Author Archive

Mark Rockwell

Mark Rockwell is a senior staff writer at FCW, whose beat focuses on acquisition, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy.

Before joining FCW, Rockwell was Washington correspondent for Government Security News, where he covered all aspects of homeland security from IT to detection dogs and border security. Over the last 25 years in Washington as a reporter, editor and correspondent, he has covered an increasingly wide array of high-tech issues for publications like Communications Week, Internet Week, Fiber Optics News, tele.com magazine and Wireless Week.

Rockwell received a Jesse H. Neal Award for his work covering telecommunications issues, and is a graduate of James Madison University.

Click here for previous articles by Rockwell. Contact him at mrockwell@fcw.com or follow him on Twitter at @MRockwell4.

Acquisition

Dunne: Schedule consolidation is paying off

The departing chief of the Federal Acquisition Service, Julie Dunne, talks to FCW about recent initiatives.

Cybersecurity

FITARA grades mostly stable

Most agencies maintained their grades on the latest FITARA scorecard, but the new telecom category produced some failing marks.

Acquisition

GSA preps launch of OASIS replacement

GSA plans a program of customer and industry events and interactions in the early part of 2021 to help shape its OASIS replacement contract.

People

Longtime agency watchdog to head CIGIE

The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency elected the Inspector General of the National Science Foundation as its new chairperson.

Modernization

DHS tests tech to spot rogue wireless devices

The Department of Homeland Security's research and development arm is testing a portable wireless device detection system that would track down unauthorized gear.

Modernization

GSA sketches next steps for CEOS, Polaris and EIS

Small business, telecommunications and cloud productivity tool contracts are top of mind for GSA’s acquisition service in coming year.

People

Pandemic pivots at State, FCC

The necessary wave of IT adaptation to the pandemic showed federal CIOs and agencies they could move quickly and efficiently to modernize.

Modernization

House approves plan to create AI strategy

The House approved legislation that would set a foundation for a national strategy for emerging artificial intelligence technology.

Modernization

Contested FBI wireless contract goes to AT&T

FBI's $92 million emergency operations wireless service contract goes to AT&T after lengthy protest scuffle.

Acquisition

New law enshrines modernization Centers of Excellence effort

President Trump signed a bipartisan bill that codifies the Centers of Excellence program as way to seed and launch IT and business process modernization efforts at federal agencies.

Cybersecurity

COVID prompts USCIS' pivot to video

Social distancing requirements under the pandemic led to the acceleration of a modernization plan that included adding video feeds to the asylum interview process.

Acquisition

Leadership push needed in category management, GAO finds

Although the governmentwide category management initiative is saving agencies billions, it could be even more effective with some higher-level guidance, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

Cybersecurity

DHS veteran Mayorkas tapped to lead agency under Biden administration

The former USCIS director and DHS deputy secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will lead the Department of Homeland Security.

Cybersecurity

CBP wants to expand facial recognition

Customs and Border Protection is on track to move out of its test phase and expand use of facial recognition systems at airports and land border crossings.

Modernization

NOAA looks to modernize with EIS

The weather and science agency sets up future 5G capabilities, critical sensor bandwidth with $311M Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions task order.

Acquisition

GSA explains lowered DEOS price tag

GSA worked with the Defense Department and vendors to push more efficiencies into the DEOS cloud contract, ultimately resulting in a lowered ceiling, said the contract's manager.

People

Biden's GSA transition team brings deep agency ties

The six volunteers tasked with General Services Administration transition planning have worked at GSA, the White House or both.

Modernization

Shared services gaining traction, PSC reports

A new report from the Professional Services Council shows shared services growing with collaborations among federal agencies.

Acquisition

COVID-19 made IT modernization a priority

Federal agency mission-oriented responses to COVID-19 have pushed aside lingering doubts about the need to step up IT, a Professional Services Council forecast found.

Cybersecurity

Modernized FEMA system still has legacy data issues

Although the Federal Emergency Management Agency's recent modernization of a 30-year-old flood insurance system works well, it still uses old legacy data, according to a new report.