FCW Insider: October 6, 2021

TMF awards still come with payback plans

Federal CIO Clare Martorana said that while payback flexibility is now part of the Technology Management Fund playbook, agencies are projecting savings in their modernization plans.

Nominee to lead USAF acquisition names software, IT as top priorities

Improving how the service acquires software and IT systems, while making DevSecOps the norm ranks among the top priorities for Andrew Hunter, the White House nominee to be assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics.

IRS solidifies relationship with management group

The IRS and the Professional Managers Association have reached a final consultative agreement to keep agency managers in the loop about agency decisions.

Earning trust from others -- a CIA veteran's suggestions

Steve Kelman turns to an unusual source for IT leadership lessons.

Quick Hits

*** The Supreme Court on Monday denied a bid by Oracle to appeal its protest of the now defunct Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure cloud procurement. The U.S. government argued that the lawsuit, objecting to the framing of certain requirements of the planned $10 billion JEDI project, was mooted when the Defense Department gave up on the program.

*** The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force at the White House released new guidance on Tuesday for how agencies should approach medical and religious exceptions to the vaccination mandate. The group recommends that agencies set an initial deadline for feds to notify employers if they intend to seek an exception. Feds who are granted exceptions will be required need to follow masking, distancing and testing guidelines for unvaccinated people. Agencies can reject accommodations requests, though, if they decide that "no safety protocol other than vaccination is adequate."

*** The Government Accountability Office denied a protest from Tata International on the much-challenged CIO-SP4 contract because they didn't accept the vendor's arguments that they could not supply information to support past performance requirements without violating non-disclosure agreements with customers. Washington Technology has more.