Digital Government

GAO: Performance.gov needs big improvements

The Performance.gov website needs greater transparency and long-term plan to improve, according to a government watchdog.

People

GAO: Army should further integrate virtual training methods

The Army needs to make better use of its virtual training tools to prepare soldiers for real-world situations, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

Acquisition

Understanding the not-so-scary state of bid protests

Vendor protests of huge contract awards are probably inevitable, but a federal procurement expert says that’s always been the case.

People

Delays in Data Act standards could complicate compliance

A GAO report says the data transparency law holds considerable promise for ensuring that government money is well spent, but data schema and tools for agencies are not yet where they need to be.

Acquisition

Understanding how FITARA grades are calculated

The Government Accountability Office scores agencies' implementation efforts -- and some of the metrics may surprise you.

People

GAO: More data needed on costs and benefits of telework

The government watchdog wants OPM to track the savings associated with telework and provide guidance for agencies to quantify the costs and benefits.

Digital Government

GAO: Treasury, OMB must better monitor Data Act progress

The Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget need to better monitor agencies' efforts to implement the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, or they risk jeopardizing the law's timely enactment.

People

Understanding how FITARA grades are calculated

The Government Accountability Office plays a big role in determining whether agencies are successfully implementing FITARA.

Digital Government

Watchdog: DOD's infrastructure push needs scope

The Pentagon's push toward a common IT infrastructure lacks workforce planning and other management details, including a more precise scope, according to a new GAO report.

Digital Government

On Capitol Hill, concerns remain about DOD-VA interoperability

Senate appropriators grilled top VA officials about whether the military and Veterans Affairs electronic health records systems are cooperating.

Digital Government

GAO doesn't trust 2020 census financials

The federal watchdog warns in a new report that the Census Bureau's $12.5 billion price tag for 2020 was not calculated reliably.

Digital Government

GAO: IRS can do a better job tracking IT performance

A GAO report recommends that the IRS improve its performance measurement and reporting practices for $2.7 billion worth of IT investments.

Cybersecurity

FDIC still weak on IT security, GAO says

FDIC has significant room for improvement in software patching and reauthorizing user access to its systems, according to GAO.

Digital Government

Lawmakers look to GAO for answers on IT acquisition

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee asked GAO to scrutinize acquisition practices, the U.S. Digital Service's work priorities and the implementation of FITARA's CIO authorities.

Cybersecurity

High-impact federal systems are vulnerable and under constant assault

According to a new report, federal agencies that store critical data are not fully prepared for the ongoing uptick in attacks on IT systems.

Cybersecurity

GAO wants more privacy protections for facial recognition data

GAO said the FBI should take a careful look at the privacy issues involved with facial recognition technology and the hundreds of millions of images the bureau can access.

Cybersecurity

FBI lax on facial recognition privacy, watchdog says

As law enforcement looks to tap advances in facial recognition, a government watchdog warns of the risks to privacy.

Digital Government

Lawmakers see promise in 18F and USDS, despite a few warning signs

The digital services teams could do more to align with FITARA, but overseers displayed as much optimism as scrutiny following a GAO report on the teams' work.

People

Are agencies collaborating with each other more than they used to?

Steve Kelman argues that cross-agency coordination is not quite as quixotic as he once believed.

Digital Government

IT subcommittee seeks GAO probe on VistA upgrade

A pair of IT leaders on Capitol Hill are seeking a GAO probe of efforts to modernize the Department of Veterans Affairs homegrown health record system VistA.