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.
Austin: DoD FY2024 Budget Request Driven by China Concerns
The Department of Defense’s (DoD) $842 billion budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2024 is “strategy-driven” and critical to the nation’s challenge to keep pace with China, a top Defense official told lawmakers during a March 28 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
Senate HSGAC Okays Open Source, Data Center, Digital ID Bills
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted today to approve several bills that impact government technology use including legislation on open source software security, Federal data center security, and digital identification.
NASA Looking to Consolidate Cloud Contracts
NASA is looking to consolidate contracts across three different cloud service providers into a single agency-wide contract vehicle to meet the agency’s growing need for cloud services provided by small business resellers.
GAO: DoD Needs to Track Cyber Personnel in Retention Push
A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds that the Department of Defense (DoD) needs to take action to improve its ability to recruit and retain qualified enlisted personnel and officers – including by means such as tracking cybersecurity personnel data by work role.
White House Eyes June to Launch NCS Implementation Plan
The White House is targeting June to release its implementation plan for the National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) unveiled earlier this month, an Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) spokesperson confirmed to MeriTalk.
Bipartisan House Bill Looks to Modernize 9-1-1 Systems
A bipartisan bill from Reps. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Richard Hudson, R-N.C., is aiming to accelerate Federal efforts to modernize the country’s rapidly aging 9-1-1 systems.
DHS Looks to AI to Fight U.S. Opioid Battle
The Senate Judiciary Committee held its annual oversight hearing on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today, where conversations about leveraging emerging technologies – like AI – took center stage amidst the growing, bipartisan concern surrounding the nation’s opioid crisis.
DoT Modernizing FAA Tech With First-Ever TMF Award
The Department of Transportation (DoT) has received its first-ever Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) award worth $6.43 million to use in helping to upgrade tech at the agency’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) component, according to DoT Chief Information Officer (CIO) Cordell Schachter.
Six Fed Agencies Working on ‘Open Knowledge Network’ Prototype
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and five other Federal government agencies have announcedcreation of a prototype version of an integrated data and knowledge infrastructure program that they say will form the basis of a far-reaching “open knowledge network.”
Federal Data Center Security Bill Reintroduced in Senate
A bipartisan group of senators has reintroduced legislation that aims to boost the physical and digital security of Federal data centers against potential threats.
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.