FCW Insider: Aug. 5

Trump fires TVA chairman over IT outsourcing

The federally owned power company is rethinking plans to fire its internal IT staff and shift to managed services in light of Trump's intervention and a new executive order on federal contracting.

NSA wants NatSec users to mask location data

The spy agency is advising users of Defense Department and National Security Systems to take steps to mask their location data on mobile devices and computers.

Trump's pick to head DOD's CAPE talks management

John Whitley, the nominee to lead the critical Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office talked with the Senate Armed Services Committee about the future of the chief management officer position.

Lawmakers look to expand FITARA oversight

As agencies improve IT operations, lawmakers want to modernize FITARA scorecard categories

CBP seeks more data on small packages

Customs and Border Protection modified tariff rules to get more data on small packages that can bring in bogus medical supplies.

Quick Hits

*** The Office of Personnel Management just launched a new division called the Human Capital Data Management and Modernization Directorate, with the goal of "promoting IT modernization, data accountability, and transparency, and the workforce of the future," Michael Rigas, acting OPM Director, said in a statement.

However, the head of the union local representing OPM workers characterized the move as a step toward the proposed merger of OPM and the General Services Administration – which is on hold because of instructions from Congress.

"The administration is quietly pursuing this merger by another name through personnel changes that shift policymaking responsibilities away from OPM and toward GSA," said Marlo Bryant-Cunningham, president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 32.

*** For 31 years, FCW's Federal 100 Awards have celebrated outstanding individual achievements in the federal IT community. Due to the ongoing public health concerns, we are instead producing a series of Fed 100 Winner Showcase virtual events, to recognize all the winners and to dig more deeply into select winners' stories and accomplishments. Please join us on September 10th as we celebrate the several leaders and innovators in the AI and Automation category. Learn more about their work and the broader trends they are seeing across government.