People

Senate lawmakers ask for e-gov support

As the appropriations committees continue to take aim at funding for e-government initiatives, two key senators have joined the fracas in support of the administration’s goals.<@SM>

People

Justice, DHS launch draft data-sharing model

The Homeland Security and Justice departments today took the wraps off a test version of their model for sharing information about natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other crises.

People

GSA readying RFI to figure out costs of E-Authentication

The General Services Administration will in the next month release a request for information on the cost implications of using existing credentials in the E-Authentication federation.<@SM>

Modernization

Army pares down its data centers

The Army’s move to consolidate e-mail and application servers by the end of fiscal 2007 could save it more than $200 million. Regardless of potential savings, officials expect to improve security and administration by consolidating more than 200 processing centers to no more than seven.

Modernization

Doan’s plan for GSA's Renaissance

It’s appropriate that Lurita Alexis Doan draws inspiration from the Renaissance—after all, the new administrator of the General Services Administration is trying to pull the much-maligned agency through a rebirth of its own. In fact, Doan is not only aiming to reform GSA, but significantly alter government contracting.<@SM>

Modernization

OMB refines use of architectures

OMB is giving agencies a set of guidances designed to make integrating their enterprise architectures with their budget submissions easier and more effective.

People

Justice settles three tech fraud cases

None

People

Grants.gov gets set for E-Authentication

Grants.gov is expanding the choice of credential service providers for agencies and users that post their grant opportunities and apply for federal money online.

Modernization

e-Gov meets Web 2.0

Progressive agencies have taken a step beyond early e-gov programs, using the Web as a platform for delivering interactive services, aka Web 2.0.

Modernization

IRS headquarters closed until 2007

Flood damage from heavy rains will keep the Washington office closed until the first of next year; agency said its IT systems not affected.<@SM>

Modernization

Web 2.0 from A to R

How will your agency create new Web 2.0 applications? Most likely with one or more of the following technologies.

Modernization

U.S. Visit contract oversight is lax: GAO

The U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology program should strengthen its oversight of the contracts it is using to build a computerized border control system, according to the Government Accountability Office.<@SM>

People

Commerce to consolidate financial management platforms

The consolidation is a preparation for moving to a financial management Line of Business, probably in 2012.<@SM><@SM><@SM>

People

CMS awards EDS $41 million data center contract

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded EDS Corp. task order to provide Web-hosting services to support all of CMS' outward-facing Web sites.<@SM>

Modernization

DOD to revamp contracting in Iraq

The Defense Department’s Business Transformation Agency has been charged with restructuring and transforming contracting processes and systems in Iraq.<@SM><@SM>

Modernization

USDA seeks Farm Bill business systems

The Agriculture Department seeks information about applications that can automate farm program business delivery, including eligibility for benefit payments.<@SM>

Modernization

IT comfort food (and no strained soup puns)

We scoured government and industry for a bad word about NASA’s Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement contract that counts 400,000-plus products in its catalog—and were hard-pressed to find one.

People

USDA acts fast to fight soybean rust infection

An online early warning system the Agriculture Department put in place to help growers fight an infection targeting U.S. soybean crops has, by some estimates, saved farmers hundreds of millions of dollars.<@SM>

People

House calls for single grants database

The House has passed legislation to establish a public database for tracking federal grants, a move that advocates say will bring a new level of transparency to<@SM>the government grant-making process.

Modernization

Joanne Woytek | Staying on course with SEWP

Joanne Woytek is the program manager for NASA’s Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement govenrmentwide acquisition contract—one of only four true GWACs authorized by the Office of Management and Budget.