Modernization

Pentagon Investigating Whether Amazon Employee Tilted JEDI Contract

The department’s investigation into potential conflicts of interest regarding the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract could push the award date back as much as three months.

Emerging Tech

The Microphones That May Be Hidden in Your Home

The controversy around Google’s Nest home-security devices shows that consumers never really know what their personal technology is capable of.

Policy

A Message to FEMA: Respond to Disasters Differently

Providing money to states faster after disasters, and offering funds before they strike, would make communities safer, governors said.

Modernization

Wanted: Autonomous vehicle tech for mail delivery

The Postal Service wants information about sensor, guidance and operational technologies as well as expertise on testing and integrating the autonomous vehicle tech into its existing fleet.

Digital Government

FCC CIO to Get More ‘Significant’ Role

An update to the agency’s organizational rules will give the FCC CIO similar authorities as IT leaders in agencies covered by FITARA.

Cybersecurity

How executive vacancies hinder IT modernization and cybersecurity

Data from the Federal IT Dashboard and FISMA reports suggests that high-level agency vacancies slow modernization spending and are linked with a higher incidence of security breaches.

Acquisition

SEWP's off: Power failure briefly shutters NASA's tech contract

A power failure at the main building housing NASA's Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement contract vehicle has knocked out service for up to two days.

Digital Government

Quick Hits

None

Digital Government

FCW Insider: Feb. 25

The latest news, analysis and other updates from FCW's reporters and editors.

Digital Government

The Reason Conspiracy Videos Work So Well on YouTube

It’s the paranoid style, mutated for platform politics.

Digital Government

How Much Leisure Time Do the Happiest People Have?

Too little, and people tend to get stressed. Too much, and people tend to feel idle.

Digital Government

Why the Amazon Pushback Is Also About Immigrants

After the HQ2 cancellation in Queens, Amazon’s connections to federal immigration enforcement are drawing scrutiny and criticism in other cities, too.

Emerging Tech

Why Local Governments Aren’t All Aboard the Blockchain Train

From high costs of implementation to more pressing regulatory concerns, current barriers to entry make the technology difficult to implement.

Ideas

How the Government Plans to Modernize its Workforce

Cloud-based tools can help woo the next generation of public sector workers.

Artificial Intelligence

DARPA Wants AI to Tell You When It's Dumb

In high-stakes situations, you don’t want tech that doesn’t know what it’s doing.

Modernization

DHS Seeks Industry Input as It Goes All-in for Cloud

The agency is moving to the cloud at fast clip but it wants feedback to ensure its strategy is sound.

Digital Government

Previous Incumbent Protests NASA’s $2.9 Billion IT Support Contract

NASA’s main IT services contract has a new name and a new vendor, but the old vendor isn’t ready to bow out.

Modernization

Army eyes enterprise-as-a-service model

The Army is expected to announce its implementation plans for moving to enterprise-as-a-service model in March.

Cybersecurity

Warner pushes health care sector on cyber

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) wants to partner with the health care industry to develop a strategy for dealing with an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks over the past year.

Modernization

FCC wants to open up high bandwidth spectrum

The Federal Communications Commission wants to see if extremely high bandwidth spectrum can be tamed for use.