OMB to Detail IT Overhaul Via Webcast

During a webcast next Thursday morning, Office of Management and Budget officials will flesh out the Obama administration's recently-announced strategy to update the way agencies acquire and access information technology. The Dec. 9 Forum on IT Management Reform will be held at the White House at 8:30 a.m. and streamed live here, according to an administration official.

Federal Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients and federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra will discuss detailed execution plans for the initiative and take questions from government IT managers and contracting officials, as well as IT vendors.

The thrust of the strategy -- which was unveiled Nov. 19 -- is to expedite the process of upgrading IT systems by moving equipment online to the cloud; matching the technology refresh cycle with the congressional appropriations cycle; cultivating a cadre of professional program managers; encouraging communication between agency managers and the IT community; and holding in-person meetings with senior executives and program managers to review projects.