Open data

Gigi Schumm welcomes Caryl Brzymialkiewicz, HHS assistant inspector general and chief data officer, to talk data integration and the importance of networking.

The OPEN Government Data Act requires agencies to appoint a chief data officer to help them develop a comprehensive data inventory the public can access. 

The new law requires agencies to appoint a chief evaluation officer, whose job will involve asking key questions about the effectiveness of agency programs, and finding ways to measure their effectiveness.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency says the idea is far from final, but is exploring the idea of trading decades’ worth of its data to commercial firms in exchange for help with artificial intelligence and advanced computing algorithms.

Every time there’s been a move to post actual federal contract documents on public websites, the effort’s been derailed, partly because of concerns about protecting contractors’ proprietary information. Sean Moulton manages the open government program at Project on Government Oversight. He tells Federal News Radio’s Jared Serbu on Federal Drive with Tom Temin about what the feds can learn from how states handle similar information.

The Senate had a busy weekend, passing five major pieces of legislation that will impact veterans, inspectors general, FBI whistleblowers and others before the close of the 114th Congress.

Welcome to the #FedFeed, a daily collection of federal ephemera gathered from the internet and presented for your enjoyment.

The Agriculture Research Service is gathering information from food manufacturers and improving its database of nutritional information for food items that make it to grocery stores.

What really happens during presidential transitions? For a view of how to make transition more open and transparent, as part of our continuing series, Tracking the Transition. Federal Drive with Tom Temin turns to Alex Howard, senior analyst at the Sunlight Foundation.

The Freedom of Information Act just turned 50. Journalists, lawyers and others are largely applauding the new FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, which President Barack Obama signed into law at the end of June. But there’s still a lot more work to be done to improve the way agencies give information to the public. Open government experts say agencies need more help from Congress to create a culture of openness and transparency. Federal News Radio’s Nicole Ogrysko offers more on the subject on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.