Oversight
Nextgov.com: Lawmakers question agencies’ online contests and prizes
Two Republicans say the White House’s push for competition and cash awards wastes taxpayer money, but the White House and a federal manager say the investments are worthwhile.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: Amazon talks cybersecurity in the cloud for feds
Nextgov discusses government managers’ fear of losing control, data breaches and disaster recovery with Adam Selipsky, head of the company’s Web services division.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Product safety commission to use crowd sourcing
A new website will allow researchers to download data sets about incidents involving hazardous products, with the aim of identifying patterns so that warnings can be issued more quickly.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Lieberman's cybersecurity bill leans on buying power
Measure would require acquisition officers to learn about security vulnerabilities in technology products in an effort to use the government’s vast purchasing power to push vendors to provide more secure solutions.
News
From Nextgov.com: Bush White House failed to archive most e-mails for 21 days
A comparison of archived messages and those restored from backup tapes reveals 83 percent of e-mails for certain days during a two-year period would have been lost.
Management
Defining Dashboards
Agencies are boosting transparency online, but making data meaningful is the real trick.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Treatment program agency shows how a dashboard can work
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration tracks in near real time the results of state and local efforts to inform federal officials and Congress -- and soon the public.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Senate's Public Online Information Act draws criticism
Both contracting groups and some open government advocates say Sen. Tester's bill goes too far in disclosing contractor information.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: Panel advances bill to make chief technology officer, cyber czar permanent jobs
Legislation aimed at streamlining FISMA to improve information security processes and ease reporting burden on agencies.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Group gives open government plans mediocre marks
Some agencies such as NASA and Housing and Urban Development receive high grades for going beyond White House requirements for transparency, but most others fall short of meeting presidential directive.
Managing Technology
Defining Dashboards
Agencies are boosting transparency online, but making data meaningful is the real trick.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Financial regulatory agencies seek to upgrade IT systems
CFTC and SEC request enough money to meet potential responsibilities under new reform bill.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Many Americans surfing for hard facts about government
Pew researchers were impressed that 40 percent of the public has used the Internet to find raw government data , spending statistics, policy statements and campaign contributions.
News
Agencies issue self-evaluations for open government plans
Health and Human Services, Transportation and NASA receive green flags; all others have not fulfilled the directive’s requirements.
News
From Nextgov.com: Feds to cut greenhouse gases through the cloud
Vivek Kundra says shifting computer work from massive data centers to the Internet will conserve power and fuel.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: Federal cybersecurity monitoring goes real-time and digital
New rules call for agencies to continuously collect data about security status and stream it to OMB monthly, rather than report quarterly by paper.
News
From Nextgov.com: Failure to produce results puts IT projects on the chopping block
The Obama administration is set to announce cuts within the next two months, based on performance.
News
From Nextgov.com: Cloud raises diplomatic issues, top Clinton aide says
Collectively hosting applications and hardware off-site promotes the exchange of ideas, but it also raises the question of who owns the information, says State Department’s senior adviser Alec Ross.
News
From Nextgov.com: Lawmaker questions White House official's use of Gmail
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., charges the reported use of Webmail by Deputy Chief Technology Officer Andrew McLaughlin could indicate an attempt to "circumvent the laws associated with openness and transparency."
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Agencies’ open government plans receive mostly positive reviews
Those posted by Health and Human Services, Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency are praised for specificity, while critics say others are too vague.
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