Modernization

House panel zeros out TMF funding for 2024 fiscal year

House appropriators want to eliminate new funding for the Technology Modernization Fund, which is still flush with cash thanks to a pandemic-era special spending bill.

Modernization

Hassan, Cornyn try again with IT modernization bill

The bipartisan duo are looking to prod agencies to ditch legacy systems.

Modernization

DOD lacks performance targets, cybersecurity plans on some major IT programs, GAO says

The watchdog found that within the Defense Department’s 25 major IT business programs, more than half did not fully report whether they’d achieved intended targets.

Modernization

VA to lean on automation, better IT to tackle wave of benefits claims

The component responsible for overseeing veterans’ benefits programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs believes that automation and modernized IT systems will enhance its processing of PACT Act-related claims.

Modernization

VA CIO warns against sacrificing 'consistency' for more contractor diversification 

VA is engaging more with smaller vendors to fulfill some of its projects, but the department’s CIO warned that calls for the agency to break large contracts into smaller pieces would not ensure that “there's consistency across the key places.”

Modernization

As disability claims mount, VA needs to ramp up automation, lawmakers say

The Department of Veterans Affairs needs to rely on more advanced automation tools in its processing of veterans’ benefits to meet an expected “tidal wave” of PACT Act-related claims.

Modernization

TSP participants sue agency over ‘botched’ recordkeeper transition

A class action lawsuit filed last week alleges that the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program repeatedly failed to pay out participants’ withdrawal and loan requests for months following the transition to a new recordkeeping vendor.

Modernization

Login.gov is still 'vital' despite setbacks, GSA official says

In a Thursday keynote, Sonny Hashmi talked about the future plans for the single sign-on following a bombshell watchdog report about the program in March.

Modernization

DHS faces slow disaster response burdened by legacy systems, officials warn

Officials told a Senate committee on Wednesday that the Department of Homeland Security had severely outdated information technology systems across various components. 

Modernization

Debt ceiling politics could derail plans for modernizing unemployment benefits delivery

The department has a plan to build on modular modernization advances piloted in New Jersey, but provisions in the debt ceiling compromise legislation could claw back funding pledged in the American Rescue Plan Act.

Modernization

Budget and tech challenges loom over IRS's direct file pilot

The news of the forthcoming pilot was followed this week by a compromise debt ceiling bill that includes reallocating $20 billion of the funding the IRS got as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Modernization

FCW Insider Chat: The top winners of the Fed100

The fifth and final episode of the FCW Insider Chat podcast highlights the work of the top three winners of this year’s Federal 100, the original and most prestigious awards program for the federal IT community. 

Modernization

VA Lacks Goals to Assess Satisfaction With New EHR, Watchdog Finds

The report from the Government Accountability Office found that the absence of such goals has limited the agency’s ability to “objectively measure progress toward improving EHRM users’ satisfaction.”

Modernization

Four federal departments have not fully implemented cloud security practices, GAO says

The departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security, Labor and Treasury have made varying amounts of progress in applying crucial cloud security practices, but remain far from fully executing them, the watchdog found.

Modernization

Tech experts say federal government needs more AI leadership positions at agencies

Federal agencies are lacking critical points of contact for the government to coordinate on responsible oversight and use of artificial intelligence tools, experts said Tuesday. 

Modernization

VA puts Oracle Cerner on a short leash in $10B health records contract

The agency extended the contract for its EHR provider by one year, and put performance conditions in place.

Modernization

2 Agencies Still Behind on Years-Old Legacy IT Recommendations, Watchdog Finds 

Despite some agencies making significant progress, the Transportation Department and the Office of Personnel Management have not fully implemented the watchdog’s prior recommendations.

Modernization

House Lawmakers Lambast EHR Rollout Over Pharmacy Problems

Both witnesses and lawmakers agreed that the Oracle Cerner EHR system at its current state is not satisfactory—but disagreed over how to fix it.

Modernization

Lawmakers tackle VA pharmacy tech woes at hearing

The new commercial health record in use at five sites requires time-consuming workarounds that are taxing resources and depleting morale.

Modernization

FCW Insider Chat: Cyber and Tech Policy

Technology Modernization Fund Executive Director Raylene Yung and Christian Hoehner of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee join the podcast to talk TMF, FedRamp Authorization and more.