Weekly Round-up: July 20, 2012

Gadi Ben-Yehuda

Ludwig Wittgentsein is Weeding Wilting Tuts. Bill Gates thinks game-play will become more prevalent as a mode of teaching and learning. Meanwhile, “The Art of Video Games” debuts at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC. Tim O’Reilly argues that “only by having fun with technology can we truly unlock its potential.” And if you want to play with technology to help your county, perhaps you should apply for a fellowship with Code for America.

Dan Chenok

• Spotlight on the cloud:
  — FedRAMP program making progress in cloud interoperability:
  — Is a cloud computing brokerage in the cards?
• Current set of transparency bills get new views from Congress, OMB:
• GAO makes specific recommendations for security clearance reform:

John Kamensky

• One-Door Contracting. Federal News Radio reports that a Department of Veterans Affairs pilot program to create a “vendor management organization” was successful and saved $40 million. OMB’s Steve Van Roekel says there is talk of expanding this approach governmentwide. Under this approach, an agency creates a single office to manage all major contracts across the agency.
• DATA Bill Hearing in Senate. NextGov reporter Joseph Marks reports that the House-passed Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (H.R. 2146) was the focus of a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing where Senator Mark Warner, as supporter of the legislation, says he will soon submit a revised bill that won’t create a parallel data collection system on federal spending but would leverage existing collection systems. At the same hearing, OMB Controller Danny Werfel warned that the House-passed version of the bill could actually set back transparency efforts by forcing the government to move in a different direction.
• Austerity Can Have an Up-Side. Federal Times’ Sarah Chacko reports that “Smaller budgets may force streamlining of duplicative contract vehicles.” She attended an event by the Coalition for Government Procurement where one observer noted “Tighter budgets will mean federal procurement staffs have less money to negotiate new contracts and contractors will have less money to compete for so many contracts.”

Michael Keegan

• Perakslis moves FDA toward IT innovation, efficiencies
• Navy sharpens acquisition pencil to find savings
• 2012 Causey Awards announced

The Business of Government Radio Show: Joseph F. Klimavicz

Federal News Radio 1500-AM
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Joseph F. Klimavicz is responsible for implementing statutory requirements regarding the acquisition, management, and use of NOAA’s information and information technology resources.

Broadcast Schedule: The show airs Monday, July 23, at 11 a.m., and Wednesday, July 25, at noon, on Federal News Radio 1500AM WFED

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