Dan Chenok

As previously blogged in this space, one of the most prominent of these studies came from the TechAmerica Foundation, entitled “Government Technology Opportunity in the 21^st Century.”  A key commission recommendation is to expand the use of rapid, smaller steps to increase the agility in acquisition and program execution.  This helps make IT results earlier and more efficient.  It also helps identify and manage risk throughout the lifecycle of an IT project.  This can help make IT more effective.

Cloud computing, social networks, identity … the promise of new technologies to help Federal agencies reach their goals is stronger than ever.  At the same time, agencies and contractors who want innovation to bring change are often stymied by lengthy, complex government processes, including those for hiring or training good IT Program Managers, requesting funds though the Federal Budget (a 2-year cycle), and doing an acquisition once the funds are awarded.  Add to this an environment where government and industry see more reasons not to talk to reach other about risks and rewards than they

Blog Contributing Author:  Haynes Cooney, Senior Managing Consultant, IBM

This week, the Office of Management and Budget will release its initial budget request to Congress for FY 2018 – following the general timeline that is customary with a change in Administration.  The initial request will be followed by a more detailed presentation to the Congress later this spring. 

Blog Co-Author: Haynes Cooney Senior Managing Consultant at IBM Global Business Services

If implemented effectively, these initiatives could result improved efficiency and effectiveness of the federal agencies, and smarter use of taxpayer dollars.

The management section outlines a series of ideas focused on the “what” and “how” of government.

I recently participated on a citizen engagement roundtable with leaders from a variety of agencies, moderated by FCW, as part of a broader set of panels on citizen engagement (see FCW's summary here).

Recently, IBM Center Senior Fellow John Kamensky and I spent a week in Delhi meeting with key officials in India’s government, academic, and business communities, in consultation with our IBM colleagues from India and our global government leadership team. The visit was arranged by Center Visiting Fellow Prajapati Trivedi, former Secretary for Performance Management with the Government of India who is now at the Bharti Institute for Public Policy at the Indian School of Business and also teaches at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Guest Blogger: Lisa Mascolo, Managing Director of U.S. Public Service at IBM Global Business Services.

There is a lot to like in Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin’s recent decision to combine forces with the Defense Department to establish modernized electronic health records (EHRs) for our nation’s veterans. Hopefully, that path goes beyond being the start of better service for those who have served America so well and so ably through personal sacrifice.

We are pleased to announce our latest round of awards for new reports on key public sector challenges, which respond to priorities identified in the Center's research agenda. Our content is intended to stimulate and accelerate the production of practical research that benefits public sector leaders and managers.

We expect the following reports to be published in early 2018. Short summaries of each report follow.

Modernizing Government IT  by Dr. Gregory S. Dawson, Arizona State University

Listen to the audio of this panel and see below for an article from VA about the session.

Reprinted with permission from VA

The impetus for this event was the coalescing of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act in 2015, the Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act of 2016, and guidance from the executive branch, which have combined to drive changes that will affect contractors as well as the federal government.