Acquisition

NASA's SEWP sees 40% spending increase in 2020

NASA's governmentwide acquisition contract sees substantial increase in orders for fiscal 2020; COVID impact is unclear.

Digital Government

Coast Guard's vice commandant tests positive for COVID-19

The vice commandant for the U.S. Coast Guard, Adm. Charles Ray, has tested positive for COVID-19, setting off a wave of self-quarantine procedures for many senior defense officials.

Digital Government

Trump pulls the plug on COVID stimulus

The news comes as cities and states continue to shed public-sector jobs and the chief of the Federal Reserve called for a new round of stimulus.

People

D.C.-area lawmakers slam 'out of control' COVID outbreak at White House

National Capital Region members of Congress want administration officials to get control of the coronavirus transmissions at the White House complex that is putting residence staff, Secret Service agents, staffers and reporters at risk.

Modernization

A future-proof security model for a modern, mobile government

COVID-19 has shown the importance of the extensibility and scalability of the cloud and has been a forcing factor, expediting modernization initiatives – including security modernization.

Digital Government

USAGov hones data, services

GSA's COVID-19 data aggregation operation sharpens information and services as pandemic continues.

People

Pandemic continues to take a toll on public sector employment

State and local government payrolls shed 182,000 jobs in September, according to the most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Modernization

NASA sets internal contact tracing app

NASA leverages commercial software, CDO Council for the agency's COVID tracing app.

Digital Government

Senators warm to idea of more pandemic funds, flexibility for DOD

The Defense Department's chief buying executive addressed accusations of money mismanagement while arguing for more COVID relief during an Oct. 1 Senate hearing.

Cybersecurity

Post-election shutdown risk looms

Five weeks separate the November elections and the expiration date on the current stopgap funding measure keeping the federal government operational – and a path to avoiding a shutdown is not entirely clear.

Digital Government

OPM built COVID dashboard on a shoestring

Office of Personnel Management used a purchase card to kick off cloud-based emergency response data dashboard.

Modernization

Don't tap COVID relief for IT modernization funds

Taxpayer money spent on the response to the pandemic should be targeted and temporary, with significant transparency and accountability, and should not include a proposed $1 billion addition to the Technology Modernization Fund.

People

Nearly 50% of Pentagon workers still teleworking

Safety protocols would allow up to 80% on-site, but there's no rush to recall remote employees.

Modernization

Real-world data management

The pandemic has put new demands on data teams, but old obstacles are still hindering agency efforts.

People

OPM plans to field employee survey next week

The long-delayed Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey will kick off on Sept. 14.

Modernization

Energy Dept. looks for AI impact

Two recently-announced artificial intelligence collaborations show how the technology can affect real world problems, according to the head of the Energy Department's AI office.

Digital Government

HHS CIO resigns

Jose Arrieta will depart as the top tech official at the Department of Health and Human Services in the coming weeks.

Acquisition

Extend Section 3610 of the CARES Act

Without an extension to the legislation that compensates federal contractors unable to work because of pandemic-related facility closures, more people would lose their jobs, more companies could fold and the government could lose access to highly experienced and skilled members of their workforce who are critical to supporting national security, defense and other federal mission areas.

Acquisition

DOD eyes large COVID payments for contractors

Ellen Lord, the Defense Department's chief buyer, said the organization is considering lump-sum payments for COVID-19 claims rather than negotiating contract-by-contract.

Digital Government

Connolly balks at FEVS delays

The head of the subcommittee with oversight of the federal workforce is accusing the Office of Personnel Management of "mishandling" the government's annual employee survey.