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Treasury Tax IG: IRS Fails to Mitigate Security Risks for IT Contracts Valued at $81M
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Treasury Tax IG: IRS Fails to Mitigate Security Risks for IT Contracts Valued at $81M


IRSbuildingThe Treasury Department‘s inspector general for tax administration has found that the Internal Revenue Service failed to mitigate security risks for randomly selected information technology contracts worth $81.3 million.

TIGTA said Tuesday that it picked 14 out of 6,045 IT contracts awarded from October 2008 through May 2014 for the audit, which sought to evaluate whether post-award controls for such contracts helped the IRS assess whether operational practices comply with contract administration procedures and policies.

TIGTA also found weaknesses in IRS’ post-award controls such as contract file documentation, security compliance reviews, contractor exclusion reviews, appointment letters of contract officers’ representatives and contract administration plans.

“It is critical that the IRS clarify information technology security risks and enforce appropriate controls with its contract review process to ensure compliance with all applicable policy and guidance for information technology contracts,” said J. Russell George, inspector general for tax administration at the Treasury Department.

TIGTA recommended that the IRS’ chief technology officer and chief procurement officer should facilitate updates to policies in an effort to offer guidance for the Security Compliance Review Checklist certification process.

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GAO Unveils New Mobile App to Aid Upcoming Presidential and Congressional Transitions
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GAO Unveils New Mobile App to Aid Upcoming Presidential and Congressional Transitions


mobile appThe Government Accountability Office has introduced a mobile application designed to help users access GAO’s priority recommendations for government operations management in support of the upcoming presidential and congressional transitions.

Gene Dodaro, U.S. comptroller general and GAO leader, said Thursday the app is designed to directly lay out lists of major changes necessary during the transition phase and allow users to navigate agency reports.

“GAO has organized its work to help President-elect Donald Trump and the next Congress tackle critical challenges facing the nation, fix agency-specific problems, and scrutinize government areas with the potential for large savings,” Dodaro added.

The app, which is now available on the App Store and Google Play, also direct users to newly established congressional and presidential transition web pages that offers GAO resources that officials can use to set priorities and implement reforms.

GAO noted that the transition web pages also features a management agenda, the agency’s high risk list and information on key national challenges the U.S. faces.

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Report: US Defense Contractors to See Continued Rise in Foreign Weapons Sales Under Next Administration
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Report: US Defense Contractors to See Continued Rise in Foreign Weapons Sales Under Next Administration


chart moneyAnalysts say U.S. defense contractors should expect a continued rise in arms exports following Donald Trump’s victory Wednesday in the U.S. presidential election, Reuters reported Wednesday.

Mike Stone and Patricia Zengerle wrote analysts have said they think Trump would continue to support the supply of U.S. weapons systems to allied countries to help them develop their defense capabilities despite his call for international partners in East Asia and Europe to shell out more funds for their own defense.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on Tuesday that the U.S. posted $33.6 billion in total foreign military sales for fiscal year 2016.

Reuters also reported that stocks of major defense firms such as Raytheon, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman hit record highs on Wednesday as investors turned bullish on expectations of increased defense spending under Trump’s administration.

Executive Mosaic’s GovCon Index rose 5 percent for a record one-day gain and closing value Wednesday as investors bet on possible increase in defense outlays under the incoming administration.

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Mary Davie: GSA, OMB, DoD Offer Software Category Mgmt Support for Agencies
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Mary Davie: GSA, OMB, DoD Offer Software Category Mgmt Support for Agencies


Mary Davie
Mary Davie

The General Services Administration, Office of Management and Budget and Defense Department have begun to co-host information sharing and collaboration sessions to provide software category management assistance to agency software license managers.

Mary Davie, assistant commissioner of the integrated technology service office at GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, wrote in a blog entry posted Wednesday the Enterprise Software Category Team — comprised of GSA, OMB and DoD-Enterprise Software Initiative — supports agencies’ efforts to implement the Making Electronic Government Accountable by Yielding Tangible Efficiencies Act.

She said the MEGABYTE Act directs agency chief information officers to manage their information technology infrastructure and conduct software category management in efforts to achieve savings that can be re-invested in IT modernization projects.

