Digital Government
FCW Insider: Oct. 22
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
People
Trump order creates Schedule F, to speed hiring and firing in key positions
The Oct. 21 executive order looks to reshape the competitive service by allowing agencies to reclassify policy jobs under a new schedule and give senior managers greater flexibility in hiring candidates and firing employees.
People
GSA unveils first NewPay service
The General Services Administration is talking with federal agency users to further develop its NewPay shared service offering rolled out in September.
Cybersecurity
New Bill Would Codify States’ Ability to Use Federally Funded National Guard for Cybersecurity
National Guard troops currently being activated to monitor cybersecurity in the upcoming elections are paid for by states.
Cybersecurity
Civilian-side CMMC
The General Services Administration will add more supply chain and cybersecurity protection language, including DOD's CMMC requirements for vendors, to its new contracts as risks grow, according to one of the agency's top acquisition managers.
Digital Government
‘For the First Time In Many Years,’ OPM Has a Plan To Fix Its Tech
The agency will need funding, a skilled staff, consistent leadership and more funding to successfully implement the CIO’s latest plan, according to the inspector general.
Emerging Tech
Bill Would Hold Tech Companies Responsible When Their Algorithms Promote Extremist Content
The legislation would remove liability immunity from Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Ideas
People Want Data Privacy but Don't Always Know What They're Getting
Differential privacy has recently emerged as a leading technique and is being rapidly adopted.
Ideas
For the Military, Destroying the Earth in Games May Help to Save the Real World
Simulated war games may have significant real-world ramifications.
People
House bill looks to boost COLA for Social Security recipients, federal retirees
The bill uses a different cost-of-living adjustment index to bring the adjustment to 3%.
Digital Government
More Than Two-Thirds of Big Tech Employees Feeling Burnout At Home
Working from home introduces new challenges for employees.
Acquisition
Watchdog: DHS needs to keep a closer eye on acquisition qualifications
The Department of Homeland Security needs to be consistent in nominating and designating acquisition oversight officials.
Digital Government
FCW Insider: Oct. 21
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
Acquisition
Key questions remain for contractors about diversity training regulations
Although a Department of Labor official says diversity training is still possible for federal contractors under the new policies, confusion over the guidelines has already resulted in cancelled training as agencies and contractors hit pause rather than risk violating a Trump administration executive order.
Emerging Tech
Report: Establish CTOs in Every National Security Agency
A Center for American Progress report outlines what the next administration should do to improve foreign policy and national security in its first 100 days.
Cybersecurity
NSA Warns China Is Targeting Flaws in U.S. National Security Systems
The agency describes 25 known weaknesses that could be difficult for defenders of national security systems to overcome.
Modernization
Pentagon Will Move Primary Biometrics Systems to Amazon Cloud
The move means at least two of the government's biggest biometrics databases will live in AWS clouds.
Acquisition
NITAAC CIO-SP4 on track
Despite the pandemic, the next iteration of one of National Institute of Health's Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center's governmentwide contracts is steadily progressing.
People