No Budget Request for 2010
Source: INPUT B2G Exchange Blog
Perhaps following precedent from the Clinton Administration, OMB has directed agencies to prepare a baseline services budget for FY 2010 and not submit formal budget requests until the new Administration and Congress has taken office.
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| “This move could create more uncertainty in government priorities. Moreover, it will be a test of the Bush Administration's management agenda and whether agency leadership can adequately and competently plan to keep the government moving forward through the transition.” -Melissa Smith, Director, Research |
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Census Moves Back to Paper and Pencil
Source: INPUT B2G Exchange Blog
Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez told a House Appropriations subcommittee that the Department of Census's plan to use handheld devices to facilitate the 2010 Census has not succeeded, adding significant costs to the decennial.
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| “Secretary Gutierrez admitted that Census' inability to define requirements and communicate with its contractor were largely to blame in this mess. However, one wonders whether they spent similar time and effort in plans to encourage returns of the Census forms in the mail, eliminating the need for follow-up data collection by either handheld or paper.” -Jeremy Potter, Senior Analyst |
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Chertoff outlines goals of national cybersecurity initiative
Source: Government Computer News
DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff summarized the recently completed Cyber Storm II exercise, saying that the Federal Cyber Initiative could require an effort similar to the Manhattan Project.
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Purchasing Cards May be Another Target for Acquisition Reform
Source: The Washington Post
Federal employees charged millions of dollars for Internet dating, tailor-made suits, lingerie, lavish dinners and other questionable expenses to their government credit cards over a 15-month period, congressional auditors say.
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| “With 300,000 card holders, preventing all forms of fraud and abuse is clearly a monumental task, perhaps even impossible. Yet the proper use of these cards by the employees using them clearly provides substantial savings to the government. Regardless, the tone of recent reports and inquiries are pointing sharply to the likelihood of government acquisition reforms emerging from Congress after the Presidential elections. Check out Government Purchasing: Trade Offs in Convenience vs. Fraud and Abuse on INPUT's B2G Exchange Blog for more information.” -Kevin Plexico, Executive Vice President |
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Trusted Internet Connections: April 15 is also TIC day
Source: INPUT B2G Exchange Blog
Agencies must file their plans and capabilities by April 15th to either become one of 50 providers of Internet Services to the Federal Government or a purchaser according to an OMB plan to increase network security by reducing the number of Internet gateways.
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| “Depending on the agencies’ responses and OMB’s decisions, TIC could create interesting new dynamics by regulating which Federal Agencies get to be Internet Service Providers. Of course, these dynamics could also create new opportunities and challenges for the vendors who support the remaining gateways.” -Richard Colven, Vice President, Executive Programs |
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