Artificial Intelligence

FBI Looking For Tech to Foil Fingerprint Obliteration

The FBI wants artificial intelligence tools that can ID people with burnt, cut or otherwise altered fingerprints.

Emerging Tech

For First Time in 3 Years, NASA Is Shopping For New Spacecraft

At first, NASA officials didn’t think they’d see anything new in commercial spacecraft this year. Now they’re taking a second look.

People

Trump's Twitter blocks raise constitutional questions

After a federal judge found that official government Twitter accounts may be violating free speech by blocking users, President Trump has unblocked some accounts.

Digital Government

Key open gov deadline nears with no public action

Can stakeholders and activists take this White House at its word that it is sincerely interested in advancing open data and open government policy?

Acquisition

Education taps NITAAC for major loan platform buy

The Department of Education will use the National Institutes of Health's governmentwide acquisition contract in a major procurement to modernize financial aid services.

People

OPM rescinds guidance after ruling on workforce orders

The federal government's HR agency withdrew portions of guidance issued in response to President Trump's three workforce executive orders after they were invalidated by a district court ruling.

Digital Government

Big Tech's Newest Experiment in Criminal-Justice Reform

Unicorn startup Slack is launching an apprenticeship program for formerly incarcerated people. But will the industry ever hire from the inside en masse?

People

Project management vs. product management

Steve Kelman argues that government innovation needs more of the latter.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers Want the Cyber Vulnerabilities Register Improved

Irregular funding has forced the vulnerability database to focus on short-term problems, they say.

Modernization

Potential Merger Isn’t Slowing Education’s IT Modernization Plans

Officials said looking at technology should be a first step in merging agencies but those discussions can’t start without a mandate.

Modernization

Lawmaker: Don’t Let “Rudderless Leadership” Cripple VA Health Record Overhaul

The program’s chief administrator resigned less than two months after taking charge of the project. Another top official left her post days earlier.

Cybersecurity

Focusing on the long tail of cybersecurity

DHS wants to use its new risk management center to buy down cybersecurity risks over the long term while leaving operational cyber incident response duties to the NCCIC.

Modernization

Federal CIO: Expect New Cybersecurity Reporting Metrics by Year’s End

The new guidance will better match the goals outlined in the administration’s IT Modernization Report and the President’s Management Agenda.

Cybersecurity

NPPD flies (and lowers) the flag

Proclamations directing agencies to fly flags at half-staff come from an unexpected corner of DHS.

Acquisition

OMB looks to bots to take on 'low-value' work

The White House is planning to use automated bots to handle repetitive tasks in financial management and contacting.