The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Cybersecurity, Modernization, and More in Federal Agencies

Weekly News Round Up
Written By Fareeha Khan

Welcome to the Fed Mission Success News Round Up brought to you by Makpar. Each week, we will provide a summary of actionable news and insights to help aid in overall mission success for Federal agency IT decision-makers and influencers.

Critical Update: The Federal CISO Is Prioritizing Flexibility for Agencies

In a new age of cyberattacks, Chris DeRusha, the Federal Chief Information Security Officer, says agencies must have more room to implement practices that enable constant vigilance.

White House Names Leaders for FCC and NTIA

With the nomination of Gigi Sohn, the Federal Communications Commission is also now poised to have a full suite of commissioners to tackle issues under its remit, including cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity Is One of Five Pillars in State’s Modernization Initiative

In addition to creating two new positions to handle international cyber and emerging tech issues, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is calling for a 50% increase in the department’s IT budget.

DISA Seeks to Flatten Leadership Structure With Reorganization

The Defense Information Systems Agency is re-organizing its structure to create a flatter agency, responding to feedback that it was too cumbersome to work with.

State Department to Set Up Bureau For International Cyber, Emerging Tech

The State Department plans to establish a Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy focused on international cybersecurity and freedom.

State Department Preps Potential $8B IT Services Acquisition

The State Department is developing a suite of multiple-award contracts to modernize its end-to-end IT service delivery that could be worth up to $8 billion.

GSA Working to Expand Scope Of $50B Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions Contract

The General Services Administration plans to expand contract language within the $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) procurement so agencies can more quickly obtain mobility-as-a-service offerings starting in 2022.

Emerging Trends in Customer Experience

In concert with White House efforts, the new Federal chief information officer has signaled diversity and accessibility are keys to improving customer experience collectively across government. But the work ahead is significant: A report found nearly half of the government’s most popular websites do not meet accessibility requirements. 

OMB Issues 11 Action Items for 2021 Data Strategy With 2 Months Left in the Year

The Office of Management and Budget issued a late release of the Federal Data Strategy 2021 Action Plan. With little more than two months left in the year, the list of mandatory action items focuses on building on progress with—or catching up to—the first Action Plan, issued in 2020.

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Fareeha Khan
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