Cybersecurity

DHS cyber reorg bill coming

A top DHS cybersecurity official and a leading lawmaker are pushing a plan to reorganize federal cyber protection.

Modernization

Hurd: Revised MGT Act coming 'very soon'

The chairman of the House subcommittee on federal IT says that tweaks are coming to a bill to support agency moves to the cloud.

Digital Government

Watchdogs worried about DOJ's tech

Oversight officials told Congress they are concerned about the Justice Department's cybersecurity, use of unreliable tech and inability to track contract and grant spending.

Cybersecurity

Immigration modernization a work in progress

CIS making some progress on processing capabilities, but a congressional panel is still skeptical.

Acquisition

FirstNet expects court decision soon

FirstNet's top lawyer said the bid protest holding up the $6.5 billion contract award could be resolved "in the next several days."

Acquisition

How budget sequestration affected contracting

Defense agency contract obligations for IT and telecom services dipped over the last five years under the Budget Control Act, even as civilian side obligations held steady.

Cybersecurity

Too soon to tell if CBP biometric systems can scale

DHS efforts to develop entry/exit systems that capture travelers’ biometric data are making progress, a GAO report finds, but full implementation is far from simple.

Cybersecurity

Border drones and aerostats need better coordination

Although Customs and Border Protection coordinates its airborne border surveillance aircraft with other agencies, it needs to refine some specifics, according to a GAO report.

Digital Government

2020 census tabbed as 'high risk' by GAO

The 2020 Census is one of three additions to GAO's 2017 list of high-risk government programs.

Cybersecurity

Some IT bright spots in GAO annual risk report

Federal IT acquisition and DHS management see gains over 2015, but GAO wants more improvement.

Digital Government

Congress presses VA to go commercial on IT

The Department of Veterans Affairs must decide whether to keep and improve its home-grown Vista heath record system or move to a commercial provider. Legislators are growing tired of waiting for an answer.

Cybersecurity

GAO: NCCIC needs to clarify operating principles

The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center "generally performs required functions" but it needs to further evaluate and clarify its operating principles and performance metrics, says GAO.

People

GAO reports billions in savings linked to oversight efforts

In its end of the year summary, the Government Accountability Office reported billions of dollars in federal savings and progress in addressing its management challenges.

Acquisition

What to make of the Alliant 2 protest rulings

With the pre-award protests all resolved in GSA's favor, is the $50 billion IT services contract now bulletproof?

Acquisition

Changes to protest rules could shift contracting preferences

Bumping up the Defense Department’s protest threshold could tilt Pentagon buyers away from civilian contracting vehicles.

Acquisition

GAO sustains more protests in 2016

The GAO's annual bid protest report to Congress shows a spike in the number of protests filed.

Digital Government

Are agencies ready for the Data Act?

With the financial reporting requirements of the Data Act set to take effect in May 2017, a key oversight panel voiced concerns over agencies' progress.

Digital Government

Senate passes bill to close GAO oversight loophole

A measure that would reinstate and make permanent the Government Accountability Office's authority to arbitrate contractor protests over civilian agency awards will advance to the desk of the president.

Digital Government

FAA should examine near-space vehicles, GAO says

GAO has told the FAA to take a look at how it might regulate near-space vehicles as commercialization of the last frontier continues.

People

Watchdogs concerned as census dress rehearsal approaches

With eight months remaining before the Census Bureau begins its final end-to-end testing, watchdogs are concerned about large-scale changes in methodology, untested IT systems and the decision to cancel several earlier tests.