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Volume 2 Issue 8: August 28, 2007
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The DotGov Buzz is an e-mail newsletter published by the GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications to reach opinion leaders, policy makers, IT professionals and others with the latest developments in e-government. Pass it along to your colleagues and let us know if you want to subscribe on your home e-mail. To SUBSCRIBE, submit a new e-mail to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV, with SUBSCRIBE THEBUZZ in the body of the message, followed by your first name and your last name. To UNSUBSCRIBE to this mailing list, submit a new e-mail message to LISTSERV@LISTSERV.GSA.GOV and enter in the body of the message: SIGNOFF THEBUZZ. This and previous issues of The DotGov Buzz are available at www.usa.gov/dotgovbuzz. |
 DotGov Spotlight: Ed Anderson, CIO, Peace Corps
No one who works with or knows Ed Anderson, CIO of the Peace Corps, would be surprised to learn that he was included in eWEEK magazine's 2007 list of Top 100 CIOs in the publication's June edition. Anderson, who came to the Peace Corps in 2003, thinks he was named to the list "by the grace of god." He believes his team's passion for the agency's mission and willingness to work together earned this recognition. That sense of team spirit has paid off for the Peace Corps. Under Anderson, its Office of Information Technology has had many accomplishments, including providing computer and Internet access through satellite-based technology, known as VSAT, to a number of overseas posts that previously had limited -- or no -- telecommunications infrastructure. This project adapted 21st century technology to a third world environment and brought the global knowledge of the Peace Corps to developing countries. The Peace Corps is one of the world's most successful and respected volunteer organizations. Since 1961, Peace Corps volunteers from every background have worked with people in developing countries to expand education for children, promote economic opportunity, improve health and agriculture, and preserve the environment. Anderson came to the Peace Corps from GTG Solutions, LLC, where, as interim Chief Executive Officer, he was responsible for management and operations of the IT services firm. In the last three plus years, the IT Office under Anderson's leadership has had a major impact on the Peace Corps' overall mission. It has deployed systems that significantly upgraded back-office operations for Human Resources and Finance and added IT applications for volunteer management, safety, security, and infrastructure. With these systems in place, the IT Office has been able to focus on electronic collaboration, providing information, and simplifying reporting for staff and volunteers. Over the long term, these enhancements will provide greater efficiency in the Peace Corps' overseas programs and better outcomes for host country counterparts in the years to come. The IT Office has implemented portal services for volunteers, leading to a reduced need for travel to and from overseas offices and has implemented an enterprise search solution to enable better information access. The office is currently exploring the value that Global Information Systems (GIS)/Global Positioning Systems (GPS) could provide for Peace Corps programs and volunteers. Anderson is well aware that mistakes by the CIO's office could have a negative financial impact on the agency and lead to a reduction in the number of Peace Corps volunteers in the field, thus harming the agency's core mission. So he works closely with the Peace Corps' IT Investment Review Board to ensure that agency IT projects have the right objectives, are affordable, and are delivered at the most effective time. Money saved by the effective implementation of key IT initiatives can then be channeled back to the agency to support its core mission. A major issue, probably unique to the Peace Corps, is staffing. A Peace Corps rule limits all employees to working no more than five years at the agency. To stay on top of this reality, the IT management team has developed mentoring programs, standardized processes for performing activities, efficient hiring, and documenting everything with automated tools. To be an effective strategic solutions provider, Anderson believes the CIO needs to have a "seat at the table" in order to fully grasp the organization's goals and challenges, identify who its stakeholders are, and develop the relationships needed to understand each one fully. And, as with many who make the transition from private to public sector, Anderson admits to challenges, such as understanding federal guidelines for procurement, staff management, and budgeting. After the Peace Corps' International Technical Support team completed a technology refresh in the African region, the management team wanted to reward the support team for its outstanding effort in completing the project on time, on budget, and with high feedback scores from customers. But first it had to research what guidelines applied for gifts or meals, whether trophies could be purchased, and where the money would come from. The team came up with a workable solution that was also legal, but "we had to work at this a little longer than we would have in the private sector," Anderson said. And, challenges aside, Anderson thoroughly enjoys the part of his job that allows him to travel, to see his and his organization's work in action and to meet the people whose jobs and lives are touched by the CIO's IT programs and decisions. While in Morocco earlier this year, Anderson spent time at a summer camp for under-privileged children organized by a local municipality and the Peace Corps. In addition to receiving practical information on health and education, the kids also had a great time. Hopefully, they also came away with a positive impression of Americans that will stay with them for a long time. When he's not dealing with computer technology or traveling for the Peace Corps, Anderson enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. Summer activities included board games and lots of swim team time with his daughters, as well as a family vacation. The American University graduate also displays the volunteer spirit in his personal life by participating in four non-profit organizations in his community. He hopes they have benefited as much from his participation as he has from helping out. |
