Author Archive
Business
Trump administration asks agencies to cull consultants
A memo dated Wednesday asks agencies to review their contracts with 10 of the “highest paid” companies.
Policy
Trump orders agencies to plan widespread layoffs and reduce hiring
Troops are exempted, while "necessary" national-security workers can be exempted from bid to sharply shrink the government.
Policy
Musk’s DOGE efforts pose a ‘constitutional crisis,’ experts warn
Elon Musk has spent the first two weeks of the Trump administration parachuting into government offices, leaving extensive — and some say legally prohibited — changes in his wake.
Policy
Ethics concerns surround Musk's dual role as defense CEO, federal employee
The SpaceX leader's DOGE work may violate criminal conflict-of-interest statutes, one ethics expert said.
Defense Systems
Pentagon unveils new biodefense-focused supercomputer
The new system is part of a collaboration with the Department of Energy-sponsored Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Policy
Trump pledges to ax Biden’s AI-safety order
The newly adopted Republican platform says the executive order "hinders AI Innovation."
Policy
Top Pentagon IT official departs deputy CIO role
Lily Zeleke will be taking over “new responsibilities” at the agency, though it’s still unknown what her new position is.
Policy
Omnibus Spending Bill Would Ban TikTok on Government Devices
Congress may need to do more to ward off the national-security threat of the Chinese-made video app, one senator says.
Policy
Almost No One Has Been Hired Through DHS' Much-Hyped Cyber Talent Program
With a month left in the fiscal year, program is 146 new hires short of its 150-person goal.
Defense Systems
NDAA requires DOD to report on prospects for a ‘cyber academy’
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) says these reports could inform potential legislation to establish an academy to educate cyber workers for government modeled after military service academies.
Defense Systems
What’s next for security clearance reform?
Expect new milestones from the DOD’s governmentwide vetting IT and new policies on vetting criteria in 2022.
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Defense Systems
Final 2022 defense bill calls for new data and software job series
The House-passed compromise NDAA also has other workforce provisions, including a change to the probationary period for civilian feds at DOD and paid parental bereavement leave for federal employees.
Defense Systems
White House asks agencies to delay consequences for vaccine mandate violations
Agencies have the power to decide how to discipline unvaccinated feds, but the White House is encouraging them to go beyond education, counseling and letters of reprimand until after the holidays.
Defense Systems
Homeland Security updates cyber workforce system
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity Talent Management System updates the agency’s practices around hiring, compensating and developing employees.
Defense Systems
Intelligence community diversity lags at the highest levels
Although there have been some gains in the representation of women and minorities in the IC workforce overall, the highest ranks are less diverse.
Defense Systems
DHS faces steep climb with financial systems modernization
The agency made some awards on a long-delayed financial management modernization effort earlier this month, but years of work awaits the agency on establishing an enterprisewide system.
Defense Systems
AFGE looks to block Cyber Command reserve program in NDAA
A proposed amendment to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act to pilot a cybersecurity reserve force at the Department of Defense would weaken merit systems principles, according to the largest federal employee union.
Defense Systems
Fostering a diverse cybersecurity workforce
Experts at an Aspen Institute event explained some roadblocks to cultivating a diverse cybersecurity workforce and offered potential solutions, including putting less reliance on formal certification.
Defense Systems
Was DOD ready for telework in 2020?
Slow networks, a lack of management buy-in and the need for more government equipment all affected how DOD feds transitioned to telework at the start of the pandemic, new reports from DOD's IG found.
Defense Systems
DHS workforce sprint brings in nearly 300 cyber employees
Cybersecurity vacancies totaled about 2,000 at the start of the hiring sprint in May.
