Posts By Molly Walker

Many IT programs would be cut under FY13 budget request

The president’s fiscal 2013 budget request to Congress, released Feb. 13, sets aside $78.9 billion for information technology spending during the coming fiscal year. This amount does not account for the intelligence community, for IT embedded into weapons systems or satellites, or for IT spending that agencies don’t classify as IT for budget purposes. TheRead… Read more »

*BREAKING* DHS cancels SBInet

The SBInet program is no more, the Homeland Security Department announced January 14. Instead, the department will launch a new border security technology approach, “which will utilize existing, proven technology tailored to the distinct terrain and population density of each border region,” DHS says in a fact sheet (.pdf). “SBInet cannot meet its original objectiveRead… Read more »

The best of ELC 2010

I just got back from the ACT-IAC Executive Leadership Conference in Williamsburg, Va. last night. Those of you who attended will likely agree that it was a whirlwind, thirty-some hours of great information and discussion. While at the conference, Editor Dave Perera and I had the opportunity to cover sessions and sit down with governmentRead… Read more »

Open Government Dashboard: “I’m OK, You’re OK”

On August 12, the Office of Management Budget updated the Open Government Dashboard, a transparency assessment tool applied to 29 federal agencies. According to the scorecard, agencies are doing a relatively good job with transparency; which is strange considering reports that public satisfaction with the transparency of online government information is down. Across all agenciesRead… Read more »

25 days overdue and no report from Gates on Defense IT acquisition changes?

Implementation of a new information technology acquisition process is underway at the Department of Defense, said Patrick Wills, associate academic dean of Executive Programs, Defense Acquisition University, while speaking at the Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration Industry Day on August 17, in Linthicum Heights, Md. The new acquisition process, mandated by Sec. 804 of the fiscalRead… Read more »

Reading tea leaves at OMB when what’s needed are answers

By David Perera The White House recently warned agencies that they should be cooperating with Office of Management Budget efforts to review agency information technology programs. Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra began such reviews in January under the rubric of “TechStat,” but background sources have told FierceGovermentIT that agency willingness to participate in thoseRead… Read more »

NSA can demonstrate commitment to privacy by releasing FISA Amendment Act documents

Privacy is of utmost concern to the National Security Agency, according to its head, Army Gen. Keith Alexander. “I know that some have concerns about intelligence community involvement in securing the nation’s cyber infrastructure. Those concerns are valid, which is why the professionals at the National Security Agency have robust and rigorous procedures to minimizeRead… Read more »

Agency data isn’t perfect and transparency isn’t enough

Raw data isn’t always the same as government transparency, said speakers and audience members during a May 25 session at the Gov 2.0 Expo in Washington, D.C. Said one audience member, “there are lies, damned lies, statistics and government data.” John Sheridan, head of e-Services and Strategy at the United Kingdom’s Office of Public SectorRead… Read more »

Interview with Stephen Fletcher, CIO, State of Utah

(Written by Caron Calrson of FierceCIO.com) The State of Utah recently reduced its server count from 1800 to 400, and its IT department from 1000 to 800 employees through a comprehensive consolidation initiative. Operations costs were cut by $4 million, and the employee reductions were achieved entirely through managed attrition. In an interview with FierceCIO,Read… Read more »