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Two alternative approaches

Here are two approaches to data sharing that seek to get the right people connected to the right information.

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Kundra's savings plan takes shape

The Obama administration inherited $71 billion worth of annual IT spending from the previous administration, and Vivek Kundra, the government’s chief information officer, will now take his whack at making that money count and holding agencies that spend it more accountable.

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Welles: New book provides fresh take on many familiar business ideas

You are bound to find some truths that work for you in a new book, "Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business Without Losing Your Self," by Alan Webber. Webber gives all of them a new context that keeps them current.

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Drapeau: Public affairs efforts can borrow from nimble jazz music

Coordination of a public affairs effort in government is similar to jazz improvisation — an office has a strategic theme, but tactically, improvisation must also occur. And one lesson from the military is the notion of "commander's intent."

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House passes technology R&D bill

The measure seeks to strengthen collaboration among government agencies, industry and academia on IT research and development projects.

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FCW Insider: Are feds more cost-effective than contractors?

A recent remark by Obama triggered a lengthy debate among readers about the relative value of in-house and contract staffers.

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Get a Life: To blog or not?

Government blogs have grown like Twitter, writes blogger Judy Welles. How useful are they?

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White House to change program assessments

The Obama administration wants analyses of programs instead of merely grading them as successful or unsuccessful.

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Committee studies public health, research

The federal advisory group on health information technology considers adding public health and research data needs to its requirements for electronic health records.

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Agencies will feel pinch from Obama budgets

Federal agencies have not heard the last word on spending cuts in the fiscal 2009 and 2010 budgets.

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Health care reform tied to IT

Health care reform won't be complete without adopting health IT, the national coordinator for health IT says.

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White House seeks cuts to defense contractor workforce

The Obama administration wants to save $900 million by reducing defense contractor employees and get $2 billion by collecting delinquent taxes from federal contractors.

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Senators grill VA's CIO nominee

Roger Baker answered senators' pointed questions about how he would deal with system failures and other IT problems at the Veterans Affairs Department.

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FCW Insider: Why early adopters most often fail

Many early adopters only have themselves to blame if their ideas don’t catch on in their agency, says one reader.

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Get a Life: Recognizing public service

From awards and exhibits to Web 2.0 discussions, this is the week to recognize public service, writes blogger Judy Welles.

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Obama scores high marks on transparency, watchdog group says

The Obama administration has fulfilled three out of the five 100-day transparency goals watchdog groups recommended last fall.

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Economic stimulus IT forum draws more than 2,500 participants

Vendors and IT experts submitted and ranked ideas for using information technology to better track spending under the economic stimulus law.

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Cyber leaders must coordinate to avoid conflicts

If the Obama administration has three separate offices guiding federal information technology, observers warn that they will need close coordination to avoid confusing overlap.

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Swine flu news infects social media

Twitter and other social media have proven effective at rapidly spreading information and misinformation about H1N1.

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Flu funding could go to states

Some of the $1.5 billion that the Obama administration has requested to fight the H1N1 virus – the cause of the swine flu outbreak — could go to state public health disease tracking and monitoring programs.