When Vivek Kundra joined the District of Columbia government as Chief Technology Officer (effectively the CIO), D.C. was in the throes of a school system crisis. The mayor had just taken control over the public schools from the elected school board and had implemented a controversial improvement program. Kundra, whose personal passion for education is readily apparent, stepped right up to the task. He is as happy to talk about why outfitting every classroom in the District with a new computer is important as he is talking about the infrastructure upgrade that made it possible.

In just seven weeks, Kundra and the D.C. government installed nearly 6,000 personal computers in the schools. Kundra negotiated discounted prices for the computers, and his office's PC support program tasked technician teams to install the computers. The teams used Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to map the most efficient routes through the city for installation and even finished a week ahead of schedule. The computers were then linked to the District's 35,000-user e-mail and Internet access network and to a 24-hour PC Helpdesk. The network gives teachers access to a single electronic database of student records, allows them to share ideas over e-mail and helps them find teaching tools on the Internet.

"Before this project, 85% of the school system's technology infrastructure was plagued by viruses, the network was unreliable, and customer service was horrific," Kundra says. Teachers' confidential human resource records were "just piled in a school room."

Executing projects that help transform public education is the reason Kundra took the CTO job with D.C. "Education has shaped my life in a very profound way," he says. An immigrant to the United States at the age of 11, Kundra found that education "frees you to do what you want in life." Having a father who has been a D.C. public school teacher for 16 years also influenced him.

Kundra was born in New Delhi, India, and lived in the East African country of Tanzania until he was 11. Seeking better opportunities for their son and his four sisters, Kundra's parents moved the family to Gaithersburg, Maryland. Vivek didn't speak "a word of English" and communicated as best he could in his native language of Swahili. However, that made him a prime target for teasing by his classmates. Kundra quickly learned English with the help of a language program and by watching episodes of the sitcom Three's Company. He went on to earn bachelor's degrees in both psychology and biology from the University of Maryland.

Kundra already had an impressive resume in the private and public sectors when, at age 32, he was confirmed unanimously as D.C.'s CTO last October. He has worked as a consultant to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department; been CEO of two technology companies; served as the IT Director for Arlington, Virginia; and, most recently, served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Aneesh Chopra, his friend and Virginia's Secretary of Technology, says there was a hole in the state's government after Kundra left. "I was of two minds on his departure: a celebration of his talents to advance our nation's capital and a real shock to our system losing one of the strongest assets we had."

Currently, Vivek Kundra is "100% focused" on his position in the D.C. mayor's office, and on bringing better technology tools to D.C. public servants and residents. Perplexed by the notion that consumers have "far better access to technology in their private space," Kundra is intent on harnessing that consumer technology for the city.

He has brought site index mapping to D.C.'s award-winning web portal through a partnership with Google that has simplified access to public databases, Kundra says. By making website search more intuitive, residents are able to interact with the government online, just as they do in their personal and professional lives.

To help D.C. police officers become more effective, he spearheaded the deployment of 250 laptops to police cruisers. Kundra looks to have a total of 802 on the road by October 1. These computers allow the officers to file electronic reports, use Global Positioning System (GPS) to map efficient routes to destinations, and ultimately streamline communications.

And in a procurement first for the city, Kundra used wiki and YouTube technology to solicit ideas from and collaborate with the commercial sector on how to build a new forensic warehouse and how to manage criminal evidence. Videos of the press conference announcing the multi-million dollar project and subsequent meetings are posted to the wiki using YouTube applications. Besides helping to take the procurement process to the next level, it also provides more transparency in government at little cost, Kundra says.

These technology upgrades are helping transform D.C. government right now, and Kundra envisions a future where citizens are served more easily by e-government. "The best trip to government is the trip you don't make," he quips. Kundra believes government services will be delivered using artificial intelligence models like the one Amazon.com uses to suggest products and services based on past inquiries.

Not surprisingly, Kundra views education as a critical enabler in shaping future IT workers. He wants to influence local students to choose high-tech careers by making technology accessible to them. Adding computers to each classroom is a good start, but his staff has also reached out to the schools. He and his staff give guest lectures in the schools and bring students into the CTO office as paid and unpaid interns. "We're exposing these kids to exciting work and the future," Kundra says. "In life, people are looking for mentors to see what is possible."

The FY 2009 budget issued February 4 calls for $71 billion to fund federal IT investments. This is a nearly 4% increase from the $68 billion Congress appropriated for the FY 2008 budget. Highlights of the 2009 budget include increased spending on security and continued spending on e-government initiatives.

