Author Archive
Adam Mazmanian
Executive Editor, Nextgov/FCW
Adam Mazmanian is executive editor of Nextgov/FCW. Before joining the editing team, Mazmanian was an FCW staff writer covering Congress, governmentwide technology policy and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to joining FCW, Mazmanian was technology correspondent for National Journal and served in a variety of editorial roles at B2B news service SmartBrief. Mazmanian has contributed reviews and articles to the Washington Post, the Washington City Paper, Newsday, New York Press, Architect Magazine and other publications.
Cybersecurity
US, Japan warn of China-backed hackers lurking in networking gear
The joint advisory cautioned that a China-backed threat group called BlackTech is exploiting weaknesses in routers to hack government and industrial targets.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Digital Government
The technologist at the table
Ann Lewis is bringing tech talent to bear on a range of big, pressing service delivery challenges from her perch as director of the Technology Transformation Services.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Artificial Intelligence
Can AI boost health care delivery?
Rep. Ted Lieu thinks so, with the right oversight by humans — and government.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Modernization
House panel advances MGT update
A bipartisan bill to reauthorize and update the legislation that established the Technology Modernization Fund sailed through committee on Wednesday.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Modernization
TMF reboot looks to stabilize funding, increase transparency
The reauthorization of the Modernizing Government Technology Act is due for a committee markup on Wednesday.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Modernization
VA's health record 'reset' will extend into 2024
There's one deployment of the new, multibillion dollar EHR on the books for next April and officials expect the rollouts to pick up in the summer.
- By Adam Mazmanian
People
Who are your rising stars?
Nominations are open for the 2023 Rising Stars program. We're looking to spotlight innovators across federal, state and local governments and up-and-coming talent at contracting firms.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Digital Government
Pandemic unemployment fraud as high as $135B, watchdog says
The Government Accountability Office's new estimate underscores the urgency of modernizing state-based unemployment insurance systems.
- By Adam Mazmanian
People
Senate confirms deputy secretary at VA
Tanya Bradsher takes over as the top official tasked with managing the Department of Veterans Affairs’ troubled electronic health record project.
- By Adam Mazmanian
People
GOP lawmakers tap Holman Rule to slash salaries of agency heads
If House conservatives get their way, multiple federal officials will open fiscal 2024 with $1 annual salaries.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Digital Government
The federal government's most disliked IT help desks
A survey of more than 270,000 federal employees shows DOD at the bottom when it comes to satisfaction with IT support and equipment.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Artificial Intelligence
Library of Congress probes the many collisions of copyright and AI
The Copyright Office has questions about how protections do — or don’t — apply to AI-generated works.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Acquisition
DOD looks to counter China by accelerating drone acquisition, production
The "Replicator" initiative announced by the Pentagon's No. 2 official looks to leverage lo-fi, autonomous systems to outpace China on the battlefield.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Cybersecurity
Threat actor targeted DOD contracting website
Malware leveraging flaws in edge routers has been spying on military contracting websites, according to research from Lumen's Black Lotus Labs.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Cybersecurity
Voting machine hacking plot figures into Trump indictment
A plot allegedly hatched by lawyer Sidney Powell to use stolen data to rewrite the results of the Georgia vote in the 2020 election is a key piece of the fourth indictment of former President Donald Trump.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Digital Government
VA extends PACT Act filing deadline after website glitches
The Department of Veterans Affairs is giving eligible veterans an extra week to announce their intention to submit claims under a law that expands benefits for exposure to toxic substances.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Policy
Court ban on agency contact with social media lacks evidence, White House argues
The contact injunction is on pause pending an appeals court ruling.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Defense
DOD pushes cloud buyers to JWCC
The Defense Department's top tech official directed defense agencies to tap the multi-vendor Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability contract for new cloud acquisitions and is requiring all top-secret cloud buys across the Pentagon and military services to use the vehicle for top secret capabilities.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Digital Government
Caller ID woes contributed to SSA disability backlog
Disability determinations at the Social Security Administration slowed during the worst days of the pandemic, and a hitch in a mobile device service played a part.
- By Adam Mazmanian
Digital Government
Will Hurd, former GOP lawmaker with tech expertise, announces White House bid
The three-term Texas congressman was the lead sponsor of the law that created the Technology Modernization Fund.
- By Adam Mazmanian