Author Archive

Chris Riotta
Staff Reporter, Nextgov/FCW
Chris Riotta is a staff reporter at Nextgov/FCW covering government procurement and technology policy. Chris joined FCW after covering U.S. politics for three years at The Independent. He earned his master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he served as 2021 class president.
Chris Riotta is a staff reporter at Nextgov/FCW covering government procurement and technology policy. Chris joined FCW after covering U.S. politics for three years at The Independent. He earned his master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he served as 2021 class president.
Tech
NASA Team’s Plan to Decode UFO Sightings Hinges on Better Data
The space agency is convening an independent panel to publish a report later this summer featuring best practices for data collection on unidentified anomalous phenomena.
- Chris Riotta
Management
Agencies Launch an Initiative to Better Identify Minority-Owned Contractors
The joint effort between the Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration aims to make it easier for federal procurement officials to connect with small, disadvantaged businesses across sectors.
- Chris Riotta
Workforce
New Hiring Methods Help FBI and CIA Combat Cyber Talent Shortage
Officials at the intelligence and law enforcement agencies say they’re facing the national cyber talent shortage head-on, from implementing a new approach to hiring top cyber talent to new training programs and incentives.
- Chris Riotta
Management
Fill the Job of National Cyber Director, Lawmakers Urge Biden
The Office of the National Cyber Director has not had a Senate-confirmed director since former Director Chris Inglis left the post nearly three months ago, just prior to the release of the national cyber strategy.
- Chris Riotta
Workforce
DHS Cyber Talent Management System Boasts Just 80 Hires After Nearly Two Years
Integrating the new hiring acquisition system across the Department of Homeland Security has “been a real project,” said the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
- Chris Riotta
Management
A New Report Highlights Procurement Innovation Hubs That May Help Achieve White House Equity Goals
The Partnership for Public Service report identified specific case studies across the federal procurement community that modeled collaboration and could advance White House policies on equity, sustainability and modernization.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
Taxpayer Data Is at Risk Due to Cybersecurity Deficiencies at IRS, a Report Warns
An annual assessment of the IRS' information technology program alleges critical cybersecurity deficiencies in the agency's handling of taxpayer data privacy.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
VA Paid for But Didn't Deploy an Emergency Communications System
Despite spending over $8.5 million on a new emergency communication system contract, a new report has revealed that the Veterans Health Administration failed to establish the network by a deadline that passed more than three years ago.
- Chris Riotta
Management
OMB Failing to Set Cross-Agency IT Management Goals, Report Says
Administration officials disputed some of GAO's conclusions, noting that IT goals were embedded in other management agenda targets.
- Chris Riotta
Management
Consumer Product Safety Commission Failed to Complete Mandated Future of Work Plan, Report Says
The agency tasked with preventing unreasonable risks of injury and death from consumer products has not yet completed a required plan that considers post-pandemic office reentry and property management strategies, according to an inspector general's report.
- Chris Riotta
Defense
New Federal Website Offers Grants Info and Research to Counter Domestic Terrorism
The Homeland Security Department hopes a new website will serve as a one-stop shop for visitors aiming to prevent targeted violence and domestic terrorism with a slew of local and national federal resources.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
Government Employees And Defense Contractors Still Have Got Bad Passwords, Report Says
According to new research, a majority of government employees with exposed passwords were found to have reused them across multiple accounts.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
Acting National Cyber Director Offers New Details on Upcoming Cyber Workforce Strategy
The forthcoming plan is meant to accompany an overarching cyber strategy released last week that industry groups and cybersecurity experts said would be challenging to implement given the nation’s cyber workforce woes.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
The White House Will Officially Ban TikTok From Government Devices Within 30 Days
New guidance from the Office of Management and Budget finalizes a congressional push to ban the popular Chinese social networking app from all government devices amid privacy and security concerns.
- Chris Riotta
Oversight
OIG Finds Oversight Issues With GSA's Performance-Based Contracts
GSA contracting personnel produced performance reports that were "often incomplete or not available at all," according to a new inspector general's audit.
- Chris Riotta
Management
National Cyber Director Chris Inglis Reportedly Set to Retire in the Coming Months
The first national cyber director has been shepherding the White House’s national cyber strategy with the help of industry professionals and cybersecurity experts.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
Omnibus Funding Bill Includes $50M for the Technology Modernization Fund, $90M for the Citizen Services Fund
Funding levels for the tech modernization vehicles fell short of Biden administration requests.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
TikTok Is an 'Enormous Threat,' the Leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee Says
Sen. Warner said the U.S. regulators have a "huge mountain to climb" when it comes to reducing risks from the massively popular, China-owned social media app.
- Chris Riotta
Tech
TSA Administrator Says New Cyber Requirements in the Works for Aviation Industry
The administrator of the Transportation Security Administration said the White House is following a similar approach to how it crafted cyber requirements for the oil and gas pipeline industry following the 2021 Colonial Pipeline attack in crafting guidelines for the aviation sector.
- Chris Riotta
Management
Postal Service Honors Women Cryptologists of WWII with New Stamp
The stamp includes a cipher that can be used to crack a secret code.
- Chris Riotta