The 2009 budget proposes $7.2 billion in information security spending to help agencies implement security controls for managing information systems risks and according to the budget documents, the number of major IT investments dropped from 840 to 810 compared to the year before. At the end of last year, 585 that need improvement in performance measurement, earned value management, or systems security were on the Management Watch List; and 275 were considered well planned and managed.

The FY 2009 budget continues support for E-Government and Lines of Business initiatives, which saved the government $508 million in FY 2007, according to OMB.

IT hiring targets were reported on the Human Capital Scorecard, which reported that 24 of 25 agencies had met competency gap closure milestones or IT hiring targets. Last year, the percentage of certified and accredited systems also rose to 92% from 88%.

The FY 2009 budget was the first in U.S. history to be electronically transmitted; the Executive Clerk used an HSPD-12 approved credential to sign the budget digitally.

The federal government is increasingly providing timely and accurate information to citizens and government decision makers, through the implementation of e-government while ensuring security and privacy, OMB told Congress in its fifth annual report on the benefits of E-Government realized in FY 2007.

The report, submitted February 14, noted that the 25 presidential E-Gov initiatives and nine Lines of Business initiatives saved agencies $508 million last year.

Citizens and federal employees benefited from the following initiatives in 2007:

• USAJobs.gov was visited by 25% more job seekers looking for opportunities with the federal government.
• As of October 2007, more than $9 million was saved through the use of IRS Free File.
• The Treasury Department's E-Travel initiative saved the Department $402,000 in travel management fees.
• The number of submissions to Grants.gov doubled to more than 180,681.
• The Treasury Department consolidated three training systems into one. It eliminated redundant software, hardware, and will reduce future operations and maintenance costs.
• USA.gov, the official web portal for the U.S. government, was named one of "25 Sites We Can't Live Without," by Time Magazine.
• For the first time, the Unified Agenda and Regulatory Plan became available in an electronic format that allows users an enhanced ability to search for information on upcoming regulations. The shift will help save federal regulatory agencies an estimated $800,000 per year.
• GovBenefits.gov received more than 250,000 visits and provided more than 400,000 referrals to benefit programs each month.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Social Security Administration, for the first time, joined the Department of Labor as the only agencies to achieve the highest ratings in all five initiatives on the President's Management Agenda E-Gov scorecard.

The scorecard for the first quarter of FY 2008 showed 87% of the 26 agencies measured, scored yellow or green. In 2001, 80% of the agencies were given the lowest rating—red.

During the last year, seven agencies improved to a green rating in at least one initiative.

OMB is requiring more information from agencies' annual reporting requirements for FY 2008 as part of their Federal Information Security Management Act reports.

In a January 18 memo, agencies were told they will be required to submit the following:

• The number of each type of privacy reviews conducted during the last fiscal year by agency.
• Information about the advice - formal written policies, procedures, guidance, or interpretations of privacy requirements issued by the agency - provided by the Senior Agency Official for Privacy during the last fiscal year.
• The number of written complaints for each type of privacy issue allegation received by the Senior Agency Official for Privacy during the last fiscal year, including: process and procedural issues (consent, collection, and appropriate notice); redress issues (non-Privacy Act inquiries seeking resolution of difficulties or concerns about privacy matters); or operational issues (inquiries regarding Privacy Act matters not including Privacy Act requests for access and/or corrections.
• The number of complaints the agency referred to another agency with jurisdiction for each type of privacy issue received by the Senior Agency Official for Privacy, for alleged privacy violations during the last fiscal year.

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) released a list of state CIO priorities for 2008. The list is based on the results of a survey NASCIO gave at its annual conference last October, combined with the responses of state members not in attendance.

The top 10 state CIO priorities for 2008 (ranking in 2007):

• Consolidation (2)
• Security (1)
• Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity (5)
• Electronic Records Management/Digital Preservation (16)
• Health Information Technology (6)
• Shared Services (3)
• Connectivity (18)
• Governance (22)
• Interoperability (14)
• Human Capital/IT Workforce (N/A)

REAL ID. On January 29, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an additional $48.5 million would be made available to states for REAL ID implementation. REAL ID requires a standard format for state-issued drivers' licenses.

DHS also extended the deadline for REAL ID Demonstration Grant Program applications until March 7.

FY 2008 Grants. The Department of Homeland Security released application guidance for 14 preparedness grants totaling more than $3 billion for FY 2008, $376.3 million more than last year's grants.

The two largest allocations will go to the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and the Infrastructure Protection Program (IPP). The HSGP will get $1.69 billion to be distributed between four programs. Applications for HSGP grants are due May 1. The IPP will get $852.4 million, divided by its five programs. IPP applications are due March 17.

