Acquisition
Agencies awarded record-breaking $179B to small businesses in FY23
The Small Business Administration’s annual procurement scorecard found that 22 federal agencies received an “A” rating or higher when it came to meeting their contracting goals.
Cybersecurity
VA is warning veterans about Change Healthcare cyberattack, secretary says
“There’s no confirmation yet” that veterans’ data was leaked by the ransomware attack, according to the VA secretary, but the department is proactively alerting millions of veterans and beneficiaries to be safe.
Emerging Tech
Bipartisan bill seeks to grow NASA program using drones to fight wildfires
New legislation attempts to improve NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations program so firefighters can more effectively use drones.
Digital Government
NASA delivers Voyager software update across 15 billion miles of space
Scientists and engineers with the space agency were able to successfully repair an issue in one of the probe’s onboard computers from over 15 billion miles away.
Cybersecurity
Change Healthcare attack did not result in harm to veteran care, VA says
The Department of Veterans Affairs said the ransomware attack impacted just over 40,000 veterans’ prescription orders but that it moved to quickly fill the requests.
Modernization
DOD’s new EHR faces low user satisfaction and integration challenges, watchdog finds
A GAO report found that “integration opportunities remain” at the joint DOD and VA rollout of their modernized EHR systems at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center last month.
Modernization
DHA looks to contract a ‘digital front door’ to modernize its health system
A DHA spokesperson said the agency is looking to build “a new healthcare model that places the administrative aspects of healthcare in the background.”
People
Bipartisan bill seeks to expand workers’ access to digital skills training programs
House and Senate lawmakers are seeking to modify current law to create a “digital skills at work grant program” for those accessing government-funded career services.
Artificial Intelligence
TSA looks to AI to enhance x-ray screenings of travelers’ luggage
The Transportation Security Administration is already using facial recognition to verify the identity of travelers but wants to improve its scanners to detect more prohibited items.
Modernization
VA cautiously optimistic that ‘very positive’ March EHR rollout shows reset is working
VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the department plans to restart deployments of its new health records system in FY25.
Digital Government
Lawmakers to include VET-TEC renewal under broader veteran bill, per committee spokesperson
VA’s five-year tech training pilot expired April 1 after Congress failed to pass legislation to renew the program.
Modernization
VA plans to restart EHR deployments before the end of FY25, secretary says
Despite VA’s fiscal year 2025 budget request not allocating any money toward the deployment of its new EHR at additional medical facilities, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said it has “existing money” that will be made available to resume system rollouts.
Modernization
VA not sharing details on supply chain upgrade, Republican lawmaker says
Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who heads a House subcommittee focused on tech at Veterans Affairs, said “there does not seem to be any approved budget” for the new supply chain system, which the department estimates to cost between $9 billion and $15 billion.
Emerging Tech
How TSA’s opt-outs for biometric screenings informed White House AI policy
The Office of Management and Budget’s recent guidance on the government’s responsible use of AI elevates TSA's practice of allowing travelers to decline biometric scans at airport security to national policy.
Defense
‘Military force’ could be directed to protect private sector orbital assets, DOD strategy says
The Pentagon’s first-ever commercial space integration strategy said the department would take steps to “mitigate risks to commercial space actors.”
Emerging Tech
DOD is looking to grow its marketplace for speedy acquisitions of innovative tech
The Pentagon is working to build its Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace “out of the proof of concept phase” to help more DOD entities quickly acquire innovative industry products.
Artificial Intelligence
AI is creating ‘more sophisticated’ but not unprecedented election threats, DHS official says
AI is likely to create more convincing phishing campaigns but is “not necessarily introducing a new threat or risk in and of itself,” the official said.
Artificial Intelligence
Swedish, US officials see promise of AI but also the need for global agreements
The U.S. and other nations need to have “an open and enlightened global conversation” around regulating AI technologies to maximize their potential and mitigate their risks, according to Sweden’s director general for trade.
Modernization
VA officials tout EHR rollout at Chicago site amid efforts to address oversight concerns
Although implementation of VA’s EHR system at additional sites remains paused, a critical rollout of the software at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center earlier this month was “the most successful deployment we’ve had,” VA Undersecretary for Health Shereef Elnahal said.
Defense
DOD’s emerging tech experiments will continue to support CJADC2, official says
The Pentagon’s ongoing Global Information Dominance Experiment will build upon the department’s minimum-viable interoperable information-sharing network announced la
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