Cybersecurity
With NDAA Exclusion, Proponents of FedRAMP Modification Are Down But Not Out
One supporter notes Congress is not the only path to success and is also counting on an incoming Biden administration to reshape the program.
Digital Government
GSA’s Central Procurement Hub Will Lose the ‘Beta’ in April
The legacy SAM.gov will be shuttered and all the capabilities will be folded into the new SAM.gov, which currently goes by beta.SAM.gov.
Digital Government
Acting TTS Director to Return to FDIC
Bob DeLuca, who took temporary leadership of the Technology Transformation Services in July, will return to his duties as FDIC deputy chief information officer Dec. 21.
Artificial Intelligence
Pentagon Teams with Howard University to Steer Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence
The work will hone in on military-centered machine learning application development, research into trustworthy AI tech—and could help boost DOD’s talent pipeline.
Digital Government
GSA Gives Green Light for Presidential Transition to Biden Administration to Formally Begin
The Biden team can now meet with agency personnel, receive briefing materials and access millions of dollars in funds.
Artificial Intelligence
Bill to Codify GSA’s Centers of Excellence Awaits President’s Signature
The legislation would ensure the General Services Administration’s IT modernization initiative continues to the next administration.
Digital Government
GSA Holds the Key to When or If Biden Gets Access to Full Transition Resources
With President Trump’s campaign threatening lawsuits, it is unclear when GSA would grant access to full transition resources.
Modernization
Library of Congress’ Copyright Office Taps Centers of Excellence to Improve Contact Centers
The Library became the 10th agency to contract with the General Services Administration’s in-house IT modernization consultancy.
Modernization
GSA Preparing Switch to eSignature for Multiple Award Schedule Offers and Modifications
Contract holders will also see new security measures being implemented in the near future for eOffer and eMod.
Digital Government
Administration Adds 16 Months to Transition from DUNS to Unique ID
The General Services Administration will extend Dun & Bradstreet’s services while agencies get more time to patch and test systems.
Digital Government
FPDS Reporting Tools Make Final Transition to beta.SAM
GSA shuttered the reporting functions on FPDS.gov, making the beta.SAM.gov Data Bank tool the definitive source for contract awards data.
Policy
Trump Administration Develops Governmentwide Office Reopening Guidelines, With Contractor Help
Masks, distancing and sensors to track employee movement are all part of GSA’s non-binding coronavirus recommendations.
Digital Government
Former GSA IT Contracting Officer Sentenced in Bribery Scheme
A former procurement official overseeing contracts on IT Schedule 70 was sentenced to almost two years in prison on federal bribery charges.
Digital Government
GSA Wants to Know What Tech to Include on New Small Business GWAC: Polaris
Officials are working on the proposed replacement to Alliant 2 Small Business and put forth several ways for stakeholders to provide feedback.
Emerging Tech
GSA Wants a Feedback Machine to Help Agencies and the Public Navigate Policies
The Office of Governmentwide Policy wants to know the cost and capabilities of platforms that can help manage questions on acquisition, public buildings and government travel.
Digital Government
GSA Urges Agencies to Include Landlords in Telecom Transition Plans
Landlords will be integral to successful modernization efforts as agencies move to the $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions telecom contract.
Digital Government
IG Finds ‘Significant Inaccuracies’ in Federal Acquisition Service’s Reporting of Small Business Contracts
This resulted from issues with the GSA-managed federal procurement data system.
Digital Government
How and When GSA’s New Central Contracting Portal Will Lose the ‘Beta’
The next major transition to beta.SAM—the FPDS contract award data reporting tools—is coming next month, with the legacy SAM.gov next on deck.
Digital Government
GSA Provides Some Clarity on Section 889 Implementation
The General Services Administration emphasized the importance of outreach but declined to address questions around confusing language in Section 889.
Emerging Tech