The break-down of the allocation is as follows:

• Homeland Security Grants:
  State Homeland Security Program - $862.9 million
  Urban Areas Security Initiative - $781.6 million
  Metropolitan Medical Response System Program - $39.8 million
  Citizen Corps Program - $14.5 million
• Infrastructure Protection Grants:
  Transit Security Grant Program - $388.6 million
  Port Security Grant Program - $388.6 million
  Buffer Zone Protection Program - $48.5 million
  Trucking Security Program - $15.5 million
  Intercity Bus Security Grant Program - $11.1 million
• Emergency Management Performance Grants - $291.4 million
• Operation Stonegarden Grants - $60 million
• Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program - $60 million
• REAL ID Systems Integration and Data Verification Grant Program - $48.5 million
• UASI Nonprofit Security Grant Program - $15 million

The first version of a Suspicious-Activity Reporting Functional Standard (ISE-FS-200) was issued January 25 by the Department of National Intelligence's Program Manager for Information Sharing Environment. The Standard will support sharing of suspicious-activity or terrorism-related information among federal, state, local, and tribal partners, while protecting the privacy and legal rights of Americans.

The sharing will enable the discovery and analysis of potential terrorism-related patterns or trends beyond what would be recognized within a single organization, jurisdiction, state, or territory. Sharing with fusion centers is integral to assessing, deterring, preventing, or prosecuting those who are planning terrorist activities.

The Standard can also be used by non-Federal Information Sharing Environment participants.

The GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications provides the Federal/State Issues Alert series on emerging issues for quick reference by busy managers.

Background

The Ninth Line of Business Initiative

The IT Infrastructure Optimization Line of Business is one of the nine active LOB initiatives, the federal government's shared services projects established to streamline governmentwide business functions and achieve significant cost savings by consolidating back-office systems. Cross-agency task forces created for each LOB initiative identify governmentwide solutions to consolidate, standardize, and share systems across federal agencies. Program management offices are set up in applicable agencies to manage the governmentwide implementation of common solutions.

IT Infrastructure Optimization was the last of the LOB initiatives to be created. It is expected to deliver significant efficiencies by developing governmentwide common measures of costs and performance for commodity IT infrastructure that most federal agencies acquire. The approach on this LOB is to illuminate the actual cost and performance of each agency in managing its infrastructure. This will include identifying, classifying, and measuring the costs and performance of end-user systems and support, telecommunications systems and support, and mainframe/server services and support. By measuring and comparing agencies and industry norms, agencies can improve results through optimization approaches.

This LOB was created in March 2006 after OMB found potential opportunities for significant cost savings in a more coordinated approach to spending on IT infrastructure. From equivalent industry efforts, OMB estimated the government could save from 16% to 27% on its annual IT infrastructure budget, which may be billions of dollars over 10 years. Case studies at the time demonstrated that agencies could improve IT service levels and concentrate more on mission priorities and results when relieved of the burden of managing these non-core functions.

The Common Solution

In 2006, 23 federal CIOs signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support and fund the IT Infrastructure Optimization program performance management office in GSA, which manages the initiative. The common solution they will use calls for:

• Standard metrics for IT across government.
• Development and use of service levels and cost-effectiveness measurements.
• Agency selection and use of appropriate aggregation approaches and best practices appropriate to requirements and management.
• Achieving or exceeding industry-average service levels and cost efficiency within five years.
• Adoption of fee-for-service and working-capital type tools to help fund common infrastructure.

Next Steps

The program performance management office has begun to define specific common performance metrics for service levels and costs, identify best practices, and develop guidance for transition plans within and across agencies. Agencies are developing five-year plans to move to structures that improve their performance ratios.

Metrics have been developed for end-user systems. Metrics for mainframes and servers, and telecommunications will be established later this year. The first baseline data are being developed, and the first full set of performance data will be available to the agencies at the beginning of FY 2009. The program performance management office will also identify best practices for consolidating, optimizing, and developing governmentwide solutions.

Additional Information

1. The IT Infrastructure LOB website is at: www.ITinfrastructure.gov
2. Additional information on the LOB can be found on the E-Gov website at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/c-6-9-ioi.html
3. The Executive Steering Committee Charter is located at: http://www.itinfrastructure.gov/documents/ioi_lob_governance_charter_12-27-06.doc
4. Information on the President's Management Agenda regarding the LOB can be found on Results.gov at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/results/agenda/continual_improvement.html
5. LOB update from the FY 2008 budget is located at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008/pdf/ap_cd_rom/9_5.pdf

The Connectivity Scorecard that was released January 18 by a European business group scores how well countries have used technology to improve their social and economic prosperity. Twenty-five countries were ranked on a 1-10 scale and divided into two groups: innovation-driven economies and efficiency- and resource-driven economies.

