Acquisition
Senate votes to extend pandemic relief for contractors
A Senate amendment to the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Act extends pandemic relief authorities to government contractors for paid leave through the end of the fiscal year.
Digital Government
TMF money, more leave in Senate's take on COVID relief
The $1.9 trillion relief package could give federal employees up to 15 weeks of pandemic-related paid leave.
Acquisition
Lawmakers, contractors look to extend COVID aid to industry
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) are pushing for legislation to extend reimbursements for federal contractors unable to work due to COVID-19 through Sept. 30.
Cybersecurity
Crowdstrike: Pandemic drove 2020 uptick in cyberattacks
The company's new report highlights the threats facing healthcare institutions by both criminal and nation state-backed actors.
People
Lawmakers press OPM, CDC for vaccine allocations for federal employees
A group of Capital region Democrats want the Office of Personnel Management and the Centers for Disease Control to make the inoculation of federal employees a federal process.
Cybersecurity
Industry presses for tech funding in COVID relief amid Senate opposition
Several industry groups sent a letter to lawmakers last week urging them to include $10 billion for cybersecurity in the next coronavirus relief bill, however congressional backers of a tech push in the relief bill say that Senate opposition makes a big push unlikely to pass.
People
House COVID package includes 600 hours paid leave for feds
A provision from the House Oversight and Reform Committee would give feds 600 hours – or 15 weeks – of emergency paid leave to recover from COVID-19 or manage dependents whose care has been upended by the health crisis.
Digital Government
Wyden bill looks to overhaul unemployment benefit tech
The $500 million bill would pay for the Department of Labor to help develop new benefits technology capabilities to share with states and to establish a digital services team to develop and maintain the tech.
Modernization
FERC proposes incentives for electric companies to improve cybersecurity
The new rule, proposed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, would subsidize electric companies that upgrade their cybersecurity infrastructure beyond the minimum requirements.
Cybersecurity
House Dems look to expand TSA screeners' workplace protections
The bill would move all TSA employees into Title 5 of the U.S. Code, with pay conforming to the general schedule and collective bargaining rights.
Cybersecurity
Sen. Peters takes over HSGAC
The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee will be faced with oversight responsibilities over the SolarWinds hack, the federal government's response to the pandemic and with legislation to implement the Biden administration's priorities for the federal workforce.
Digital Government
Accenture rebuffed again in Healthcare.gov protest
Accenture Federal Services lost yet another protest in its effort to hold on to a contract operating the Healthcare.gov exchange that connects health insurance applicants to coverage available under the Affordable Care Act.
Acquisition
Pandemic response drives DOD's sharp uptick in OTA spending
The Defense Pricing and Contracting Agency recorded more than $16 billion in other transaction agreements in 2020 in the Defense Department's response to the pandemic.
People
TSP savers withdrew $2.9 billion under CARES Act
By the end of the program, almost 120,000 Thrift Savings Plan participants used CARES Act withdrawals.
People
OMB lays out new COVID health and safety guidelines for feds
New safety protocols have the potential to remake physical workspaces to promote distancing during the pandemic.
People
OPM says federal employee job satisfaction is up
Full results of the delayed Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey won't be out until the spring, according to the Office of Personnel Management, but a preliminary look at topline results suggests federal employee job satisfaction is improving.
Cybersecurity
Biden floats $9B boost to TMF as part of funding surge
The incoming Biden-Harris administration announced a $1.9 trillion "rescue" package to help Americans whose incomes have taken a hit from the pandemic, which includes a major uptick in technology spending to secure government systems and spur modernization.
People
COVID, black swans and gray rhinos
Steven Kelman suggests we should spend more time planning for the known risks on the horizon.
People
Telework gets Air Force IT seal of approval
Lauren Knausenberger, the Air Force's deputy CIO, said IT satisfaction went up significantly once people started working from home.
People
Pandemic pivots at State, FCC
The necessary wave of IT adaptation to the pandemic showed federal CIOs and agencies they could move quickly and efficiently to modernize.
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