FCW Insider: Feb. 3

Accenture rebuffed again in Healthcare.gov protest

Accenture Federal Services lost yet another protest in its effort to hold on to a contract operating the Healthcare.gov exchange that connects health insurance applicants to coverage available under the Affordable Care Act.

Hicks talks budget and CMO duties in confirmation hearing

Kathleen Hicks, President Biden's pick to serve as deputy secretary of defense, pressed for new incentives to improve DOD's business reform efforts at her confirmation hearing.

Agencies feel IT staff shortages from Trump administration hiring freezes

Trump administration hiring freezes have been causing a strain on federal agencies trying to cope with the demands put on IT staff because of telework.

Quick Hits

*** Alejandro Mayorkas was confirmed Feb. 2 to serve as the Biden administration's secretary of Homeland Security in a 56-43 vote – the closest tally so far for a Biden appointee. Mayorkas, a DHS veteran, would be the first Latino and first immigrant to lead the diverse and complex organization. He previously served at DHS as deputy secretary and as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Mayorkas was sworn in in the early evening on Tuesday by Vice President Kamala Harris.

*** The Department of State is looking at tapping a contractor to supply experts in application development, agile project management, platform management and more to the agency's Cloud Program Management Office, according to a sources sought request posted Feb. 1.

*** Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) introduced a bill Feb. 2 to enhance Congressional oversight in the security clearance process for political appointees in the Executive Office of the President. The lawmakers cited the issuance of security clearances to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump by former President Donald Trump over the objections of career officials as the impetus for the legislation.

"Our bill would prevent untrustworthy people with major security concerns from ever being secretly given access to our most sensitive intelligence ever again," Rep. Beyer said in a statement.

Under the system set up by the Security Clearance Review Act, if an individual is flagged by the White House security office, the FBI director would have the ability to issue a written recommendation to the president that that person be denied the security clearance. At that point, the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence, Oversight and Judiciary Committees would also be notified. The bill doesn't alter the president's ultimate authority to issue clearances.