Transparency and Open Government Newsletter

President Obama’s January 21 open government memorandum calls for transparency, participation and collaboration in government. These three concepts have been underlying American democracy since the start, but never have they been so central to a presidential vision. With advanced technologies and creative use of the Internet, a commitment to open government will go a longRead… Read more »

Past Performance Data and the Need to Change the Source Selection Paradigm

The GAO report entitled Better Performance Information Needed to Support Agency Contract Award Decisions (GAO-09-374), lays out a disturbing trend in government oversight and contract management that needs to be corrected on many levels if the government is to increase performance of federal contracts. As noted in the report, the typical information management problem ofRead… Read more »

Federal Eye: Face Masks To Be Allowed for TSA?

Do not be alarmed if one day soon you see TSA officers wearing face masks at airport security checkpoints. The House later this week will consider an amendment to the TSA Authorization Bill that would allow transportation security officers to wear “personal protective equipment” (PPE) including protective masks during any public health emergency. The amendment,Read… Read more »

Yes, We’ll Make Mistakes

When it comes to using social media, there’s no question we’ll make mistakes, and there are plenty of people ready to point them all out in glorious detail. But if we never try anything new for fear of being criticized, we’ll also never learn, and I think the public understands that. I’ve seen plenty ofRead… Read more »

Why Is it that I keep hearing the adage “Government can’t be run like a Business”?

I have a very short work history with the Public Sector and yet I have heard this adage more than any other “Government is not like Business” or some version thereof. I don’t understand this expression, tenet, belief, dogma… do I need expound further. I understand the financing principles are different. I submit to theRead… Read more »

Learning to fail @ ACT/IAC’s Management of Change

Earlier today, at ACT/IAC’s Management of Change conference in Norfolk, VA, lunch featured NYU adjuct professor Clay Shirky. With two of my recent posts on my personal blog — DCSpring21 — referencing his thoughts and ideas, I’ll admit a certain sense of pride knowing more about the speaker’s thoughts and leanings on “new media” thanRead… Read more »