A report published on Performance.gov says the Obama administration implemented several measures in 2016 as part of efforts to update the security clearance process, Federal News Radio reported Tuesday.

Nicole Ogrysko writes such measures include the Office of Personnel Management’s launch of the National Background Investigations Bureau and approval of the Enterprise Information Technology strategy by stakeholders at the Performance Accountability Council in October.

The Security Executive Agent and Suitability Agent also established new business rules that seek to describe how the new IT system will help facilitate the decision-making process for secret and top-secret level cases through a September memo, Ogrysko reports.

OPM completed the recruitment of 400 new background investigators in September and began its contract for additional investigators with four companies on Dec. 1, according to the progress report on Performance.gov.

Ogrysko notes that the security clearance investigation process in the fourth quarter of 2016 failed to meet the administration’s target goals and was longer than the three previous quarters of the year amid the changes implemented by the administration.

Initial investigation for secret cases took an average of 166 days to finish, while initial top-secret level investigation and periodic investigations required 246 and 222 days to complete, according to a report on Performance.gov obtained by Federal News Radio.

Ellen Stofan stepped down as NASA’s chief scientist three years after she assumed the post, Space.com reported Thursday.

Jeff Foust writes NASA hinted at Stofan’s resignation in a Dec. 21 interview posted on social media site Tumblr saying she was “departing for new adventures.”

Stofan said in a NASA interview that some of her achievements as the agency’s chief scientist include her involvement in the creation of a long-term strategy for the human exploration of Mars and efforts to encourage the agency to request demographic data in grant proposals in order to understand any biases associated with grant awards, Foust reports.

Stofan returned to NASA in August 2013 to serve as chief scientist and principal adviser to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on strategic planning efforts for the agency’s science programs.

She previously served as a vice president at Maryland-based Proxemy Research prior to her appointment at the space agency.

Stofan also served as honorary professor in the department of Earth sciences at University College London in England and chief scientist for the New Millennium Program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

She was principal investigator on the proposed Titan Mare Explorer mission, co-investigator on the Mars Express Mission‘s MARSIS sounder and associate member of the Cassini Mission to Saturn Radar Team.

The Government Accountability Office has recommended the Securities and Exchange Commission authorize the SEC’s chief operating officer to reform cross-divisional collaboration and establish training for hiring specialist.

GAO said Thursday the SEC’s divisions lack communication and collaboration and the agency still operates in silos.

Other challenges auditors identified for the SEC include mechanisms to monitor how supervisors use performance management system, accountability, workforce and succession planning and performance management.

GAO also found limitations in the SEC’s staff training because the agency failed to identify skills gap among its hiring specialists.

“As a result, SEC lacks assurance that its hiring specialists have the necessary skills to hire and promote the most qualified applicants, in accordance with key principles of an effective control system,” GAO said.

The Small Business Administration will launch a new $1.2 million competition that aims to expand access to entrepreneurial education and microloans to formerly incarcerated individuals.

SBA said Thursday the Aspire Challenge will award as much as $75,000 to organizations across the nation that can assist the delivery of training and microloan assistance to such individuals.

The Aspire Challenge will support efforts of the Aspire Entrepreneurship Initiative established by SBA, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and microlender Justine Petersen which was developed to connect formerly incarcerated individuals to mentors for entrepreneurial education, microloans and training.

“Entrepreneurship and small business ownership are proven paths toward wealth creation and financial independence, especially for people who might otherwise feel trapped by their circumstances,” said Tameka Montgomery, associate administrator for SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development.

“Entrepreneurship can even be a ladder of opportunity for citizens who have served their debt to society but are struggling to find employment after incarceration.”