Oversight

HHS removed Login from its grantee payment system after funding theft

Hackers used data from a federal contracting hub to steal funding from seven grantee organizations in an HHS breach that occurred last year. Both HHS and GSA say that Login.gov was not compromised or connected to the theft.

Management

VA budget bill maintains EHR funding but imposes additional ‘reset’ oversight

The bipartisan FY24 budget package allocates over $1.3 billion for the agency’s new electronic health record system but makes 25% of that funding contingent on enhanced transparency around VA’s ongoing EHR “program reset.”

Management

SSA taps White House tech official for CIO post

Marcela Escobar-Alava will be starting as the CIO of the Social Security Administration on Monday.

Tech

Proposed contractor cyber reporting rule sets a ‘significantly problematic’ bar, industry groups say

The groups, which represent tech and cybersecurity companies sometimes contracted by the government, say the proposals are too rigorous and inconsistent.

Tech

Experts warn that OMB’s AI guidance could slow federal adoption of the emerging tech

Commentators say proposed definitions of “rights-impacting” and “safety-impacting” use cases could wind up saddling low-impact AI programs up with high-impact controls.

Tech

GSA is at a ‘critical juncture’ to salvage faith in TTS, agency watchdog warns

GSA’s inspector general says that it’s “trying to prevent the next Login.gov” — referencing a bombshell oversight report on GSA’s single sign-on service issued earlier this year.

Tech

IRS starts the bidding for $1.9B IT services recompete

The tax collection agency is undertaking this recompete amid its broader push to overhaul the entire tech environment, which includes systems first stood up in the 1960s.

Tech

OPM puts data at the center of human capital modernization

Contractors should focus on data standards as they develop solutions, a senior Office of Personnel Management official says.

Tech

National intelligence strategy calls for new partnerships to harness emerging technologies

Federal agencies must collaborate with private sector partners and allies to better understand the implications of emerging technologies, according to the new strategy.

Tech

Third-party contractor software exploited in attack on HHS data

An official with the Health and Human Services Department said attackers gained access to data by exploiting a major vulnerability found in the popular MOVEit file transfer service.

Workforce

What Motivates Remote Workers to Protect IT Assets?

Researchers found that fear of what could go wrong is the primary driver in getting remote workers to protect IT systems.

Oversight

OPM Watchdog Seeks a Background Search Tool to Help Investigations

The Office of Personnel Management’s Inspector General asked industry to offer insights about a potential online search and retrieval service to help with its investigations.

Tech

Air Force Software Factory Looks to Unleash 'Chaos' on Civilian IT Shops

The Kessel Run group is currently developing a playbook that would make it easier for organizations across the federal government to adopt engineering and security best practices.

Tech

For Defense IT, Acquisitions Need to Be More Than 'Just in Time'

Contract planning and boosting small business in 2022 are top of mind for Debra Daniels, the vice procurement services executive for the Defense Information Systems Agency.

Defense

'Limited' Progress Made on the Pentagon's Plan to Deliver Real-Time Acquisition Data, Report Says

The Government Accountability Office found that the Defense Department's efforts to move to a new more automated, web-based reporting system have been limited despite plans to adopt a new system by fiscal 2022.

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.

Tech

The Army's Top Buyer Wants to Test the Limits of Flexible Software Spending

Douglas Bush, the Army's newly confirmed acquisition chief, wants to do more to reform how the service buys and sustains software.

Tech

Agencies Shouldn't Use Facial Recognition for ID Verification, Groups Say

More than 45 organizations signed onto a letter asking government agencies to stop their use of ID.me or any facial recognition for identity verification, and Senate Democrats are also still asking questions.

Defense

The Defense Industry is Struggling with Capacity, Report Says

In its annual Vital Signs report for 2022, the National Defense Industrial Association, found that disruptions from COVID-19 continued to exacerbate workforce challenges.

Tech

Agencies Are Tapping a Facial Recognition Company to Prove You’re You. That Raises Concerns about Privacy, Accuracy and Fairness

Federal and state governments are turning to a facial recognition company to ensure that people accessing services are who they say they are. The move promises to cut down on fraud, but at what cost?