The General Service Administration is asking for industry input in creating a database search engine to instantly check prices of commercial and government products. In a request for information, GSA said it wants to create the database to let all federal agencies compare current prices of selected products. The database would search both commercial and [...]

Defense Department Chief Information Officer Teri Takai wants to use multiple approaches to handle mobile device usage in the Pentagon, she told the “Leadership” executive journal. “Leadership” is published quarterly by CGI‘s collaborative government initiative. The Pentagon hosts a highly mobile workforce in a time of mobile device proliferation and Takai told “Leadership” the Pentagon [...]

The Defense Department and the Environmental Protection Agency are partnering to develop technologies that would create sustainable U.S. military bases, the Pentagon announced Wednesday. Dorothy Robyn, deputy defense undersecretary for installations and environment, and Paul Anastas, EPA assistant administrator, signed the memorandum of understanding to establish the partnership. Scientists and engineers from both the Pentagon [...]

The General Services Administration released its step-by-step instruction guide on following FedRAMP procedures Tuesday. The 47-page concept of operations outlines how agencies and contractors should proceed in certifying services so a service from one contractor could be used in multiple agencies. GSA says products including infrastructure-as-a-service tools will be the first to go through the [...]

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little took questions Monday; not from journalists, but from Twitter users. According to AFPS, Little answered questions from hundreds of users on topics ranging from Syria, Iran cybersecurity and Pentagon energy savings initiatives. Little said fielding the questions was a challenge and needed help to manage the questions, but added that [...]

A House subcommittee cleared a bill last week that would create nonprofit organization to promote information sharing across the public and private sectors, Federal News Radio reports. Bill sponsor Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) said the bill makes the Department of Homeland Security the focal point for protecting federal networks and private sector-owned critical infrastructure. Lungren is [...]

President Obama has nominated Heidi Shyu assistant army secretary for acquisition, logistics and technology, the White House announced Friday. Shyu has served as acting assistant secretary since Malcolm O’Neill resigned in June 2011. The nomination is subject to Senate approval, after which she will become the Army’s top weapons buyer. Shyu previously held executive positions [...]

A House subcommittee will review cyber threats in the U.S. during a Wednesday hearing, according to the The Hill newspaper. Rep. Greg Walden, (R-Ore.) chairman for the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on communications and technology, said the subcommittee will consider botnets, hacking and supply-chain vulnerability. Industry representatives and security experts are scheduled to testify, addressing cybersecurity [...]

A House caucus advocating for government increasing its use of contractors will launch this week, Federal Times reports. The “Yellow Pages” caucus has drawn interest from 20 possible members and is holding a kickoff event Tuesday at Capital Triangle. The Business Coalition for Fair Competition said in a Facebook announcement that if private businesses listed in the [...]

The General Services Administration‘s online library has saved the government tens of thousands of dollars in postage and printing costs, according to AOL Government. The agency launched publications.usa.gov late last year to give users access to government publications via mobile devices. According to AOL, 1.4 million publications were viewed in fiscal year 2011 using either Google Books, [...]