FCW Insider: March 3
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
Tanden out as OMB director nominee
After weeks of controversy, the Biden administration's pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget withdrew her name from consideration.
Defense Innovation Unit marks 5 years of experimentation, growth
The Defense Innovation Unit issued 56 prototype other transaction agreements in 2020, according to a recent report, bringing the total number of OTAs issued to 208 since its inception in 2015.
Air Force Academy IT in dire need of upgrades, superintendent says
Lt. Gen. Richard Clark, the Air Force Academy’s superintendent, told Congress the academy’s accreditation was threatened by legacy IT.
We underestimate the value of complimenting others
Steve Kelman shares new research that suggests managers are too stingy with their praise.
OMB deputy nominee appears to have an easy confirmation ahead
While Neera Tanden's nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget is in peril, it looks like Shalanda Young will have an smooth path to confirmation as the agency's number two official.
Quick Hits
*** The Office of Management and Budget explained to agencies in a March 2 memo how to roll back contractual changes put in place as part of the Trump administration's order purging federal agencies of diversity training programs that ran afoul of certain content restrictions spelled out in the executive order titled "Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping." That order was overturned as part of a Biden administration executive order issued on the day Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office. The memo also advised that the Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs will not be enforcing any contractual language related to the order.
*** Once again, cybersecurity, federal workforce management and IT acquisition are among the leading trouble areas in the Government Accountability Office's annual high risk list.
*** Microsoft announced an "out of band" emergency update to deal with a security flaw that is being leveraged in cyberattacks against three Microsoft Exchange Server products. The 0-day bug is being used to target on-premises servers – cloud email is not affected according to the company. Microsoft said the threat group responsible for the attack is based in China and appears to be state-sponsored.