The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Cybersecurity, Modernization, Acquisition and More in Federal Agencies

Weekly News Round Up
Written By Elle Newman

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. 

CISA Seeks Public Feedback on TIC 3.0 Cloud Use Case 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is seeking public feedback on its Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0 draft cloud use case. Released last week, the use case covers infrastructure-, platform- and software-as-a-service offerings, as well as email-as-a-service deployments. 

GAO: Potential Federal Cyber Insurance Program Should Avoid Moral Hazard 

The Treasury Department’s Federal Insurance Office and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency should consider the danger of creating counterproductive incentives while examining the need for a Federal cyber insurance program, according to the Government Accountability Office. 

DARPA Report Finds Vulnerabilities in Blockchain Tech, Non-secure Crypto Transactions 

New research challenges the security of the ledger technology blockchain software runs on, raising concern about its uses, from cryptocurrency spending and trading to electronic voting. 

TMF Announces $95 Million in New Funding Focused on Security and Networks 

The Technology Modernization Fund announced new investments in the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Trade Commission to support a reduction in legacy systems and new projects that will put agencies on the path towards implementing enterprise-wide zero trust security frameworks. 

Biden Signs Bill Creating Federal Cybersecurity Rotational Program 

President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that will establish a rotational cyber program inside the Federal government. The intent is to attract and retain cybersecurity workers by offering them new professional experiences at different Federal agencies. 

VA Electronic Record System ‘Not Yet Stable Enough’ for Planned Rollouts 

The Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center now plans to deploy the Cerner Millennium system a month later than originally planned, with the year’s remaining rollouts pushed to 2023. 

IRS Expands AI-Powered Bots to Set Up Payment Plans With Taxpayers Over The Phone 

The Internal Revenue Service is handling more of its call volume through automation, which gives its call-center employees more time to address more complex requests from taxpayers. The IRS announced that individuals delinquent on their taxes, who receive a mailed notice from the agency, can call an artificial intelligence-powered bot and set up a payment without having to wait on the phone to speak with an IRS employee. 

USDA Has Been Trying to Consolidate 17 Networks for A Decade, Now It Has The Money To Do It 

USDA will receive $64 million from the Technology Modernization Fund Board consolidating 17 disparate networks into one. This investment will be used for the USDANet startup costs that reduces the number of USDA-owned and operated networks and will result in $734 million in estimated costs savings/avoidance. The lowered total cost of ownership by the USDA means Mission Areas can allocate greater portions of their IT spending from basic infrastructure to public-facing applications that promote conservation, goodwill, and optimization of resources. 

SBA Team Targets Set-Aside Contracts Awarded to Ineligible Firms 

The Office of Government Contracting and Business Development successfully steered over $5 billion in contracting opportunities for small businesses away from firms that were ineligible for set-asides. 

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Elle Newman
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