FCW Insider: June 28, 2021

The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.

Sweeping executive order covers diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility in the federal workforce

An executive order issued last Friday directs the federal government to ramp up diversity training, rethink the use salary history as a basis for pay determinations and supply gender non-conforming and non-binary and transgender feds with employee credentials that reflect their current names, pictures and pronouns.

NIST defines 'critical software' under the cyber EO

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's new definition of "critical software" is foundational to new federal efforts to exert more control over the code supply chain.

Small businesses ask Congress to focus CMMC on primes and DOD

Jonathan Williams, a partner at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm PilieroMazza, told lawmakers much of small businesses concerns could be assuaged if DOD and prime contractors shoulder the burden.

It was 20 years ago today...

Mark Forman reflects on what two decades have taught us about the federal CIO's role and responsibilities.

Quick Hits

*** Leaders of the federal health and science community are looking to establish a health-based research agency, with the same flexible and nimble approach to innovation and experimentation as the Defense Department's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

*** Mantech has won a protest in a $4 billion classified security contract with the U.S. Air Force. Washington Technology has more on this story.

*** Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led a group of lawmakers in a letter to Senate appropriators seeking a $335 million increase in the Census Bureau's budget account to modernize the agency's data infrastructure and improve several existing Census survey products.