Acquisition

Where does the TMF Board go from here?

With a $1 billion cash infusion, relaxed repayment guidelines and a surge in proposals from federal agencies, questions have been raised about whether the board overseeing the Technology Modernization Fund has been scaled to cope with its newfound popularity.

Digital Government

IG reports delays in COVID notification in GSA facilities

A report from the General Services Administration's Office of the Inspector General says the agency's Public Buildings Services at times failed to follow CDC guidelines around reporting and cleaning procedures for COVID-19 incidents.

Digital Government

GSA launches new Digital Corps to attract early-career techies

The first cohort of the new program, which launches in the fall, will focus on pandemic response, the economy, cybersecurity and streamlining government services.

People

OPM takes back control of CHCO Council

The move reestablishes Office of Personnel Management's central role in leading governmentwide human resources policy.

Digital Government

House panel trims Biden's TMF ambitions

A funding bill passed out of committee on Thursday pegs $50 million for the Technology Modernization Fund – far less than the $500 million sought by the Biden administration.

Acquisition

TMF board scales up

The deputy federal CIO said on Monday that the Technology Modernization Board has received numerous "large-scale modernization, cybersecurity projects" from the entire federal landscape after relaxing payback requirements.

Digital Government

Biden's pick to lead GSA: 'We can't implement government policy if we can't get the damn websites to work'

Robin Carnahan said she will focus on making General Services Administration's offerings more user friendly and digitally secure while improving governmentwide cybersecurity efforts.

Acquisition

Biden's first budget ups cyber and tech spending; gives feds a 2.7% pay raise

The Biden administration released its $6 trillion fiscal year 2022 budget proposal on Friday, including $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending across federal agencies.

Digital Government

The hidden power of the Federal Citizen Services Fund

Congress placed a big bet in the American Rescue Plan on the ability of the General Services Administration to reimagine federal IT services and security.

Modernization

How to fund security and modernize at the same time

FedRAMP's standards go a long way toward the security goals the White House just set -- but smaller firms must be able to afford the authorization process.

Modernization

GSA plans new cloud buying vehicle to support modernization at all levels of government

The General Services Administration is soliciting feedback from industry on a planned new blanket purchase agreement to provide cloud infrastructure, storage, software and services to federal agencies and state and local governments.

Acquisition

With Biden's equity agenda in play, experts talk about making procurement more inclusive

Government procurement practitioners discussed equity and procurement at the Code for America summit, as leaders across the federal enterprise look to measure and expand inclusiveness in public spending.

Cybersecurity

Why zero trust is having a moment

Improved technologies and growing threats have agencies actively pursuing dynamic and context-driven security.

Modernization

Government needs a massive investment in FedRAMP

A well-funded shared service could relieve an authorization bottleneck and bring essential cloud services to the government market.

Acquisition

TMF payback rules relaxed for cyber upgrades, pandemic response

Biden administration officials announced on Tuesday that payback requirements will be relaxed for some projects funded by the recent $1 billion addition to the Technology Modernization Fund. Administrators want urgently needed upgrades that help respond to the pandemic or improve the cybersecurity of federal agencies.

People

Now hiring for next set of Presidential Innovation Fellows

Originally a brainchild of the Obama-Biden tech office, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program is now looking for its eighth cohort of in-house federal tech innovators. How has it changed, and what lessons might the program offer for recruiting top tech talent into the government?

Digital Government

Biden taps 18F veteran Robin Carnahan to lead GSA

Robin Carnahan, formerly Missouri's secretary of state and the lead of state and local government practice at 18F, is the Biden administration's pick to lead the General Services Administration.

Cybersecurity

A renewed push for secure modernization

With the SolarWinds breach as a catalyst and new leadership across government, agencies are rethinking their roadmaps.

Digital Government

Industry groups call for TMF reforms following funding boost

The groups' call for changes to how the government operates the modernization fund echoes concerns that multiple former CIOs voiced to FCW this month in interviews.

Digital Government

18F to help Wisconsin with UI tech

Many states have buckled under the pressure of delivering benefits to surges of claimants during the pandemic using antiquated technology. 18F is set to help Wisconsin modernize its unemployment insurance technology using agile procurement.