Oversight

From Nextgov.com: SSA awards $2.8 billion services support contract

Four firms will compete for task orders to help the agency exchange electronic medical records, and expand Internet services for Medicare and supplemental security income applicants.

News

From Nextgov.com: Social Security data center project encounters delays

Settling on a location for the facility has proved difficult, with some lawmakers concerned the administration isn't shopping for the best deal .

News

From Nextgov.com: Watchdog group gives Obama mixed review on openness

OpenTheGovernment.org calls the White House the most open in history, but criticizes it for spending large sums to create and secure classified information.

Defense

From Nextgov.com: Scientists view cybersecurity as an intimidating conundrum

Former National Science Foundation executive says technical issues and the enormity of the task make securing the Internet and networks ‘the most difficult challenge’ for researchers.

Oversight

FDA unveils performance management site

Online system will allow public to monitor agency’s activities and drug approval process.

Oversight

From Nextgov.com: Contractors want to review troubled technology projects with OMB

Vendors say administration officials should allow them to weigh in on fixing the management of high-risk initiatives and should keep companies abreast of development interruptions.

Defense

Cybersecurity costs climb as market expands

Push to secure data and systems creates multibillion-dollar market for contractors.

Oversight

From Nextgov.com: Government ethics office reorganizing site to make policies easier to digest

Too many pages and documents confuse federal employees who want to demystify the rules of professional conduct.

News

From Nextgov.com: Agencies bust myth of year-end buying sprees

Once thought of as spendthrifts when September came, some officials now align their IT purchases with executives’ top initiatives and mission-critical services.

News

From Nextgov.com: White House crackdown on IT might be a moneymaker for vendors

Suppliers of easy-to-configure software say they could receive more business when departments recompete canceled projects , or when they buy smaller systems.

Oversight

Obama sends 30 tech projects back to the drawing board

Modernization of paper-based payment system for retirees is among the initiatives getting a second look.

Defense

Senators question Marshals Service over full-body scan images

Lawmakers say practice of retaining images taken during screening procedures at a federal courthouse in Florida could compromise individuals’ privacy.

Features

Cyber Costs Climb

Push to secure data and systems creates multibillion-dollar market for contractors.

News

From Nextgov.com: Senate funds Web services sites, but cuts cloud computing budget

Congress is uneasy with the amount of thought the administration has put in to consolidating data centers governmentwide.

News

From Nextgov.com: EPA posts toxic pollution data early to encourage crowdsourcing

Officials said they published the reports so communities, public interest groups and facilities can identify errors, and use the information to make decisions.

Trends

The Science of Funding

John McGowan fosters teamwork on the Web to target promising medical research investments.

Oversight

From Nextgov.com: Agencies begin to identify failing IT projects for high-risk list

OMB says if flagged programs aren’t turned around, they could be cut from next budget cycle.

News

From Nextgov.com: Reining in runaway IT projects is key to controlling costs, forum participants say

Public and private sector tech officials gather to tackle wasteful spending and growing distrust in government.

News

From Nextgov.com: Google unveils apps suite for government

Company says it is the first set of cloud computing tools to be certified as meeting federal security standards.

Oversight

From Nextgov.com: White House cites use of health data as example of its innovation initiative

Government information stored in file cabinets inhibits entrepreneurial energy , so the Obama administration is releasing it, says federal chief technology officer.