Author Archive
Natalie Alms
Staff Reporter, Nextgov/FCW

Natalie Alms is a staff reporter at Nextgov/FCW covering federal technology policy, service delivery, customer experience and the government's tech workforce. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University and has written for the Salisbury (N.C.) Post. Connect with Natalie on Twitter at @AlmsNatalie.
Digital Government
Senators push for USPS identity proofing to thwart AI-generated deepfakes
The U.S. Postal Service already offers identity proofing services for some government agencies.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
Technology Modernization Fund announces $9M in new investments
Despite continued awards, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., says the fund's supporters have “work to do” to garner support on Capitol Hill.
- By Natalie Alms
Modernization
DHS issues new IT plan to tackle workforce, AI and CX challenges
The department is planning to establish a DHS IT Academy with training and upskilling for its workforce.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
DHS biometrics management dinged by watchdogs
“Hundreds of millions of individuals' personally identifiable information” is impacted by the privacy weaknesses, according to the Government Accountability Office.
- By Natalie Alms
Modernization
Connolly releases new FITARA scores without usual committee hearing
“We could not allow a lapse in the scorecard,” Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., said of the Tuesday roundtable discussion held without Republicans.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
New bill would beef up accessibility reporting requirements for agencies
Agency and department heads would be required to appoint “Section 508 compliance officers” to ensure they meet accessibility mandates.
- By Natalie Alms
Modernization
Federal CIO touts '10-year-plan' to build a truly digital federal government
The long-awaited guidance to support the implementation of the IDEA Act tasks agencies with ramping up their digital offerings while mandating consistent brand and design standards across the federal government.
- By Natalie Alms
Modernization
House cloud bill gets Senate counterpart
The Multi-Cloud Innovation and Advancement Act was introduced in the House of Representatives in August.
- By Natalie Alms
People
Never mind the degrees – here's skills-based hiring
The Office of Personnel Management is working on a skills-based classification and qualifications policy, set to be released by the end of this fiscal year.
- By Natalie Alms
People
Former officials sound off on the challenges of managing through a shutdown
“The big thing that happens..is lots of lawyers weighing in on what activities are actually exempt," one former official said.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
Shutdowns and the ‘avalanche of work’ for government tech shops
Even if a shutdown doesn’t happen, planning for one has a real cost, former government CIOs say.
- By Natalie Alms
Artificial Intelligence
Guardrails in government AI purchasing are ‘more important than ever,’ senator says
“Right now, [contracting officers] are set up for failure,” when it comes to buying AI applications, one witness told lawmakers at a Senate hearing.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
$212B in suspicious activity reports to FinCENin 2021 concerned identity, officials report
Industry experts tied improved federal identity efforts to better security in financial and other private sector industries.
- By Natalie Alms
Artificial Intelligence
AI is part of a 'new era' at IRS, commissioner says
The tax agency announced the expansion of work to use AI in how it goes after large partnerships.
- By Natalie Alms
Artificial Intelligence
State Dept. looks to AI for declassification, FOIA processing
The agency’s enterprise AI strategy is expected next month.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
Hawaii’s wildfires led to fast tracking federal identity tools for unemployment claims
Hawaii is the second state after Arkansas to employ Login.gov and U.S. Postal Service identity proofing options in its unemployment insurance system.
- By Natalie Alms
Modernization
OPM has a plan to take its tech 'from the Flintstones to the Jetsons'
The personnel agency recently released its first IT strategic plan in nearly a decade.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
Biden administration inches ahead on 'life experiences' projects
The White House shared updates on cross-agency projects designed to improve and streamline government service delivery.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
TSA proposes allowing federal acceptance of digital IDs while future requirements are crafted
The coming rulemaking would waive REAL ID Act requirements so that federal agencies can still accept mobile driver's licenses when the law’s implementation starts in 2025.
- By Natalie Alms
Digital Government
Taxpayer advocate highlights challenges for legit taxpayers tagged as fraudsters by the IRS
The only online remediation option for people whose tax returns have been flagged as potential identity theft is through vendor ID.me.
- By Natalie Alms