Author Archive
What federal acquisition personnel can do right now to support sustainability
Officials and government purchasing experts recently showed off tools and resources that feds who work in this field can use to make federal procurement and acquisitions more sustainable and energy efficient.
IG finds weak Commerce Department infosec program
The Department of Commerce routinely fails to implement crucial security assessment measures—and has failed to put in place an effective continuing monitoring program, according to a new IG report.
Employee Policy
CISA preps update to zero trust maturity model
CISA will update its zero trust maturity model to help agencies meet goals outlined in the cybersecurity executive order released last year, an official said Tuesday.
Citizen satisfaction with federal government services hits bottom
The American Customer Satisfaction Index 2021 Federal Government Report showed citizen satisfaction in a freefall over the last four years, with declines across all indicators
Employee Policy
Federal court blocks contractor vax mandate
A nationwide injunction from a federal court blocks the Biden administration from enforcing its vaccination mandate for the federal contract workforce.
Employee Policy
Fed government still in dark on ransomeware
Information on the majority of ransomware attacks targeting American companies and civilian agencies remains unreported to the Department of Homeland Security, a top cyber official told lawmakers.
Employee Policy
Funding hampers cyber EO compliance
A group of agency CIOs shared what they see as the biggest obstacles in meeting a series of aggressive deadlines and modernization goals of the Biden administration's sweeping cybersecurity executive order.
Employee Policy
How GSA is implementing the contractor vaccination mandate
The agency's Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) and Public Building Service are using automated tools to send out contract modifications "by the thousands," to add the vaccination mandate said one agency official. FAS started issuing mass modifications on Oct. 8. They're issuing about 3,000 modifications per day.
Employee Policy
CISA chief looks to new system for new talent
Despite increasing competition among the public and private sectors in hiring top cyber talent, CISA Director Jen Easterly said she has high hopes for a new personnel management system which reduces friction in hiring and offers new career paths.
Employee Policy
Survey: Federal IT workers say agencies lag
In a survey, 88% of federal employees working full-time in technology or IT-focused roles say agencies have fallen behind on modernization plans, citing cultural resistance to change and the inability of contractors to quickly implement new initiatives.
WH hits gas on cyber zero trust
Newly released strategy and technical guidance documents covering zero trust and cloud security are now open for comment, as part of a federal push to improve federal government cybersecurity.
Employee Policy
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.
Employee Policy
IG reports delays in COVID notification
A report from the General Services Administration (GSA) Office of the Inspector General finds the agency's Public Buildings Services at times failed to follow CDC guidelines around reporting and cleaning procedures for COVID-19 incidents.
IRS hiring blitz could lead to modernization
The tax agency's chief procurement officer says she's on a mission to find top talent to work with industry, while modernizing the agency's acquisition processes amid a ballooning tax gap.
Employee Policy
OMB report highlights barriers to equity in federal programs
Onerous paperwork, complex requirements and opaque guidelines are just some of the many roadblocks preventing racial equity across the government services that federal employees help provide, a new report says.
Senate OKs bill to modernize fed contracting, increase small business opportunities
The Senate cleared a bipartisan bill that would expand federal contracting opportunities for small businesses, and push government to modernize acquisition processes.
Vote delayed on Biden's SBA nominee amid GOP-led filibuster attempts
Republican lawmakers have condemned Dilawar Syed, the president's nominee to serve as deputy administrator for the Small Business Administration, over his involvement with a Muslim advocacy group that has been critical of Israel.
Employee Policy
VA watchdog warns of security risks from undocumented PIV cards
The VHA is at risk of security breaches, due to ongoing failure to follow requirements for documenting returned personal identity verification cards (PIVs), according to an IG report.
Employee Policy
