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. […]
House Bill Aims to Set DHS on China Threat Response Mission
Rep. Dale Strong, R-Ala., on Jan. 23 reintroduced his Strategic Homeland Intelligence and Enforcement Legislation to Defend (SHIELD) against the CCP Act, which would create a working group within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to monitor and respond to threats from China. […]
Acting CIOs Step In at DoT, SSA
The Department of Transportation (DoT) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) have both filled their chief information officer (CIO) roles in an acting capacity in the early days of the new Trump administration. […]
OPM Sets April 20 Deadline for Sked F Personnel Picks
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued marching orders on Jan. 27 for Federal agencies to comb through their workforce rolls and submit to OPM by April 20 preliminary lists of employees who they want to designate under the new “Schedule Policy/Career” classification that will make them easier to replace. […]
Hegseth Pledges to Shutdown DEI Efforts at DoD
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stark warning to employees of the Department of Defense (DoD) that those who do not comply with President Donald Trump’s anti-Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies will be terminated. […]
Leidos Wins $2.6B to Support TSA Security Equipment
Leidos – a Reston, Va., based innovation company – has won a follow-on checkpoint sustainment contract worth up to $2.6 billion to provide integrated logistics support and maintenance of 12,000 units of Transportation Security Equipment (TSE) at more than 430 airport locations. […]
Hill Democrats Rip Trump’s Agency IG Dismissals
Prominent House and Senate Democrats over the weekend tore into the Trump administration’s surprise dismissal of at least 16 inspectors general (IGs) at major Federal agencies late on Friday and said those moves run contrary to the law – at least in the short term. […]
OPM Taps Greg Hogan as New CIO
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has tapped Greg Hogan to serve as its new chief information officer (CIO), an agency spokesperson confirmed to MeriTalk. […]
GSA Names New TTS Director, FAS Commissioner
The General Services Administration (GSA) has announced the appointment of Thomas Shedd to serve as the new director of the agency’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS) group, and deputy commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). […]
Pentagon Issues 10-Day Social Media Freeze
The Department of Defense (DoD) has ordered a temporary pause on all social media accounts, citing the need to realign with President Trump’s agenda, according to a Jan. 24 memo. […]
NASA Issues Logistics Study Contracts for Artemis
NASA has awarded contracts to nine companies to address logistical challenges in establishing a long-term human presence on the moon, with the space agency staying the course on that mission despite uncertainty about the current administration’s continued support for the Artemis program. […]
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?
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