Federal CIO Kent Announces Cyber Reskilling Academy
Federal CIO Suzette Kent this morning announced creation of the Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy–a joint effort of the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Education, and the Federal CIO Council Workforce Committee–to kickstart the Federal government’s efforts to address gaps in the Federal cybersecurity workforce and help retrain Federal employees. […]
Feds Reach IT Modernization Tipping Point
A new report from MeriTalk and the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) finds that Federal finance, IT, and procurement experts believe we’ve reached an IT modernization tipping point. […]
DHS Launches ICT Sector Supply Chain Risk Task Force
The Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 30 announced launch of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force, which the agency said is charged with developing “consensus recommendations” to identify and manage risk to the global ICT supply chain. […]
DHS’ Manfra Discusses FISMA Update, Impact to CDM
Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security, said today that the new update to Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) guidance will place even more accountability on department leaders and reflects an evolution in discussions between agencies and DHS. […]
GAO: Federal Agencies Not Using Cyber Workforce Dashboard
A federal dashboard designed to help address the government’s shortage of cybersecurity professionals is not used by five of six agencies examined by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), including the agency that created it, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). […]
Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration’s Anthropic Ban
A federal judge in San Francisco granted Anthropic’s request for a preliminary injunction in its lawsuit against the Trump administration, temporarily blocking the government-wide ban of the artificial intelligence (AI) company’s technology. […]
Army Reaches Conditional Deal for Hyperscaled Data Centers
The U.S. Army has conditionally selected two private companies to enter into exclusive negotiations to build and operate commercial hyperscaled data centers on Army installations in Texas and Utah. […]
Jewell Sworn in as Defense S&T Assistant Secretary
Joseph Jewell was officially sworn in and began his role as the new assistant secretary of defense for science and technology (S&T) Thursday morning, the Pentagon announced. […]
House Panel Weighs VA Software Oversight, Data Privacy Bills
The House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Thursday examined software waste and data privacy risks at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), as lawmakers considered two bills aimed at tightening oversight of IT assets and contractor data practices. […]
Unions, Trade Groups Stump for Federal Shutdown Pay Bill
A broad-based collection of trade and interest groups and government employee unions is asking members of the House and Senate to get behind bipartisan legislation that would make sure federal workers, service members, active-duty reservists, and covered contractors are paid “during any lapse in appropriations.” […]
IRS Direct File Cost $45 Million Less Than Expected, Watchdog Says
The controversial Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Direct File program, which was canceled in part due to high costs, actually cost the government $45 million less than expected, according to a federal watchdog. […]
Army Launches Online Marketplace for Drones
The U.S. Army on Tuesday unveiled a new online marketplace designed to accelerate the procurement of drones, in an effort to advance the service’s unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) capabilities, according to the service announcement. […]
CISA Loses Workers as DHS Shutdown Drags On, Acting Director Says
The Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency (CISA) is losing workers as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown continues, the agency’s acting director, Nick Andersen, told Congress on Wednesday. […]
NSF Launches AI-Ready America Initiative With Nationwide Hub Funding
The National Science Foundation (NSF) on Wednesday announced a new multi-agency initiative aimed at expanding artificial intelligence (AI) readiness across America through the creation of AI-focused hubs in every U.S. state and territory. […]
With 80 percent of every Federal IT dollar spent on life support for legacy systems, the Federal IT community is exploring new options to modernize and innovate – virtualization, cloud computing, Flash technology, software-defined options, shared services, and more. MeriTalk is staying close to the leaders on the front lines, bringing you new ideas and lessons learned.
And, as Federal IT leaders work to meet demands of an “always-on” highly mobile government, we bring you the stories and breaking news on balancing productivity with security. Our government IT news includes how agencies manage advanced persistent threats, and the steps that help guard against socially engineered threats. We look at the latest trends in malware, spyware, ransomware, and spear phishing. And – how can Federal agencies protect data from tomorrow’s cyber threats?
The MeriTalk “Industry Insider” column, offers a weekly news roundup of contracts and other activity in the Federal IT industry. Check with MeriTalk daily for the government technology news you need to know, or subscribe to get the latest stories delivered directly to your inbox. You’ll stay up to date with interesting and timely Federal IT stories on cybersecurity, big data, data center modernization, cloud, mobile, and other developments in your community – from what’s next for the MGT Act to the highly anticipated Federal IT revolving capital fund, MeriTalk brings you the trends and breaking IT news to help you modernize, innovate, and transform public sector technology and the missions you support.