IT Modernization

America at 250: What the Census reveals about our journey

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, the Census Bureau offers a vivid way to trace the country’s growth, movement and change from the earliest days of the republic.

FAA awards software and AI contract as part of air traffic control modernization

The agency’s contract with Air Space Intelligence includes deployment of a system that it says will serve as “the new technological backbone” of a modernized Air Traffic Control System Command Center.

NASA names 2,100 winners for SEWP VI

The $60 billion government-wide IT program expands the scope of what agencies can buy and how they can buy as the vehicle's proposed transition to the General Services Administration looms.

The path to better program management: a road still less traveled

COMMENTARY | In spite of important reform efforts and legislation, our government still faces problems in managing and implementing major programs and systems modernizations.

Why compliance alone doesn’t make federal networks secure

COMMENTARY | Zero Trust is an ongoing operational discipline, not a project with a completion date.

How the Library of Congress is using both AI and volunteers to unlock public broadcasting history

The FixIt+ platform uses AI-generated transcripts as a starting point, then relies on volunteers to refine them so historic public media becomes easier to search, study and understand.

Advanced AI models bring government to ‘reflection point,’ CIA official says

New technologies may bring risk and opportunity for the federal government, cyber experts explained.

Federal agencies are rushing into AI without cleaning house first

COMMENTARY | The agencies that prepare their digital house first will get the productivity gains.

Nearly 3.4M users across government can use AI through OneGov, GSA official says

Birgit Smeltzer, director of GSA’s Office of IT Products, IT Category, said “more than 120 orders have been placed against OneGov’s AI offerings,” with savings achieved thus far totaling at least $1.15 billion.

White House withholds $1.3B in Medicaid payments to California amid broader fraud crackdown

Vice President JD Vance said the administration will audit states’ Medicaid Fraud Control Units and threatened to “turn off” federal funding for the watchdogs if their fraud prevention efforts are found to be deficient.

Five steps to make commercial-first government work

COMMENTARY | Recent federal mandates make clear that the status quo is no longer acceptable.

FDA launches updated AI and consolidated data platform

The Food and Drug Administration’s flagship internal AI tool, Elsa, is being integrated with the data platform so that staff can accomplish work more easily.

How Broadcom’s VMware buy meant a ‘fundamental shift’ for county tech

Leaders said the 2023 acquisition has led to negative changes in licenses, pricing and support, with many now considering moving away from the longtime vendor.

Survey: More than half of federal agencies now planning agentic AI pilots

A Market Connections survey sponsored by ServiceNow of more than 200 IT executives across civilian and defense agencies suggests there is significant momentum for agentic AI adoption.

The government is buying AI faster than it is assigning authority

COMMENTARY | Federal AI governance will become credible when agencies can answer a simple question before deployment, not after failure.

When the storm hits: What Hurricane Katrina still teaches federal leaders about continuity of operations

COMMENTARY | Make continuity planning an operational discipline rather than a compliance exercise.

The IRS wants to shrink its workforce by nearly 4,000 — and use technology to make up the difference

“Without modernization, the IRS would be unable to sustain performance with a reduced headcount,” the budget document says.