Acquisition
TMF payback rules relaxed for cyber upgrades, pandemic response
Biden administration officials announced on Tuesday that payback requirements will be relaxed for some projects funded by the recent $1 billion addition to the Technology Modernization Fund. Administrators want urgently needed upgrades that help respond to the pandemic or improve the cybersecurity of federal agencies.
People
Now hiring for next set of Presidential Innovation Fellows
Originally a brainchild of the Obama-Biden tech office, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program is now looking for its eighth cohort of in-house federal tech innovators. How has it changed, and what lessons might the program offer for recruiting top tech talent into the government?
Digital Government
Biden taps 18F veteran Robin Carnahan to lead GSA
Robin Carnahan, formerly Missouri's secretary of state and the lead of state and local government practice at 18F, is the Biden administration's pick to lead the General Services Administration.
Cybersecurity
A renewed push for secure modernization
With the SolarWinds breach as a catalyst and new leadership across government, agencies are rethinking their roadmaps.
Digital Government
Industry groups call for TMF reforms following funding boost
The groups' call for changes to how the government operates the modernization fund echoes concerns that multiple former CIOs voiced to FCW this month in interviews.
Digital Government
18F to help Wisconsin with UI tech
Many states have buckled under the pressure of delivering benefits to surges of claimants during the pandemic using antiquated technology. 18F is set to help Wisconsin modernize its unemployment insurance technology using agile procurement.
Digital Government
TMF to fund Labor Dept. data project
The Technology Modernization Fund doled out its first project of 2021 the day after getting $1 billion in the Biden administration's Rescue Plan legislation.
People
Biden signs Rescue bill, boosting TMF and adding pandemic leave for feds
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law on Thursday. In addition to a massive influx of funding to support Americans harmed by the economic fallout of the pandemic, there is funding available for IT modernization and provision to help the federal workforce cope with COVID-19.
Cybersecurity
House passes Rescue package with TMF funding
The $1.9 trillion bill is aimed at Americans suffering financial hardships from the pandemic, but in the federal IT community, the bill will be remembered for the dramatic expansion of the Technology Modernization Fund.
Digital Government
TMF set to receive $1B infusion in COVID relief bill
Former federal IT leaders told FCW that the boost for the Technology Modernization Fund is welcome, but the big money may necessitate process changes.
Digital Government
Who cares if you wear a hoodie or a suit? It’s the mission that matters most
Responding to Steve Kelman's recent blog post, Alan Thomas shares the inside story on 18F's evolution.
Acquisition
GSA preps guidance for using CMMC in civilian contracts
The General Services Administration wants to get ahead on training and education materials contracting officers will need as Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification requirements become standard.
Modernization
The long road to electronic records management
A deadline looms for switching to all-digital records, but the pandemic and other developments are presenting new challenges.
Cybersecurity
Foster plans push for digital ID legislation
Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) said today he will likely reintroduce a bipartisan bill to improve the country's fragmentary digital identity verification systems.
Modernization
ATO ASAP: Let’s finally fix the security compliance problem
The process federal agencies go through to prove a system is secure may actually be making us less secure. This is a problem that we must fix today, not tomorrow.
People
Can better data improve federal hiring?
Alternative hiring assessments show promise for improving the yield of successful applicants from federal job postings.
People
White House names GSA senior leaders
The Biden-Harris administration tapped former officials to senior slots at the General Services Administration, but the nomination of an administrator is still to come.
Acquisition
Dunne: Schedule consolidation is paying off
The departing chief of the Federal Acquisition Service, Julie Dunne, talks to FCW about recent initiatives.
Modernization
House passes FedRAMP bill
The House today passed a bill aimed at standardizing the processes federal agencies use to onboard cloud computing technologies.
Cybersecurity