Management

• Smithsonian boosts network, tools to meet increasing digital demands

  Deron Burba, the Smithsonian's CIO, said the organization will launch 3-D technology this fall to let researchers and others explore digital images like never before. November 28, 2013

  Ask the CIO

  November 28, 2013
• Survey: Budget crises leave little time for long-term planning

  A string of recent budget crises, doomsday deadlines and last-minute deals has complicated agencies' longer-term budget planning. However, most agency budget professionals say they're plowing through the uncertainty and will be able to meet spending targets for fiscal 2015 mandated by the Office of Management and Budget, according to a recent survey by Grant Thornton and the American Association for Budget and Program Analysis.

  Budget

  November 27, 2013
• EPA, GSA want help in applying commercial standards to green purchasing

  The agencies issued draft guidelines on how best to assess non-governmental environmental standards and ecolabels already in the marketplace for use in government. Comments are due in February.

  Management

  November 27, 2013
• Rep. Connolly says momentum is building for IT procurement reforms

  Sen. Jean Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced an amendment to the upper chamber's version of the Defense Authorization Act that closely mirrors the House's Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act. The House passed its version in June. The White House still hasn't officially weighed in on FITARA.

  Congress

  November 27, 2013
• The past and future of healthcare interoperability

  Former HHS Secretary Dr. Louis Sullivan will discuss the advances that have been made in healthcare interoperability with host John Gilroy. November 26, 2013

  Federal Tech Talk

  November 26, 2013
• Satisfied workers key to one small agency’s success

  With a staff of about 50 workers, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps American businesses find opportunities overseas. The agency's director says her staff "has buy-in focus on the same mission," which explains their overall sense of satisfaction.

  Federal Drive

  November 26, 2013
• IG turns ‘blind eye’ to DFAS’ fudged financial records, Grassley reports

  Sen. Chuck Grassley released a report Friday, revealing fudged financial statements from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service and audit misconduct from the Inspector General's office.

  Defense

  November 26, 2013
• The impact of LPTA

  Market Connections CEO Lisa Dezzutti and Michael Fischetti, executive director of the National Contract Manager's Association will discuss some of the big issues affecting contractors including lowest price, technically acceptable (LPTA). November 25, 2013

  Amtower Off-Center

  November 25, 2013
• Feds who took TSP withdrawals during shutdown locked out of contributing for next six months

  During the 16-day government shutdown last month, more than 14,000 Thrift Savings Plan participants withdrew money from their accounts, the highest number of hardship withdrawals in a single month ever. This may have helped participants weather the financial uncertainty of the shutdown. But, under TSP rules, it also means they'll be unable to contribute to their 401(k)-style retirement accounts for the next six months. Now, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which oversees the TSP, is concerned that not all those participants will take the initiative to restart their contributions when the penalty period expires next spring.

  Congress

  November 25, 2013
• Should we run the government like a business?

  While some may think running the government like a business is a good thing, the reality is hard to contemplate, says former DHS CHCO Jeff Neal.

  Management

  November 22, 2013
• White House pressed to fix ‘broken’ declassification system

  The Public Interest Declassification Board wants high-level attention to address ever-increasing shortcomings in the way agencies classify and declassify documents. The system is considered by many broken and now is being inundated by electronic records. The National Declassification Center has completed equity referral quality assurance on 278 million pages, and completed all processing of more than 118 million pages of this backlog.

  Technology

  November 22, 2013
• Sequestration crisis at the FBI

  The drastic budgetary cuts that face the FBI pose a clear and present danger to national security and to the citizens of the United States. If these cuts remain in place it will not be a question of if, but rather when disaster will occur, says Ellen Glasser, president of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI.

  Budget

  November 22, 2013
• Defense cuts impact our ability to upgrade

  On this week's Capital Impact show, Bloomberg Government Senior Defense analyst Dr. Kevin Brancato will examine how budget cuts will impact the Defense Department's ability to upgrade its aircraft. November 21, 2013

  Budget

  November 21, 2013
• Smart design can make federal offices more productive places to work

  Even stodgy old federal buildings can benefit from the smart design the latest technological advances offer today's building designers.

  Federal Drive

  November 21, 2013