Digital Government

Defense panel bucks Biden on topline military budget

The House Armed Services Committee adopted an amendment that would increase defense spending by $24 billion over the requested amount to about $770 billion.

Cybersecurity

Spending debate brews ahead of NDAA markup

Days before it considers its version of the 2022 must-pass defense policy bill, the House Armed Services Committee is setting up for a topline spending debate with a bill that highlights acquisition and cyber provisions.

Cybersecurity

VA's Cussatt heads to State

The former acting CIO of the Department of Veterans Affairs is joining the Department of State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, and Dr. Neil Evans will lead tech at VA on an acting basis.

Acquisition

DARPA's Pandemic Prevention Platform

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, DARPA's 10 years of funding research and development on DNA and RNA vaccines, including a $25 million award to Moderna to help establish its messenger RNA platform, proved critical.

Cybersecurity

Microelectronics supply chain challenges and zero trust

When it comes to microelectronics supply chain, better security risk assessment as manufacturers base contend with ongoing threats.

People

Austin mandates COVID vaccine for military

The defense secretary has ordered military departments to immediately begin mandatory vaccination programs with FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines.

People

Pentagon pushes ahead with COVID vaccine mandate

The Defense Department will mandate Pfizer-produced COVID-19 vaccines following the Food and Drug Administration's approval, and other agencies are expected to follow.

Acquisition

Can DOD make buying software easier?

FCW talked with Tory Cuff, senior advisor for agile acquisitions, to get a better understanding of the Adaptive Acquisition Framework's special software pathway and DOD's pilot experiment with "colorless" money.

Acquisition

CMMC board chief talks assessors, IT staff

Matt Travis, the CEO for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Accreditation Body, said proper training and IT access to the Defense Department's Enterprise Mission Assurance Support Service (eMASS) application, which will house CMMC data, still needs to be finalized for the third-party organizations that will be charged with conducting cyber assessments.

Cybersecurity

Army looks to revise cyber operations doctrine

Brig. Gen. Paul Stanton, the commanding general for the Army's Cyber Center of Excellence, said the service was in the final stages of publishing a revised field manual on how it executes cyber operations.

People

Was DOD ready for telework in 2020?

Slow networks, a lack of management buy-in and the need for more government equipment all affected how DOD feds transitioned to telework at the start of the pandemic, new reports from DOD's IG found.

Digital Government

Data and DOD's pivot from 'fight tonight'

The Pentagon is developing a tool that could help trace the impact of senior leaders' decisions down to the unit and years into the future.

Acquisition

Watchdog says contractor oversight was lacking in Afghanistan

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction's newest report calls out the government's failure to oversee contractors as a source of waste, fraud and abuse.

Acquisition

DHS eyes CMMC model

DHS' Office of the Chief Procurement Officer issued a special notice Aug. 10, noting that it is looking for a way to check contractors' compliance with its cyber hygiene clauses released in 2015.

Modernization

Microsoft touts top secret cloud ATO

Azure Government Top Secret is now "generally available" for national security workloads, Microsoft announced in a blog post.

Modernization

Navy looks to build cyber resilience beyond RMF

The Navy wants to fortify its cyber resilience to keep pace with rapid software development needs, but changing workforce habits has to come first.

Cybersecurity

New Solarium report highlights policy strides, funding stumbling blocks

Much of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission's recommendations are "on track" to being implemented, but funding issues loom for some.

Cybersecurity

DOD looks for answers on GPS data spoofing

The Defense Department is looking for technology solutions to obviate the growing threat of location data spoofing targeting satellite-based systems.

People

DOD moves to mandate COVID-19 vaccines by September

The Defense Department plans to require COVID-19 vaccines for civilian, military and contractor personnel as early as September.

Cybersecurity

Inconsistent job coding may undercut DOD’s cyber workforce efforts

A DOD inspector general audit found that while the Pentagon has made strides, inconsistent job coding for civilian cyber work roles across filled and vacant positions may hinder recruiting and retention.