FCW Insider: Dec. 1

USAF primed to launch new phase of data strategy

Eileen Vidrine, the Air Force's chief data officer, talks about department's priorities are, how they've changed this year and how the Defense Department's data strategy ties it all together.

House chairs seek 'full accounting' of Schedule F conversions

The lawmakers requested information about any political appointees given civil service positions and about any positions converted to the new personnel category created by President Trump.

JAIC focuses on warfighting capabilities

Now that it's up and running the Pentagon's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center wants to increase adoption throughout the department from warfighting and business operations.

Creating an infrastructure for procurement innovation at DHS

Steve Kelman checks in on the Department of Homeland Security's Procurement Innovation Lab, and finds valuable lessons for other agencies.

Quick Hits

*** Earlier this month, the General Services Administration changed the name of the office that oversees its $50 billion, next-generation telecommunications contract to reflect its evolving duties. The agency's Office of IT Category (OITC) renamed its Office of Telecommunications Services unit as the Office of Enterprise Technology Solutions. The renaming, said the spokesperson, aligns the office with its federal agency customers' "growing demand for cloud services and emerging technology." Allen Hill, current OITC acting deputy assistant commissioner, oversees the renamed office, just as he oversaw OTS. There were no major staff changes associated with the name change, said the spokesperson.

*** Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai said in a Nov. 30 statement he will leave the agency when the Biden Administration begins on Jan. 20 leaving the chairperson position open. It is customary for the makeup of the five-member FCC to include three members nominated by the president's party and two members of the other party put forth by congressional leaders.

*** Former Army CIO Bruce Crawford has joined Jacobs as a senior vice president in the company's critical mission solutions segment that houses much of its federal technology and professional services work, Washington Technology reports. Crawford retired from the Army in August at the rank of lieutenant general after 34 years of service.

*** Nominations for the 2021 Fed 100 are now being accepted. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 31.