Digital Government

CDC rolls out new COVID-19 website

The reworked COVID-19 website is part of a larger push to make the public health agency’s web presence easier to navigate, with plans to relaunch CDC.gov early next year.

Cybersecurity

New White House cyber implementation plan looks to ramp up resilience

The plan, released Thursday morning, includes more than 65 “high-impact initiatives” that federal agencies will be tasked with executing to achieve the objectives outlined in the national cybersecurity strategy.

Data

Want to track pandemic relief spending? Data problems make that difficult, committee says

“These challenges limit the degree of transparency into the use of pandemic relief funds,” a new report from the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee says.

Digital Government

White House promotes success stories in the government’s customer experience push

Filling out forms to recertify for disability insurance is “more frightening than cancer,” one beneficiary said. The Social Security Administration is trying to make it easier.

Digital Government

How some agencies used tech to decrease improper payments

Governmentwide, improper payments are up relative to fiscal year 2020. But digital tools — alongside other management tactics — enabled some agencies to find reductions.

Emerging Tech

DHS looks to invest in digital credentialing

The department’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program issued a new solicitation looking for privacy-preserving digital credential wallets and verifiers.

Digital Government

Is government culture stifling CX innovation?

Risk aversion among government managers is blocking needed improvements to key programs, according to a recent white paper.

Modernization

Government tech – What’s sustainability got to do with it?

As it turns out, a lot, according to a recent best practices guide for agency CIO’s, and to Energy Department CIO Ann Dunkin.

Digital Government

IRS to get a new acting CIO

The current occupant of the top tech job at the tax agency is going back to his post at Treasury at the end of June.

Emerging Tech

Trade groups press White House to digitize forms of identification

Stronger digital identity solutions would curb future cyber attacks driven by identity and make stolen personal data less valuable, a coalition of 10 trade groups writes in a new letter.

Policy

Government has a policy over people problem, civic tech leader argues

In a new book, Code for America founder Jennifer Pahlka argues that government implementers need more authority to avoid becoming risk-averse compliance agents.

Artificial Intelligence

Are government decisions being made by AI? Lawmakers want to mandate disclosure

New legislation would also require agencies to have an appeals process for adverse decisions made using automated systems in areas like healthcare or government benefits.

Policy

Government buyers need training to go green, panel says

An advisory group based at the General Services Administration has ideas for putting government operations on a net-zero emissions basis.

Digital Government

The Library of Congress is looking for the next Oregon Trail game

Video game developers can win up to $20,000 as part of a new video game contest from the Library of Congress meant to inspire civics-related games.

Digital Government

Can a chief data officer reignite federal data strategy?

Tech think tank ITIF wants the White House to revive the Trump-era Federal Data Strategy, which it says has “stalled” with a lack of leadership support.

Modernization

Login.gov is still 'vital' despite setbacks, GSA official says

In a Thursday keynote, Sonny Hashmi talked about the future plans for the single sign-on following a bombshell watchdog report about the program in March.

Digital Government

BSA taps former chief acquisition officer as new procurement lead

The Software Alliance, also known as BSA, is taking on a new focus on procurement with Jessica Salmoiraghi, formerly of the General Services Administration.

Modernization

Debt ceiling politics could derail plans for modernizing unemployment benefits delivery

The department has a plan to build on modular modernization advances piloted in New Jersey, but provisions in the debt ceiling compromise legislation could claw back funding pledged in the American Rescue Plan Act.