Acquisition
VA to continue pause on Cerner deployment for six more months
At the end of calendar 2021, the Department of Veterans Affairs expects to announce a new schedule for the deployment of its $21 billion electronic health record modernization project.
Cybersecurity
Senate breach disclosure bill targets agencies, contractors, infrastructure
A bipartisan bill introduced by the leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee sets up a 24-hour deadline for infrastructure operators, federal contractors and federal agencies to report confirmed cybersecurity breaches and ransomware attacks.
People
OPM takes back control of CHCO Council
The move reestablishes Office of Personnel Management's central role in leading governmentwide human resources policy.
Cybersecurity
TSA imposes new cyber rules on pipeline operators
The new mitigation requirements come as the U.S. attributes a past effort to hack U.S. pipeline infrastructure to a Chinese state-sponsored group.
Modernization
Lawmakers balk at cost-overruns, transparency issues with VA's $21 billion health record program
At a Senate hearing last week, Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough noted deficiencies in training including the lack of a real system available for use by clinicians in advance of the go-live date for a new, integrated health care software system.
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.
Cybersecurity
FBI director wants more cooperation from ransomware victims
The bureau is seeking new funding to support cyber investigations and its own internal cybersecurity, but it also wants help from industry.
People
VP Harris breaks tie to confirm Ahuja to lead OPM
No Republicans supported the nomination of Kiran Ahuja to lead the Office of Personnel Management.
Cybersecurity
CISA still in the dark about agency network defense plans
In the wake of the SolarWinds campaign, the agency in charge of federal agency cyber defense acknowledges some gaps in both its data collection and network monitoring capabilities.
Modernization
Shared services funded in 2022 budget plan
The federal government's Quality Services Management Offices, set up to deliver services in grants, financial management, human resources and cybersecurity, are chugging along in the proposed FY2022 budget.
Acquisition
VA lowballed health record modernization costs, watchdog says
In a newly released report, the inspector general at the Department of Veterans Affairs indicates that the $16 billion estimate for the switch to the Cerner electronic health record system doesn't incorporate billions in needed physical infrastructure costs.
Cybersecurity
Would CMMC compliance block a SolarWinds-style attack?
At a Senate hearing on Defense Department cybersecurity, lawmakers wanted to know whether a program aimed at hardening the security of the defense industrial base would thwart supply chain attacks.
Digital Government
Lawmakers press for IDEA Act adoption
A group of House Democrats want the Biden administration to pick up the pace on implementation of the Integrated Digital Experience Act.
Modernization
Lawmakers look to revive collusion case against Amazon in JEDI
Two GOP members of Congress are pressing the Justice Department and the Pentagon to reopen a probe into conflicts of interest between Amazon ex-employees and consultants and the government architects of a $10 billion cloud computing program.
People
Biden taps D.C. employment lawyer to lead MSPB
The Merit Systems Protection Board has been without Senate-confirmed leadership since March 2019 and without a quorum to decide appeals since January 2017.
Modernization
Court will hear case against Trump on JEDI
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims denied a motion from the U.S. government to dismiss a complaint from Amazon Web Services alleging undue influence on the award of the $10 billion, 10-year cloud program JEDI to Microsoft.
Digital Government
Biden's $1.5 trillion 2022 budget plan tilts spending toward civilian agencies
The administration is adding money to multiple tech modernization programs and removing the Overseas Contingency Account from the Defense Department request and folding in warfighting funds into the base budget.
Cybersecurity
White House plans order on industrial control systems
The move tracks with a schedule "sprint" on the risks posed by insecure industrial control systems scheduled for this summer by the Department of Homeland Security.
People
EPA eliminates Trump workforce orders from labor contract
The Environmental Protection Agency rolled back the clock on portions of its collective bargaining agreement on official time, union office space, grievance procedures and more.
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.
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