A recent audit found cybersecurity shortcomings at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Fierce Government reports. Ernst & Young and Clifting Gunderson audited the VA as part of annual oversight required by the Federal Information Security Management Act. Auditors found that the VA’s central reporting tool had more than 15,000 outstanding plans of action and milestones [...]

The Defense Department is looking to cut spending by eliminating redundant services and programs, Federal News Radio reports. The move comes as Pentagon is required to cut future spending by nearly $500 billion throughout the next 10 years. One method the department is exploring is avoiding expensive long-term contracts. The Pentagon also working to improve [...]

The Navy has selected two contracting firms to manufacture 55 vessels for its $37.4 billion Littoral Combat Ships program, Federal News Radio reports. The program has placed Lockheed Martin Corp. and the Australia-based firm Austal in a head-to-head competition to see who can produce the highest quality vessels at a lower cost. Both companies won [...]

The Defense Department is in the transitional phase of implementing its new military health system, Federal News Radio reports. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced the new system in early March. Structural changes include establishing a Defense Health Agency, appointing market managers to monitor the system and placing a subordinate DHA organization in charge of [...]

A recent Postal Service audit showed that employees worked nearly 2.3 billion hours for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, National Journal reports. Hours unapproved by managers and supervisors in that same timeframe add up to around $717 million in unauthorized overtime pay, auditors found. The audit said managers are responsible for reviewing and approving overtime [...]

The Office of Management and Budget is working to reduce overlapping information technology government contracting services, Federal Chief Information Officer Steven Van Roekel wrote in a April 30 White House blog post. Jeffery Zients, deputy director for management at OMB, recently signed a memorandum launching PortfolioStat, an agency-wide IT portfolio management tool. VanRoekel originally mentioned [...]

The Marine Corps’ deputy chief information officer has been appointed CIO of the Defense Department’s lead organization for countering improvised explosive devices, NextGov reports. James Craft will assume his new post at the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization April 9. JIEDDO is responsible for developing and deploying new anti-IED technologies. Craft joined the Marine Corps [...]

A cybersecurity counselor at the Department of Homeland Security believes Internet voting is not yet ready for U.S. elections, Fierce Government reports. “It’s definitely premature to deploy Internet voting in real elections,” Bruce McConnell said at the Election Verification Network Conference in Santa Fe, N.M. Election and watchdog officials attended the conference, according to Fierce. [...]

A Senate subcommittee heard testimony from government and industry representatives on outsourcing Thursday, Federal News Radio reports. Representatives from the Army, Homeland Security Department, Office of Personnel Management, watchdog groups, federal employee unions and private contracting firms attended the hearing. The Professional Services Council said in a statement that lifestyle costs, including post-retirement, are often [...]

James Miller, nominee to become the Defense Department’s policy chief, told a Senate panel Monday the U.S.’ plan to transfer responsibilities to Afghan forces is working, American Forces Press Service reports. Miller told the Senate Armed Services Committee he supports President Obama’s troop reduction plan in Afghanistan and would continue to do so if selected [...]