The Commerce Department wants its agencies to have a cloud-based system that would work to keep online information updated for citizens, Nextgov reported Monday. Joseph Marks writes the department intends to replace current software in its offices to comply with government mandates for federal departments to utilize new tools for storing and sharing data. MarksRead… Read more »
A new U.S. Army report outlines efforts for sustainable energy practices as part of a pilot program aimed to achieve net zero energy, water and waste at military installations. The 2012 Net Zero Pilot Installation Initiative Progress Report overviews renewable energy projects such as a 10-kilowatt wind turbine system at West Point and a photovoltaicRead… Read more »
NASA is studying a plan to use a spy satellite telescope for a proposed $1.63 billion space observatory that would study dark and search for new planets outside the solar system, Space.com reported Tuesday. Miriam Kramer writes an independent group of scientists recently concluded in a study that NASA could use two telescopes donated byRead… Read more »
Federal Aviation Administration chief Michael Huerta told an industry forum Wednesday the U.S. will have all 700 ground radio stations for the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast system deployed and in operation next year, Aviation Today reports. Woodrow Bellamy writes the nation currently has more than 500 ADS-B ground radio stations in place as part of theRead… Read more »
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will not furlough any of its 12,000 employees after the Commerce Department reached an agreement late Friday night for additional budget flexibility, acting NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan wrote in a memo obtained by SpaceNews.com. Sullivan wrote the agency would have had to furlough some workers for up to 10Read… Read more »
The White House is calling on Congress to eliminate the current formula used for reimbursing contractor salaries and tie the reimbursement cap to the president’s $400,000-per-year salary. All defense and civilian cost-reimbursement contracts would be covered under that cap but agencies could gain exemptions for specialized skilled positions such as scientists or engineers, Federal ProcurementRead… Read more »
The latest round of negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement has attracted lobbyists from multinational corporations and trade groups looking to shape the pact’s language, The Washington Post reported Monday. Catherine Ho writes at least 185 enterprises and industry coalitions have lobbied on the agreement, which seeks to ease trade barriers and open marketRead… Read more »
The Defense Information Systems Agency has partnered with Samsung Electronics to develop a new approval process intended to help vendors create security technical implementation guides for their mobile devices. Terry Sherald, chief of DISA’s information assurance standards branch, led the development of the Samsung Knox STIG process so vendors can base their guides security guidesRead… Read more »
Federal agencies saved 4 percent on the $307 billion they spent to acquire services during fiscal year 2012. That percentage would equate to $12 billion by using strategic sourcing to acquire services for engineering and information technology, the Government Accountability Office says in a report dated April 15. Under strategic sourcing, agencies use an aggregateRead… Read more »
The Office of Personnel Management has begun advertising its vacant chief information officer post on USAJobs and the candidate will be responsible for the agency’s information technology plans and policies. OPM will accept applications through 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on May 30 and OPM’s executive resources board will make a recommendation on final selection ofRead… Read more »