Modernization

Phase II Centers of Excellence solicitations are out

USDA and GSA pushed out requests for proposals to help implement the next stage of the administration's Centers of Excellence program, but they require a quick turnaround.

Acquisition

GSA rolls out shared services pilot for SBIR

GSA and the Small Business Administration look to make tech innovation and commercialization easier across government.

Acquisition

FAS on the move

Despite challenges, Federal Acquisition Service leaders remain confident in their big telecom contract, ecommerce portal plans and transactional data initiative.

Modernization

New bill bakes FedRAMP into law

Virginia Democrat Gerry Connolly is pushing a bill to set clear lines of responsibility and compliance for the cloud authorization process.

People

Proposed OPM-GSA merger includes IT consolidation

As part of a proposed shift of most of OPM's function to GSA, officials plan a sharp consolidation of HR systems and the digitization of paper-based health and retirement records.

Modernization

Still no extension on EIS

GSA is still considering an extension on its 2020 deadline for federal agencies to move to the $50 billion next-generation telecommunications contract.

People

GSA's veteran CISO retires

The long-time chief of the General Services Administration's IT security program retired at the end of June to move halfway around the world.

Modernization

GSA looking for new telecom director

The General Services Administration wants to fill a senior executive position that provides strategic vision for its Telecommunications Services program.

Acquisition

GSA looks to streamline acquisition for federal buyers

The new Order Level Materials ordering upgrade to schedule contracts can speed up agency buys.

Digital Government

18F gets a new boss

The General Service Administration's digital shop has a new executive director, Angela Colter.

Modernization

Watchdog: GSA isn't clearing all contactors for work on telecom transition

According to an oversight memo, GSA didn't complete required background checks on all contractors working on transition duties for the $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Systems contract.

Acquisition

USDA reports success with centers of excellence program

As the Department of Agriculture modernizes, the General Services Administration is looking for the next agency to adopt its "centers of excellence" approach.

Acquisition

Can government do e-commerce?

Congress mandated that the government give federal buyers an Amazon.com-style shopping experience, but it's not as easy as it looks.

Acquisition

GSA closes in on e-commerce portal plan

In an industry day for its planned e-commerce portal, GSA officials addressed vendor concerns and pressed for more ideas on how to develop the effort.

Acquisition

Senate bill looks to secure the IT supply chain

A new bipartisan bill looks to build capacity inside the federal government to evaluate supply chain risks with an eye to making sure the government buys secure tech.

Acquisition

First EIS contract awards loom

The Social Security Administration is evaluating contract proposal responses while it waits for GSA to finish testing EIS contractors’ back-office systems.

Acquisition

A new push for more actionable IT spending data

The White House and the General Services Administration are seeking information from industry about how to make federal IT spending more transparent and run IT operations more like a business.

Acquisition

New federal contracting rule cuts off Kaspersky

The government is seeking to eliminate all traces of cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Labs from federal systems, issuing a new interim rule to extend the governmentwide ban to contractors.

Modernization

House appropriators approve $150 million for TMF in FY2019

The House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that would provide $150 million for the centralized fund created by the Modernizing Government Technology Act, falling $60 million short of the White House’s fiscal year 2019 request and $100 million short of what the MGT Act authorizes.

Digital Government

Will term limits transform government's digital service groups?

Now at the four-year mark, Obama-era digital teams have spanned solidly across two administrations. But with the earliest hires hitting the end of their terms, what do their legacies and futures look like?