DHS plans national IT security exercise in November

The Homeland Security Department plans to conduct the exercise, called Cyber Storm, with public and private-sector stakeholders.

House, Senate have meeting of minds on DHS budget

The House and Senate appropriations committees came out with close figures on overall Homeland Security discretionary spending in their draft bills for fiscal 2006.

Sun hopes govt. unit makeover refreshes biz

Sun Microsystems Inc. is retooling its global government business with new leadership and a new structure to chase growing opportunities in systems modernization, information sharing and secure networks.

Congress swings its hammer

Lawmakers are applying additional restrictions and greater oversight on large IT and e-government projects in the fiscal 2006 agency spending bills making their way through Congress.

Legislating by sound bite

In recent weeks, Congress has taken action on significant acquisition policy issues based solely on a sound-bite-quality debate.

WANTED: Tech Savvy census takers

When the Census Bureau's enumerators go door to door to survey households for the 2010 census, they will be equipped with handheld computers instead of pencils and note pads.

Capital roundup

Defense strategy stirs questions

Infotech and the law: Latest FAR rule remains a juggling act

On June 8 the interim Federal Acquisition Regulation rule implementing Section 818 of the 2005 National Defense Authorization Act was published. Section 818 was Congress' response to the Boeing KC-767A Tanker Aircraft acquisition and the related Defense Department inspector general's report that criticized it.

Looking beyond borders

It is one of the Homeland Security Department's most tantalizing, big-ticket, system integration projects on the horizon ? but it's been stalled for months as Congress and federal officials review the goals of the department and examine allegations of mismanagement in a related legacy system.

Senate amendments to increase rail security fail to pass

The Senate yesterday failed to pass amendments that would have added additional federal funding for rail and mass transit security.

Democrats allege DHS overhaul plan is flawed

Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee say Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff's reorganization plan fails to overcome the department's existing ad-hoc approach to security.

OMB to Congress: Ease limits on e-gov funding

In identical letters to key lawmakers, Clay Johnson, OMB deputy director for management, asked lawmakers to limit or remove any language that hampers agencies' abilities to spend money on cross-departmental projects.

Bush: Senate DHS bill too restrictive

The White House is objecting to language in the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations bill that eliminates funding for the use of commercial databases in the department's Secure Flight passenger screening program at airports.

Infotech and the Law: Subcontracts: Much more than baby prime contracts

The U.S. government is a unique customer in many ways. Among the many oddities that accompany dealings with the government, the terms and conditions are, in many respects, totally non-negotiable. The Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement lay out a wide range of provisions that typically are presented as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.

Back in Business

PwC adds staff, targets federal market as growth engine

Buy Lines: Who can give us a wake-up call?

Our politicians argue over minutia rather than engage in the bold thinking necessary to ensure America remains competitive in 50 years.

Nortel's launch pad for faster growth

PEC deal creates platform for more U.S. business

Sabo blasts technology, legal protections for CAPPS II

Data-mining technology used in the Computer Aided Passenger Prescreening System II program should have been more closely scrutinized to ensure it protected privacy before it was granted full protection from legal liability, according to Rep. Martin Olav Sabo.

Coalition lobbies for ratification of Convention on Cybercrime

In a letter to U.S. senators, a coalition of industry associations and companies asks lawmakers to review the treaty and focus on the importance of global cooperation in fighting Internet-based crime.

Senate confirms Combs as OMB controller, Springer as head of OPM

Linda Combs received approval from lawmakers to become the new head of the OMB's Office of Federal Financial Management, while Linda Springer will direct the government's personnel agency for a term of four years.