The National Archives and Records Administration and the General Services Administration have partnered to create a market research tool to help agencies identify and acquire electronic and physical records management software and services, Nextgov reported Thursday. To support the effort, NARA and GSA formed a new special item number for electronic records management under Schedule 36 and are now planning to unveil the “ERM Solutions” contract vehicle on GSA’s Discovery website.

“What we heard from agencies is that they needed help identifying solutions for electronic records management from vendor services and that they needed help with the procurement processes and knowing what was out there,” said Courtney Anderson, an electronic records policy analyst.

Anderson said the new tool will enable agencies to filter through all ERM vendors and assess their offerings against NARA’s requirements and their needs. “It’s just a little bit more searchability than they currently have,” she added.

The office of the chief administrative officer in the House has launched a customer-centered strategic plan and started a cloud migration initiative as part of its information technology modernization effort, Federal News Network reported Thursday.

CAO Philip Kiko said his office identified gaps in professional development upon the launch of the strategic plan and then introduced the Congressional Staff Academy, which now provide personnel courses on committee clerk procedures and appropriations law, among others. The report said the CAO office collaborated with the Marine Corps University and the Partnership for Public Service to develop the nine-part seminar, which has drawn interest from chiefs of staff, district chiefs and staff directors.

Kiko noted that his office has responded to a number of requests for video conferencing capabilities and other updated systems. “That’s a conversation I’ve had with a lot of members, ways to get new technology on the Hill for members to use faster, because they’re using it before when they come in,” he said.

Army Gen. Mark Milley, the White House’s nominee to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient, said the Department of Defense should improve its information warfare, cyber and electronic warfare capabilities to counter threats posed by Russia, China and other competitors, C4ISRNET reported Thursday. Milley, chief of staff of the Army and a 2019 Wash100 Award winner, said that DoD should integrate planning and capabilities for information warfare and cyber.

“The first Line of Effort of the 2018 DoD Cyber Strategy is to empower timely integrated cyber operations,” he wrote in a pre-hearing questionnaire issued as part of the confirmation process. “Objectives of this Line of Effort include … normalizing cyberspace operations across the Joint Force; and normalizing cyberspace operations and cyber mission force role in the defense support to civil authorities process.”

Milley also cited the Pentagon’s efforts to integrate electronic warfare systems and adoption of the Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations concept.

Building Momentum holds a monthly workshop to train the U.S. Marine Corps’ members in the areas of science, engineering and technology. The Innovation Boot Camp provides trainees with lectures and exercises in computer programming, coding, welding basics and 3D printing, the service branch said Wednesday.

“The problem solving aspect has always been at the center of what we do,” said Thomas Sullivan, director of training at Building Momentum. “We believe you need a better understanding of different problem solving techniques, and not just the one that you’re good at.”

Trainees will also be granted access to available resources for the program, including metal, wood and electronic workshop areas. In addition, the students may bring the technology and gears they produced from the workshop.