In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, Federal experts say it is important to standardize both data architecture and processes so that people can access data from wherever they are, and better manage those architectures once they’re in place. […]
The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) assigned inaccurate monitoring priority levels for some Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) grants from fiscal years 2017 through 2019, due in part to issues with the technical processes used to transfer data from the Grants Management System into the Grant Assessment Tool (GAT). […]
Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, reintroduced the Data Care Act in the Senate on March 23, leading a pack of 17 senators looking to protect user data from hacks and hold companies liable for misuse. It is Schatz’s third time introducing the bill, having introduced similar versions in both the 115th and 116th Congresses. […]
The Board of the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) awarded $9.6 million in funding to the Department of Labor (DOL) for the agency to modernize its enterprise data infrastructure. […]
Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., reintroduced the Information Privacy and Data Transparency Act that would adapt state privacy laws and proposals into a national standard for data privacy. She introduced a similar version of the legislation in 2019, but it ultimately did not gain traction. […]
In a blog post for the General Services Administration (GSA), Commissioner at GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Sonny Hashmi outlined FAS’ commitment to progressing reform initiatives, administrative priorities, pandemic support, and data management. […]
Federal leaders agreed on Feb. 24 at a virtual conference organized by FCW that while implementing the Federal government’s Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) framework can be difficult, ICAM is the key to the government’s digital transformation. […]
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) released a new set of ethics principles on Feb. 22 for stakeholders both inside and outside of the agency to follow in an effort to better protect veterans’ data. […]
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Feb. 22 announced several steps to help meet President Biden’s goal to advance cybersecurity in the Federal government, including increasing spending to improve cybersecurity in some areas. […]
The United States Census Bureau has set aside a contract for small businesses to help the bureau leverage technology and will schedule an industry day to help decide who to award the contract, according to a Feb. 19 beta.SAM.gov post. […]
Federal agencies are finding their way to cloud services in increasing numbers, and through a variety of mission-specific motivations. Far from a one-size-fits-all mindset, agency decisions to undertake cloud migrations need to be evaluated through multiple project outcome priorities. Here’s a rundown of some recent agency moves to the cloud, with some advice from solutions provider Force 3 about steps that may make the move easier. […]
It has been nearly a year since the Federal workforce had to shift to telework practically overnight. While the Federal government was already working to increase telework capabilities, COVID-19 forced agencies to modernize at warp speed. After making sure employees had the devices they need, agencies had to ensure that cybersecurity capabilities remained strong even though employees were now working on their home networks. […]
Federal leaders agreed during a Feb. 18 Alteryx virtual event that the COVID-19 pandemic provided more opportunities for collaboration between agencies, especially when it came to sharing data across agency lines. […]
Keith Nakasone, a senior acquisition official at the General Services Administration (GSA), said this week that his agency has held what he called “very early” talks with other Federal agencies aimed at spreading the use of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) security standard through more of the Federal government. […]
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is turning to the private sector to help it collect, store, and disseminate medical images and data related to cancer screening. […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is moving forward in its search for a new rover, according to a Feb. 12 solicitation on Beta.Sam.gov. […]
MeriTalk sat down with Jeff Grunewald, Force 3’s data center practice manager, and talked about all things data – from migrating to the cloud to crucial monitoring protocols. Having spent over 35 years working in the industry, Jeff knows a thing or two about data centers. Today, Jeff shares his insight on migrating data to the cloud and the critical importance of continuing monitoring protocols. […]
In the Federal CDO Council report to congress on the summary of its activities and accomplishments in its first year, the Council said that for FY2021, it will meet regularly to support CDOs in efforts to increase the strategic use of data and develop and implement communications activities for stakeholders both inside and outside of […]
Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Deb Fischer, R-Neb., along with Reps. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., and Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, are introducing bipartisan and bicameral legislation that would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support research on privacy enhancing technologies. […]
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is looking to acquire a cloud-based Digital Evidence Management System to support its Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) component. […]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued another update – now up to three in total – in its search for solicitations that would improve the agency’s Data Center and Cloud Optimization (DCCO) efforts. […]
Scaling out cloud connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for some Federal agencies, but continuing to do so will accelerate the government’s pace of IT modernization and its ability to better serve citizens, Federal officials said at a Feb. 2 event organized by ATARC. […]
Federal government spending on cloud computing rose by about eight percent in Fiscal Year 2020, to $6.6 billion – from $6.1 billion in FY2019 – although the growth rate in cloud computing spend by the Feds slowed from prior periods. […]
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is looking for a contractor to serve as a “Trusted Broker” in purchasing data and streamlining the data acquisition process. […]
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is looking to obtain information from industry on providing a secure work management tracking system to better secure the Federal IT enterprise. […]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) have implemented Fear Screening Pilot Programs for noncitizens, and while they’ve processed claims faster, the agencies need to process the data for these claims faster. […]
The Biden Administration has gone to work on stopping the spread of the COVID-19 virus through executive orders (EO) that will enhance data collection capabilities among relevant industries and establish a national testing strategy that includes a contact tracing element. […]
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is conducting market research to find sources for COVID-19 data modeling, according to a Jan. 19 sources sought notice on Beta.SAM.gov. […]
As data continues to drive the future of Federal IT, agency leaders looked ahead to their goals for 2021, while keeping data implementation and cybersecurity top of mind. […]
Within hours of the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the new administration began issuing marching orders to rein in the COVID-19 pandemic, including an executive order (EO) to mandate face coverings on all Federal property, and other directives to ensure that its national strategy for the COVID-19 response has a data-driven approach. […]