Thursday, August 8, 2013
Articles from across the Web that we found interesting, the week of August 05, 2013

Gadi Ben-Yehuda

 

John Kamensky

  • Developing a Common Operating Picture. A new GAO report describes the status of the U.S. Coast Guard’s progress in developing an approach to sharing strategic information across its various commands via the creation of what it calls a “common operating picture.”  This multi-million dollars system is a visual map of information that it also shares with it maritime partners, such as ports and harbors, in order to ensure everyone is “on the same page” when it comes to understanding what is going on in the maritime environment.
  • Nine Ways to Better Government.  Michael O’Connell, Federal News Radio, reports that the Partnership for Public Service and Booz Allen have released a report detailing nine strategies the federal government could adopt that could save money by moving from agency-based approaches to cross-agency, governmentwide, or “enterprise,” approaches.  The report builds on authorities created under the GPRA Modernization Act.
  • Federal CIO Council Reorganizes. Jason Miller, Federal News Radio, reports that the federal Chief Information Officers Council has reorganized, moving from five committees to three:  Innovation, portfolio management, and information security & identify management.
  • IT Contracts Portal at GSA.  Andy Medici, Federal Times, writes that the General Services Administration launched a new online portal -- the IT Solutions Navigator -- “designed to help agencies figure out the best procurement vehicle for their IT needs.”  The portal “will also provide agencies with market research tools and video tutorials.”
  • Scandal Management 101.  Mark Funkhouser, director of the Governing Institute, offers a cautionary note worth remembering:  “State and local government leaders watching the scandal over the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) targeting of conservative groups should know this: Somewhere in most larger governments is a festering problem that is going to look really ugly when it inevitably is brought to light. This is most likely to happen because a bureaucratic system has been strained to the failing point. When it fails, the result may or may not be branded a scandal, depending on how salacious and embarrassing that failure can be made to seem and what advantage the relevant political players might stand to gain or lose, but it certainly won’t be pretty.”
  • Worst Job in DC. Lauren French, Politico, writes that John Koskinen has been named by President Obama to be the next IRS commissioner:  ““John is an expert at turning around institutions in need of reform,” Obama said in a statement. “With decades of experience in both the private and public sectors John knows how to lead in difficult times, whether that means ensuring new management or implementing new checks and balances.”

 

The Business of Government Radio Show: Paul S. Bartley

The Business of Government Hour features a conversation about management with a government executive who is changing the way government

Paul S. Bartley is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program Support in the Department of Health and Human Services. What is shared services and its benefits? How does HHS’s Program Support Center manage the business of government? How is PSC using technology to streamline operations, increase efficiencies, and reduce costs? Join host Michael Keegan and he explores these questions and so much more with Paul Bartley, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program Support at U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and director of its Program Support Center.

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