FCW Insider: May 5, 2021
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
TMF payback rules relaxed for cyber upgrades, pandemic response
Biden administration officials announced on Tuesday that payback requirements will be relaxed for some projects funded by the recent $1 billion addition to the Technology Modernization Fund. Administrators want urgently needed upgrades that help respond to the pandemic or improve the cybersecurity of federal agencies.
DOD expands bug bounty program to public networks, systems
The vulnerability disclosure program, which was started from the Defense Digital Service's 2016 Hack the Pentagon initiative, was initially restricted to public-facing websites and applications.
Lawmakers look to revive collusion case against Amazon in JEDI
Two GOP members of Congress are pressing the Justice Department and the Pentagon to reopen a probe into conflicts of interest between Amazon ex-employees and consultants and the government architects of a $10 billion cloud computing program.
ICYMI: DOD seeks clean acquisition data for better policy oversight
Shelby Oakley, the director for contracting and national security acquisition for the Government Accountability Office said the ability to conduct data-driven oversight was the Pentagon's acquisition office's biggest challenge.
Quick Hits
*** The Office of Management and Budget is seeking public comment on the implementation of the Biden Administration's day-one executive order titled Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. OMB's request includes a section on federal procurement. Under the order, "agencies will need to assess opportunities to direct more procurement and contracting dollars to underserved individuals and communities so that a broad cross-section of American businesses can share in the jobs and opportunities created by federal buying activities," the comment request states. OMB is looking for suggestions on making the federal procurement system more equitable and how to measure equity and inequity in contracting decisions at the prime and subcontracting levels.
*** To help prepare organizations for post-quantum cryptography, the National Institute of Standards and Technology's National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence has released the final version of a white paper, "Getting Ready for Post-Quantum Cryptography: Exploring Challenges Associated with Adopting and Using Post-Quantum Cryptographic Algorithms." GCN has more on this story.