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. […]
FAA Launches Competitive Tech Challenge to Fast-Track IT Upgrade
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is exchanging the traditional acquisitions process for a new challenge-based approach to modernize its vast IT infrastructure – and to do so quickly. […]
Bipartisan Proposal Would Give Companies a Tax Break to Train Workers in AI
Companies that teach employees how to use and build artificial intelligence (AI) systems could receive a new tax credit for each worker they train under a bipartisan proposal introduced Wednesday by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y. […]
Google Public Sector’s Jim Kelly on AI Governance, Workforce Readiness, and What It Takes to Scale
Federal agencies are moving quickly from artificial intelligence (AI) experimentation to operational deployments, but the organizations seeing real returns are treating AI as a workforce and change management effort as much as a technology upgrade, according to Jim Kelly, vice president of federal sales at Google Public Sector. […]
FAR Council Proposes Ban on Adversary-Linked Chips in Federal Contracts
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council) proposed a new rule on Tuesday that would bar federal agencies from purchasing certain products and services that contain semiconductors tied to foreign adversaries. […]
Pentagon Seeks AI to Streamline Admin Tasks
The Pentagon is seeking artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to help manage routine back-office functions across the Department of Defense (DOD) – rebranded as the Department of War by the Trump administration. […]
FDA, GSA Spotlight How AI is Reshaping Modernization Efforts
Federal officials are intensifying efforts to modernize and consolidate back-office systems, positioning artificial intelligence (AI) as an emerging key tool to streamline operations and reengineer business processes. […]
DOT to Complete Google Workspace Rollout in Coming Weeks
The Department of Transportation (DOT) will complete its transition to Google Workspace in the coming weeks, DOT Chief Digital and Information Officer Pavan Pidugu said Wednesday, capping off a department-wide migration. […]
Treasury Eyes New Approach to Contracting for AI Models
The Treasury Department is looking for feedback on an anticipated contract model that aims to establish direct relationships with frontier artificial intelligence (AI) and large language model developers. […]
SBA IG William Kirk Named PRAC Chair
The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) has appointed William Kirk as chair of the group’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC). […]
DOE Unveils 26 Priority Challenges to Address With Genesis Mission
The Department of Energy (DOE) identified 26 science and technology challenges it aims to tackle through its Genesis Mission while advancing artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and discovery. […]
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.