Author Archive
Acquisition
White House raises contract spending goals for small disadvantaged businesses
The Office of Management and Budget is directing agencies to award at least 12% of all federal contracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses in fiscal year 2023.
Cybersecurity
CISA orders agencies to conduct weekly scans of networks and digital assets
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is taking a major step towards increasing its visibility into the risks facing federal networks.
Acquisition
VA acquisition workforce are mostly satisfied, despite reported program issues
A large majority of acquisition staff at the Department of Veterans Affairs said in a recent Government Accountability Office survey that they are satisfied in their current positions, despite continued issues with the VA’s acquisition programs.
Cybersecurity
CISA launches DNS resolution shared service
The nation's cyber defense agency is launching a new shared service offering for all federal civilian agencies to bolster governmentwide cybersecurity and help thwart emerging internet traffic threats.
Cybersecurity
The U.S. is the top target of ransomware attacks, report says
The majority of ransomware attacks worldwide targeted industries that play a "critical role" in domestic and international supply chains, according to new research.
People
Archivist confirmation hearing turns to politics behind Mar-a-Lago search
Republicans seized on a traditionally "sleepy" confirmation process to draw attention to the National Archives and Records Administration's involvement in the FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Congress
Bipartisan Senate bill aims to safeguard open source software
The Securing Open Source Software Act would task the Office of Management and Budget with issuing guidance around the secure usage of open source software and give new oversight responsibilities to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Acquisition
DOT, SBA and others team up to attract new entrants to the federal market
A new interagency collaboration to promote opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses featured in the new infrastructure bill is "vital" to federal equity goals, officials said.
Acquisition
VA owns up to acquisition woes at House hearing
Lawmakers grilled Department of Veterans Affairs officials over a series of significant failures within its acquisition programs and modernization efforts.
Digital Government
Lawmakers seek action on pressing spectrum issues
Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle said Congress should immediately reauthorize the Federal Communications Commissions' spectrum auction capabilities and take steps to make more federally operated spectrum available for commercial use.
Cybersecurity
Biden adds cyber, data, supply chain risks to CFIUS reviews
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States will be required to consider five new sets of national security concerns – including cybersecurity – when reviewing foreign investments in the U.S. as part of a new executive order.
Cybersecurity
Industry cautions on software security regs in the defense bill
Trade groups want Congress to remove a provision in the House-passed defense policy bill mandating software bills of materials in some federal acquisition.
Cybersecurity
Cyber criminals increasingly relying on ransomware-as-a-service, report says
A new report reveals threat actors are using the same ransomware as in previous years – but relying on new malware-free intrusion methods and ransomware-as-a-service offerings to evade popular mitigation techniques.
Acquisition
GSA plans to scale up e-commerce program
The General Services Administration wants to offer government buyers more online platforms to conduct small-scale acquisitions following a reportedly well-liked pilot program involving Amazon, according to a new request for proposals.
Cybersecurity
Maritime cybersecurity is front and center in Coast Guard reauthorization bill
A new Coast Guard reauthorization bill would provide some of the first cybersecurity protections and data management requirements for the U.S. Marine Transportation System in federal law.
Cybersecurity
CISA seeks public input on cybersecurity incident reporting rules
The nation’s cyber defense agency will embark on a cross-country listening tour to better understand what key stakeholders are hoping to see in new mandatory cyber incident reporting requirements featured in the recently-passed Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022.
Cybersecurity
How NSA plans to shield high-impact systems against quantum threats
The National Security Agency started the clock on a long-planned transition to quantum-resistant algorithms in key national security systems.
Cybersecurity
CISA teases strategy to protect critical infrastructure
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will soon release a sweeping plan to bolster cybersecurity protections for the nation's critical infrastructure industries.
Cybersecurity
NSA, CISA and ODNI release new software supply chain guidelines for developers
An interagency, public-private working group “strongly encouraged” software developers to begin implementing a suite of best practices aimed at further securing the software development lifecycle.
IT Modernization