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Federal IT Procurement: GSA awards $50 billion Alliant contract GSA awarded the long-awaited Alliant Governmentwide Acquisition Contract on July 31, to 29 firms. The $50 billion contract offers federal agencies a centralized source to obtain integrated IT solutions worldwide. It provides streamlined access to a broad range of management and technical support services under a pre-competed multiple award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract. It is good for five years with a five-year option. Alliant replaces the Millenia and Applications'N Support for Widely-diverse End-user Requirements (ANSWER) contracts. The selected firms are:
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Policy: OMB establishes Windows XP and VISTA Virtual Machine website
A website hosting virtual machine images has been established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Microsoft, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security, Karen Evans, OMB Administrator of E-government and IT, said in a July 31 memo. The website hosts tools for the agencies to simulate what will happen to their current applications when they transition from their current operating environment to the secure Windows XP and VISTA operating systems using the new configurations. Agencies can now acquire IT products that are "self-asserted" by providers as compliant with the Windows XP and VISTA Federal Desktop Core Configurations (FDCC). NIST's Security Content Automation Protocol (S-CAP) can help evaluate providers' self-assertions. Providers must use S-CAP validated tools, as they become available, to certify their products do not alter these configurations, and agencies must use these tools when monitoring use of the configurations. Related resources are also provided to help facilitate agency adoption of the FDCC, according to the memo. NIST's National Checklist Program is standardizing security settings with technology providers for a wide variety of products and environments. |
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Kudos: USA.gov once again tops Brown University's E-Gov list
USA.gov, the government's official web portal, was again rated the number one federal website in Brown University's State and Federal E-Government in the United States, 2007 study. Brown evaluated 1,487 state sites, 48 federal legislative and executive sites, and 13 federal court sites, looking for the presence of electronic features, such as privacy policies, automatic e-mail updates, and readability level. The research was completed during June and July of 2007. Other top-rated federal sites were:
The 10 highest ranking state websites were:
Brown's research team offered suggestions to improve government websites:
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State & Local: Federal government awards grants worth $3.6 billion
State and local governments received $3.6 billion in FY2007 federal grants for homeland security, public safety interoperable communications, and emergency preparedness programs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allotted $1.7 billion in homeland security grants to states and cities for training, equipment, and exercises to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks. Of the total, $411 million went to the six urban areas seen to have the highest risk of attack: New York City/Northern New Jersey, the National Capital Region, Los Angeles/Long Beach, the California Bay Area, Houston, and Chicago. DHS and the Department of Commerce announced $968 million Public Safety Interoperable Communications grants to help state and local first-responders improve public safety communications and coordination during a disaster. Revised Grant guidance and application kits for the interoperable communications grants were also released. Grants will be awarded by September 30 for those applications received by August 22. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $897 million in grants to states, territories, and four major metropolitan areas for preparedness and response to all-hazards public health emergencies, including terrorism, pandemic influenza, and other naturally-occurring public health emergencies. |
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OMB: Report shows status of Management Watch and High Risk Lists
Federal agencies have made progress in how they plan, manage, and monitor their IT investments, according to an August 6 OMB report. The Management Watch List was reduced by 210 business cases between February and August 2007. IT investments appear on the Management Watch List if the investment plan contains one or more planning weaknesses. The remaining cases on the list represent $8.6 billion in projected IT investment for FY2008, $1.1 billion less than reported in the second quarter. However the High Risk List saw an increase in 76 projects since February, a gain attributed to increased management oversight reported by agencies. Projects end up on the High Risk List if they require special attention from the highest level of agency management, but aren't necessarily "at risk" of failure. The projects on this list represent $12.9 billion in IT spending for FY2008. |
