FCW Insider: November 16, 2021
The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.
GSA announces $150M in Federal Citizen Services Fund projects
The Technology Transformation Services is using $150 million in the American Rescue Plan to fund 14 citizen-facing digital service projects.
New cyber talent system, years in the making, goes into effect at DHS
Agency officials estimate that around 1,000 of its 1,500 cyber vacancies could fit into the new scheme.
Army seeks native data analytics in its logistics systems
Lt. Gen. Duane Gamble, the deputy chief of staff, G-4, for the Army, said that as the service modernizes its enterprise resource planning systems, it's looking for native data analytics capabilities to avoid supply chain surprises.
The hard benefits of soft skills
Steve Kelman shares the insights of economist David Deming.
Quick Hits
*** NASA is closing in on an organizational change designed to align cybersecurity efforts across the space agency's 10 centers. Under the Mission Support Future Architecture Program, going into effect in January 2022, chief information security officers at NASA centers will report up to a senior NASA information security officer, according to a management challenges report released Monday by the agency's Office of Inspector General. The move is the latest in a push to get NASA's centers on an enterprise security model when it comes to managing software and cybersecurity.
NASA's OCIO is expecting to award a consolidated cybersecurity contract called Cybersecurity and Privacy Enterprise Solutions and Services in February, which would end the practice of each center awarding its own cybersecurity contracts individually, and eliminate redundancies in acquisition.
*** In a Nov. 14 letter to the Democratic caucus, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the National Defense Authorization Act will be considered this week. Schumer indicated the Senate might add the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) to the must-pass defense bill. USCIA authorizes almost $250 billion in funding to support U.S. technology research and to jumpstart homegrown computer chip production.
Schumer also noted that he expected a second continuing resolution will be needed to keep the government funded before the expiration of the current stopgap funding bill on Dec. 3. It's not clear whether a short-term CR will be enough to allow lawmakers to pass a full slate of appropriations bills, or if several months will be needed.
*** The Department of Commerce is ready to take bids from small businesses in pursuit of a potential 10-year, $1.5 billion enterprise IT services contract vehicle. Washington Technology has more on this story.