the Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
Modernization
Lawmakers Tell National Archives to Use Tech Modernization Funding to Fix Veterans’ Backlog
Congressional oversight chiefs want the National Archives to apply for funding through the Technology Modernization Fund.
Cybersecurity
How Unemployment Insurance Fraud Exploded During the Pandemic
Bots filing bogus applications in bulk, teams of fraudsters in foreign countries making phony claims, online forums peddling how-to advice on identity theft: Inside the infrastructure of perhaps the largest fraud wave in history.
People
New OPM guidance addresses locality pay and travel costs for remote workers
A new document addresses a range of considerations for post-pandemic workforce planning in the context of current regulations.
Digital Government
EEOC Wants a Quality Check For Its Data and Automation Strategy
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s inspector general wants an independent third party to look over the agency’s Digital Process Transformation and Automation strategy.
Digital Government
Hyten: Combat cloud needed to bolster collaboration with allies, partners
Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said building a combat cloud with correctly tagged data would allow service members, allies and partners alike to login from anywhere with their credentials and biometrics so the U.S. can take full advantage of the capabilities they have to offer.
Cybersecurity
States Weigh Bans on Ransomware Payoffs
The idea is that this would deter attacks because cybercriminals would know they couldn’t get paid.
People
VA mandates vaccines for clinical staff
Agency chief Denis McDonough cited the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 as part of the reason behind the new vaccination policy.
Emerging Tech
Bill Would Commit Tens of Billions to Modernize National Labs
Rep. Bill Foster shed light on how the bill fits into a broader Congressional strategy to boost U.S. investments in science and research, and what’s to come for the National Lab Caucus.
Modernization
Why VA's electronic health record mega-project is failing
The agency's former top technology official explains how management problems, reliance on outmoded development methodology and lack of customer buy-in are combining to sink (for now) a critical modernization project at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Digital Government
OPM Issues Guidance on Telework, Pay and Travel As Feds Return to Offices
The 38-page document assists agencies with short- and long-term planning.
Acquisition
What ever happened to innovation in government?
Steve Kelman wonders whether the federal IT community has lost its focus on truly transforming the way government functions.
Digital Government
FCW Insider: July 26, 2021
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
Modernization
House panel advances slate of cybersecurity bills
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said eight new bills will bring the United States "one step closer to a safer and more secure wireless future."
Digital Government