“Network-centric” operations get no buzz at the MILCOM conference anymore according to a recent report from National Defense magazine following the two day conference. Organizations like the National Defense Industrial Association used to devote entire conferences for that buzz term, but generals this year declared  ”the days of stove-piped systems” to be over. While it seems that the [...]

Federal employees who smoke may have to find someplace else, other than their workplace, to smoke if one lawmaker’s idea gets traction on Capitol Hill. Last week, Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.) introduced the Smoke-Free Federal Buildings Act (H.R. 3382), which would ban smoking inside and 25-feet around all federally-owned buildings or those being leased by [...]

The Defense Informations Systems Agency has two open contract spots providing wireless services and hardware for forces in the African, Central and European Commands, according to a report by NextGov, and it looks as though commercial mobile devices are in the running. The new contracts not only requested European telecommunications requirements, but also indicated that [...]

A new watchdog agency to monitor health information technology safety problems? That’s what the Institute of Medicine has proposed so that safety incidents tied to health IT tools including health records and health information exchanges can be effectively investigated. The IOM, in a report commissioned by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health, said [...]

Net neutrality regulations, designed to prevent Internet service providers from prioritizing traffic, will remain on the books for the time being. By a narrow 52-46 vote, the Senate overturned a largely-Republican sponsored “resolution of disapproval” of the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules. The vote was symbolic, according to a Reuters report, as President Obama [...]

A Senate panel approved legislation Wednesday to free up $7 billion to help sustain the U.S. Postal Service. The bill enables the agency to tap into surplus funds in a retirement account to use toward retirement incentives for workers and to make other payments, according to Reuters. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a bill co-sponsor, said [...]

President Obama signed an executive order Wednesday to cut waste and promote efficient spending. The order calls on federal agencies to reduce spending on IT devices, travel, vehicles and printing, among other areas. According to rttnews.com, the campaign consists of executive actions designed to boost up the economy and stimulate job growth. In a White [...]

The Environmental Protection Agency asked the public in June to create apps that would help address one of the seven priorities EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson unveiled in January 2010. The Apps for the Environment challenge was launched from there. On Tuesday, the EPA announced the overall winner was the Light Bulb Finder app, which helps [...]

The General Services Administration is welcoming a new director of strategic solutions, Mark Day, currently the chief technology officer at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a Federal Computer Week report. Starting Nov. 21, Day will oversee the government-wide acquisition program as well as the Center for Strategic Solutions and Security Services. [...]

Amidst a time of increasing demand for satellite capabilities and limited funds, Defense Department leaders are concerned that the current approach to space acquisition takes too much time and is too costly to stay apace with the current demand, according to a Federal News Radio report. Gil Klinger, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for [...]