Pay & Benefits

OPM Tests Chatbot For Retirement Services

The retirement services chatbot is designed to answer easy questions to free up call center resources for more complex inquiries.

Tech

Accelerated FAA Modernization Will Suffer Under Stopgap Funding, Says Agency Head

A full year continuing resolution would hamper needed tech upgrades, according to the FAA's top official.

Tech

Electronic Records Deadline Officially Punted to 2024

The extension was first announced in an October meeting of federal records officers.

Oversight

Longtime GSA Official Jim Russo Dies at 65

Colleagues remember a technical expert, a trusted collaborator and a caring friend.

Management

Mary Davie, Longtime Federal Acquisition Leader, to Exit Government

Davie pioneered acquisition strategies like shared services, category management and others that are now fixtures of the federal buying landscape.

Oversight

CFPB Warns Firms On Poor Cyber Hygiene

The agency says that bad password and data management and other practices can expose companies to legal consequences.

Management

Oversight Committee Chair Maloney Loses Primary

Maloney's defeat sets up a race to see who will be the next top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Management

Senators Are Urging DOJ to Flex Its Debarment Authority

Two Democrats say that companies are getting away with "ripping off the government" because of the reluctance to exercise suspension and debarment authorities.

Oversight

Senate Chairman Presses for Details on Deleted Jan. 6 Texts

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, wants officials to explain what they know about the deletion of texts potentially relevant to ongoing inquiries into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and why seemingly routine records management directives were ignored.

Tech

House Bill Tasks CISA With SolarWinds Report

A key lawmaker on the House Homeland Security Committee wants more details on what was breached and what was lost when the SolarWinds Orion platform was compromised in a supply chain attack.

Defense

Former Pentagon Cyber Official Loses Her Bid for Congress Despite Donald Trump’s Backing

Katie Arrington, who led a Defense Department push to bring 300,000 contractors into compliance with cyber hygiene policies, lost her race to oust a Republican incumbent in a South Carolina congressional primary.

Management

Agencies Aren't Hitting Disconnection Targets Under EIS

Some agencies may have to exercise "continuity of service" contract clauses to keep phones, internet and other network services online beyond the May 2023 deadline.

Tech

Senators are pushing for a $300M boost to the Technology Modernization Fund

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are urging appropriators to back a Biden administration request to add $300 million to the TMF.

Defense

DOD-VA Health Record Modernization Not Hitting Interoperability Targets, Watchdogs Say

In a joint oversight report, inspectors general at the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs say that some legacy health data isn't being migrated to new electronic health records systems.

Management

VA Has Been Dinged By Its Watchdog Over Project Management Woes

The multibillion electronic health records modernization project at the Veterans Affairs Department needs to improve scheduling and coordination, according to a critical report from the agency's inspector general.

Tech

A Data Strategy That Benefits Veterans

VA's Chief Data Officer Kshemendra Paul talks about the agency's "secret weapon."

Tech

The VA Is Planning New Health Record Deployments, Despite Critical Watchdog Reports

Two upcoming go-live dates for the Cerner health record at VA facilities in Washington and Ohio will proceed on schedule, the agency says.

Management

The VA's New Health Record Is Still Putting Patients at Risk

The transition to Cerner's electronic health records system at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane is still being hindered on multiple fronts more than a year after go-live.

Management

The $1.5 Trillion Funding Bill Makes Small Tweaks to IT Policies and Funding

There's no Technology Modernization Fund boost in the omnibus passed by Congress, but there are multiple small moves supporting IT modernization at federal agencies.

Tech

A Modernized IT Dashboard is Set to Launch in Mid-March

The legacy 2009 website containing schedule, spending and risk data for federal IT projects is offline while a modernized replacement is finalized.