Biden Administration Releases New IT Modernization Plan
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The White House Office of Management and Budget plans to prioritize cybersecurity and data decision-making via federal funding.
The White House released its latest framework for implementing new information technologies into federal agencies, with cybersecurity and data analytics serving as two key pillars.
Outlined in the Office of Management and Budget’s Information Technology Operating Plan, funding from sources like the Technology Modernization Fund and the IT Oversight and Reform Account will help update federal computer systems.
“We recognize the significant investment that Congress has made in securing and modernizing federal IT and have assembled this plan to explain how we ensure the wise investment of each dollar Congress has entrusted to us towards its highest use—creating the most impact for the American people,” Clare Martorana, the federal chief information officer, commented in the report.
Being able to strategically utilize incoming data and protect it are two key goals the OMB has for federal technology systems. Other priority items include broad IT device modernization and improving customer experience––the latter being a longstanding goal for the federal government.
To effectively achieve this, OMB officials said that they will assess the individual health and risk levels of each agency to determine a best course of modernization action.
Implementing these changes across government departments will further support interagency operations and streamline contact and work between federal agencies.
Pursuant to President Joe Biden’s previous executive order on strengthening national cybersecurity, OMB plans on introducing more zero trust architecture to improve login credential software for the federal workforce.
The data OMB wants to access will focus on improving government operations and modernization efforts, primarily on the user experience front.
Officials said that the plan will aim to introduce data maturity and capabilities specifically tailored to supporting U.S. citizen users through life events like disaster relief, financial difficulty and preparing for retirement.
Updated data software will ideally let users navigate across government agencies when searching for information online.
“Data enables an enterprise view, provides better insights to agencies’ modernization journeys and optimizes strategic investment decisions through ITOR, TMF and FCSF,” the report read.