Acquisition

Interior unveils $1B cloud solicitation

Data center consolidation and the movement of more core technology services are top priorities for the department in this acquisition.

People

BLM to bring leadership back to D.C.

The Interior Department is reversing a Trump administration move to put the Bureau of Land Management in Grand Junction, Colo., but the new outpost will now serve as a Western headquarters.

People

Move of BLM headquarters to Colorado still under review

Deb Haaland, secretary of the Interior, told a Senate panel on Tuesday that a decision on whether to keep the Bureau of Land Management's headquarters in Grand Junction, Colorado needs to come "fairly soon."

Digital Government

Deferred maintenance takes a toll on federal infrastructure in Indian Country

The average age of health care facilities run by the Indian Health Service is more than 37 years. The agency's construction program has a need for an estimated $22 billion, an agency official told lawmakers.

People

Interior plans year-round federal firefighter workforce

The permanent federal firefighting force should help combat a longer fire season, the department says.

Digital Government

How the government could become the next Airbnb

Emerging and established technologies hold great potential for addressing our nation's evolving challenges; the trick is in helping government agencies integrate them into their operations.

People

Interior IG: USGS director retaliated against whistleblower

A watchdog report alleges that an "impermissible, retaliatory motive" was behind the reassignment of a whistleblower at the U.S. Geological Survey.

People

Federal court ruling sidelines acting head of Bureau of Land Management

A federal district court ruled Sept. 25 that Pendley's appointment as acting director of BLM was unlawful under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.

Acquisition

Interior awards $482M EIS task order

The Department of the Interior signed another sizeable task order this month for telephone services under the General Services Administration's $50 billion, next-generation telecommunications contract.

Acquisition

Recent EIS activity goes on the books

The Department of the Interior, the Council on Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency and the Defense Information Systems Agency spent the summer awarding Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions task orders.

Cybersecurity

Sen. Hassan digs into agency IT plans

The push comes, the New Hampshire Democrat explained, because of technology weaknesses exposed in the federal government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

People

Temporary Excused Paid Leave sounds good but is hard to come by

Feds with dependent care responsibilities that stretch them to the breaking point have a stopgap once leave options are exhausted, but many agencies are reluctant to put it in play.

Modernization

Bureau of Indian Affairs wants new computer contract

The agency that provides services to hundreds of Native American tribes wants a multivendor computer hardware contract that allows its agencies to comply with set-aside goals and unite sometimes fragmented buying.

Modernization

CenturyLink wins $1.6 billion telecom task order from Interior

After a protest from rival Verizon failed, CenturyLink emerged as the winner of the Interior Department's telecom modernization task order under the Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract.

People

BLM begins move out of Washington

The decision to relocate staff could disrupt key relationships with Congress and OMB and set the stage for a dismantling of the agency, say former employees.

Cybersecurity

GAO highlights security threats to federal employees

Extremist views on public land control put federal employees at risk, and government officials have played a part, according to the chairwoman of a House subcommittee.

People

Dems push back on BLM relocation plan

Two senior lawmakers want the Bureau of Land Management to halt its plan to relocate its headquarters to Grand Junction, Colorado.

Digital Government

Chinese drone maker tries to quell talk of data siphoning

DJI's U.S. operation tells lawmakers its technology is secure and is approved for use by state, local and federal agencies.

Modernization

RPA: 'It's entry-level AI'

How robotic process automation is helping automate tedious back-office processes at federal agencies.

People

House to probe legality of making feds work during shutdowns

A House panel is probing the legal gray area of excepted operations during a lapse in appropriations.