Modernization
DOD awards $32.6 million in spectrum OTAs
The awards were made via an other transaction agreement through the National Spectrum Consortium. DOD has increasingly used OTAs to rapidly buy and fund prototype development as well as fielding new technologies.
Acquisition
Why DOD is so bad at buying software
The Defense Department wants to acquire emerging technology faster and more efficiently. But will its latest attempts to streamline its processes be enough?
Acquisition
DIU director: Look beyond reform to keep the technological edge
Mike Brown, the director of the Defense Innovation Unit, said the acquisition reform is needed for the requirements, budgeting processes.
Acquisition
White House extends vaccine deadline for contractors
Federal contractors have until Jan. 4, 2022 to comply with White House vaccination requirements.
Acquisition
Morale plunges at site of VA's new electronic health record
A survey conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs found plummeting morale at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center arising from the adoption of a new electronic health record system.
Acquisition
Details on discipline emerge as contractor vaccination deadline looms
Federal contracting firms will decide for themselves on how to manage employees who decline COVID-19 vaccinations but agencies can restrict unvaccinated workers from federal facilities.
Acquisition
White House: 'There's not a cliff here' when it comes to vaccine deadlines
For federal employees and contractors who don't hit vaccination deadlines, processes for remediation will kick in before more serious enforcement measure are taken, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeffrey Zients said.
Acquisition
Thrift Savings Plan to launch mobile app next year
The move is part of a $3.3 billion contract to consolidate multiple service contracts at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
Acquisition
State Department offers glimpse of $8B IT services contract
The multiple-award contract dubbed "Evolve" is the successor to the Vanguard contract held by Science Applications International Corp. since 2010.
Acquisition
Federal watchdog calls out transparency issues in pandemic spending
A committee established to ensure transparency around government spending related to COVID-19 found that federal agencies failed to provide clear reporting on how they were spending billions of dollars.
Digital Government
Civic tech vendor recognizes employee union
Code for America recognized a new employee union, a first in the civic tech sector.
Acquisition
VA seeks full 2022 funding for health record project, despite six-month pause
House appropriators are concerned that the Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking to fully fund its program to switch from its homegrown Vista system to Cerner's commercial electronic health record in 2022, despite having unspent funds from fiscal year 2021.
Acquisition
Senate funding bill zeros out TMF
It's a familiar story: The House looks to add to the Technology Modernization Fund while the Senate taps the brakes
Cybersecurity
CISA seeks 24-hour timeline for cyber incident reporting
Two separate Senate bills set different deadlines for federal contractors, critical infrastructure providers and other covered companies to report cyber incidents to the federal government.
Modernization
General Dynamics challenges rival's $2.7B cloud migration win
An incumbent on a key Homeland Security data center contract says it should have been the one to manage the migration to a hybrid environment.
Acquisition
The growing importance of GWACs
One of the government's most popular methods for buying emerging technologies and critical IT services faces significant challenges in an ever-changing marketplace
Acquisition
How GSA is implementing the contractor vaccination mandate
The agency's Federal Acquisition Service and Public Building Service are using automated tools to send out contract modifications "by the thousands," to add the vaccination mandate said one agency official. FAS started issuing mass modifications on Oct. 8. They're issuing about 3,000 modifications per day.
Acquisition
DOD could get new software, sustainment tech oversight positions
Heidi Shyu , undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, wants to add new oversight roles for software and sustainment efforts.
Acquisition
IT spend expected to trend up, acting DOD CIO says
Rising IT and cyber budgets may lay ahead as the Defense Department moves forward with implementing zero trust architecture and begins relying more on artificial intelligence.
Cybersecurity