The Scorecard was created by Leonard Waverman, professor of economics at the London Business School, conducted by economic consulting firm LECG, and commissioned by Nokia Siemens Networks. It evaluated countries on 30 connectivity indicators, including broadband, fixed-line, mobile, and computing technologies.

The Scorecard measured not only infrastructure and usage, but literacy, use of enterprise software, and accessibility of women to information and communications technology. "This study demonstrates that not even the world's richest countries can afford to become complacent about their current telecom and computing profile. Every nation has substantial work to do before achieving an ideal score in connectivity," Waverman said.

The top five innovation-driven economies and their scores on a ten-point scale were:

• United States, 6.97
• Sweden, 6.83
• Japan, 6.8
• Canada, 6.5
• Finland, 6.1

The top five efficiency- and resource-driven economies and their scores were:

• Russia, 6.11
• Malaysia, 5.82
• Mexico, 4.37
• Brazil, 4.28
• South Africa, 4.11

Federal Computer Week 2008 Fed 100 Awards. FCW released the names of the 100 winners of its annual Federal 100 Awards earlier than usual this year. The winners, recognized for their contribution to the Federal IT community during the past year, are usually announced closer to the Fed 100 awards banquet, which will be held March 24 this year. Choosing to forego the surprise factor by not withholding the winners' names, FCW acknowledged they were likely to become known before the gala and "spread like wildfire" anyway.

Smart Community Awards. Bristol, VA; and Tucson, AZ; won this year's Smart Community Awards for their leadership in bringing broadband to their citizens. The awards were sponsored by Last Mile magazine. Bristol won as the city with a population of less than 200,000, and Tucson won as the city with a population of more than 200,000.

In accepting the award, a Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU) executive spoke about the legal battle Bristol faced in providing a city-wide fiber to the premises network owned and operated by BVU. A Tucson transportation administrator told how the city deployed a wireless network for its ER-Link, which is used in emergency response vehicles. ER-Link transmits streaming video to the local hospital so doctors will have advance notice of a patient's diagnostics while the patient is in transit.

2008 Susan G. Hadden Pioneer Award. The Alliance for Public Technology presented ConnectKentucky with a 2008 Susan G. Hadden Pioneer Award for advocating widespread public access to advanced telecommunications. ConnectKentucky brings providers and users together through a private/public partnership that assesses broadband availability and identifies and aggregates demand through grassroots county planning teams.

Also available in pdf 732 kb

• The CIO Council is accepting nominations for its Leadership Awards until March 3.
• The Web Managers Advisory Council will be accepting nominations for its Government Web Managers Best Practice Awards until March 7.

AFCEA Homeland Security Conference 2008
Washington, DC
February 27-28

IPIC 2008: Transforming the Infrastructure
Orlando, FL
March 2-6

Collaborative Expedition Workshop: Best Practices in Emerging Technology Evaluation
Arlington, VA
March 18

Executive Biz Breakfast with Casey Coleman, GSA
McLean, VA
March 20

ACT/IAC 2008 Technology Leadership Conference
San Diego, CA
March 25-27

FOSE 2008
Washington, DC
April 1-3

IRMCO 2008
Cambridge, MD
April 13-16

GSA Expo
Anaheim, CA
April 22-24

National Defense University Federal Virtual Worlds Expo: Implementing the Future
Washington, DC
April 24-25

The 9th Annual Knowledge Management Conference and Exhibition
Washington, DC
April 28-29

National Association of Government Communicators 2008 Communications School
Albuquerque, NM
April 28-May 1

2008 NASCIO Midyear Conference
Chantilly, VA
April 29-May 2

Government Web Managers 2-Day Conference and Best Practice Awards Ceremony
Arlington, VA
May 5-6

The Council of State Governments Spring Conference
Lexington, KY
May 29-June 1

ACT/IAC Management of Change Conference
Norfolk, VA
June 8-10

GEIA Vision Conference
Springfield, VA
October 22-23

ACT/IAC Executive Leadership Conference
Colonial Williamsburg, VA
October 26-28

Council of State Governments Annual Conference
Omaha, NE
December 4-7

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The DotGov Buzz is produced by the following individuals in the GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications:

Darlene Meskell
Andrea Noce
Anne Hartzell
Bryant Jones.