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.
Trump Names Tech Executives to PCAST to Shape Federal Tech, Science Policy
President Donald Trump on Wednesday appointed 13 technology leaders to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), selecting executives from the artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor, crypto, and cloud sectors to help shape federal science and technology policy, according to MeriTalk.
GSA Extends Comments on Sweeping AI Clause After Industry Pushback
The GSA pushed back the timeline for draft contract language that would define the government’s relationship with AI service providers in a major federal acquisition program, citing industry requests for an extension, according to FedScoop.
Energy Department Sets Up $293M Funding Opportunity for Genesis Mission Teams
The Department of Energy is taking applications for interdisciplinary teams that will try to address one or more of the 26 identified challenges at the core of the Genesis Mission, and has earmarked $293 million in funding for the effort, according to FedScoop.
House Bill Targets VA EHRM Program with Performance Benchmarks, Exit Option
A new bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make measurable improvements to its Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program or ditch the contract with Oracle Cerner altogether, according to MeriTalk.
Ex-NSA Leaders Say Americans Are Becoming ‘Numb’ to Cyber Threats
American society is becoming increasingly apathetic to major cyberattacks, and the U.S. has still not achieved a hardline strategy to deter foreign adversaries and their hacker operatives, said former NSA and Cyber Command, according to NextGov.
Senate Confirms Mullin as DHS Secretary Amid Shutdown
The Senate confirmed Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as its new secretary in a vote of 54-45 last week, and the confirmation comes amid the DHS funding shutdown, according to MeriTalk.