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FY2009 Budget: OMB releases new project identifiers for E-Gov and LoB Initiative budgets
OMB is providing agencies involved in the Presidential E-Gov and Lines of Business (LoB) initiatives with the appropriate Unique Project Identifiers to help prepare their budget exhibits for submission to OMB for the FY2009 budget. |
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CIO Council to join Government 2.0: Wikinomics, Government & Democracy research project
The federal CIO Council will participate in a multi-million dollar global research project led by Don Tapscott, well-known author of books on the impact of the Internet on society, and CEO of New Paradigm Learning Corp., sponsor of the research. The project, to identify and analyze emerging opportunities to harness new models of collaboration to transform the public sector, is entitled Government 2.0: Wikinomics, Government & Democracy. The research methodology combines in-depth analysis of case studies, survey data, and existing literature, along with interviews with hundreds of thought leaders and practitioners around the world. A cornerstone of the initiative is a global survey of young people that will help decision-makers understand "what this generation expects of government and how they will behave as citizens and consumers of public services," according to New Paradigm. Results of the Government 2.0 research will be reported next year. Karen Evans, OMB Administrator for E-government and IT, announced the CIO Council's participation in the Government 2.0 project at the August 16-17 annual strategic planning offsite for federal CIOs and the Project Managers for the Lines of Business and E-Gov initiatives. Tapscott, who spoke at the offsite, discussed the shifts in expectations among Internet users and some ways to address them. Participants also discussed how the CIO Council Strategic Plan is being developed to show the alignment of the E-Gov Initiatives with the Council's committee structure. |
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IT workforce: FCW survey ranks best and worst government employers for IT
The five best federal agencies to work for, based on employees' job satisfaction, according to Federal Computer Week's third annual survey, were:
And the five lowest-ranking were: General Services Administration, Department of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Aviation Administration, and Navy. The results were based on 633 responses from employees at 33 federal departments and agencies in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Overall 64% of survey respondents said they were satisfied in their jobs. But the three top reasons that would make them consider a job change to another agency were: importance of the mission, the potential for advancement, and the agency's reputation for good management. |
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State & Local: NASCIO encourages state involvement in RHIOs
The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) sees value in state CIOs becoming involved in their regional health information organizations (RHIOs) and aware of developments in health information exchange. RHIOs allow providers access to patient information through data exchanges across organizational boundaries. On the Road to RHIO: What State CIOs Need to Know looks at the opportunities and challenges RHIOs present to state CIOs and gives examples of state CIOs who are already involved. State CIOs should become involved with RHIOs in the early stages so they can help create the policies for health information exchange, the report says. |
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State & Local: Report identifies state E-Gov best practices
Six critical factors influence state e-government programs, according to State E-Government Strategies: Identifying Best Practices and Applications, a report issued by the Congressional Research Service. The report summarizes the results of a study conducted by the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, to identify some of the best practices in state e-government strategies and management that could be applied at other levels of government. Surveys were sent to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with 38 completed. And site visits were made to six case study states: California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Based on the survey results, the critical factors the report expands upon are:
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Transitions: Changes in the IT Community Also available in pdf 35 kb |
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Upcoming Events Calendar
Government IT Speaker Series sponsored by: GSA, HHS, Treasury, and ACT/ IAC The 7th Enterprise Architecture Conference & Exhibition Collaborative Expedition Workshop: Organizing Meeting Realizing IPv6: Unleash the Benefits of the Next Generation Government NASCIO Annual Conference The 2007 Federal IT Summit Emergency Preparedness Information Sharing Initiative Emetrics Summit ACT/IAC 2007 Executive Leadership Conference Collaborative Expedition Workshop The 2007 GCN Awards MILCOM 2007 The New New Internet: Web 2.0 Conference ACT/IAC Government IT Speaker Series: Logistical Access of HSPD-12 National Electronic Commerce Coordinating Council Annual Conference |
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Please send your comments, concerns, complaints and questions to dotgovbuzz@gsa.gov. Check out our previous editions at www.usa.gov/dotgovbuzz. The DotGov Buzz is produced by the following individuals in the GSA Office of Citizen Services and Communications: |