GSA’s IT Software Category team works with industry and government professionals in enterprise software licensing, software asset management, strategic sourcing and category management to help agencies meet MEGABYTE requirements, according to Davie.

She added ESCT hosts meetings where software license managers from 24 Chief Financial Officer Council agencies discuss progress in savings; software centralization; strategic vendor management; and software inventory data collection.

The team has facilitated nine sessions with representatives from 28 separate agencies which led to the creation of tools and templates designed to aid vendor management planning, software centralization, cost savings analysis and automated software asset management, Davie wrote.

CBO: Senate’s FY 2017 Intell Authorization Bill’s Unclassified Provisions to Cost $888M Through 2021
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CBO: Senate’s FY 2017 Intell Authorization Bill’s Unclassified Provisions to Cost $888M Through 2021


BudgetA new Congressional Budget Office report says the implementation of unclassified programs under the Senate’s Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 would cost the federal government approximately $888 million over five years.

CBO said in a report published Tuesday the proposed bill would lead to the application of pay-as-you-go procedures since its enactment would affect revenues and direct spending.

According to the report, the proposed legislation would authorize $569 million in FY 2017 appropriations for the Intelligence Community Management Account and $514 million for the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System.

Other unclassified provisions of the legislation include the creation of the Critical Infrastructure Program, registration of agencies’ national security systems with the National Security Agency and establishment of higher pay rates for science, technology, engineering and math-related positions, according to the congressional budget watchdog.

CBO noted that the bill also would not affect local, state and tribal government budgets and would not result in on-budget deficit growth “in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.”

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Pentagon Begins Transition Process Following Donald Trump’s Win
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Pentagon Begins Transition Process Following Donald Trump’s Win


PentagonThe Defense Department has kicked off the transition process with the incoming administration a day after Donald Trump won the elections, Military Times reported Wednesday.

Leo Shane writes transition teams who work for president-elect Donald Trump have started to develop plans to assume operations at various federal departments 68 days before the inauguration day.

“We’re ready today to transition on big programs, on the budget, on the way forward,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus was quoted as saying last month during a panel discussion with other defense officials.

Army Secretary Eric Fanning also said his team spent developed briefings for weeks to help the next president’s advisers begin their work, according to the report.

Fanning added that the goal is to help fulfill the requirements of those teams and address priority issues and budgets, Shane reports.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James added that priorities include a review of threats faced by the nation and efforts to maintain overseas operations, according to Military Times.

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Military Times: Jeff Sessions, Mike Flynn Among Top Defense Secretary Candidates for Trump Administration
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Military Times: Jeff Sessions, Mike Flynn Among Top Defense Secretary Candidates for Trump Administration


PentagonSen. Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) and former Defense Intelligence Agency Mike Flynn are among the top candidates for president-elect Donald Trump’s appointee as defense secretary, Military Times reported Wednesday.

Leo Shane, Aaron Mehta and Joe Gould write that Trump, who will select personnel to serve under national security posts next year, received advice from both Sessions and Flynn during the new president-elect’s campaign.

The report noted that Trump has previously hinted at a defense job for Flynn despite the latter’s ineligibility to serve as head of the Pentagon due to his prior military service and a waiver from Congress could permit the former DIA chief to take over the defense secretary role.

Other potential candidates include Stephen Hadley, former national security adviser of George W. Bush, and Sen. James Talent (R-Missouri).

Military Times lists Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Alabama), Duncan Hunter (R-California) and Randy Forbes (R-Virginia) may be appointed for lower-level defense roles.

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GAO Urges DoD to Give Congress Details on Budget Neutrality Conclusion
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GAO Urges DoD to Give Congress Details on Budget Neutrality Conclusion


budget analysis reviewThe Government Accountability Office has recommended the Defense Department provide Congress with information that will support the Pentagon’s claim on why the DoD cannot achieve budget neutrality.

A GAO report published Wednesday includes ideas for the development of a strategy to attain alternative reductions to appropriations as well as the identification of specific metrics for customer satisfaction, product quality and savings.

DoD said in a May 2016 report on commissaries and exchanges that the department cannot achieve budget neutrality but the report did not cover cost assumptions, estimates or other specific details on trade-offs or limitations that prevent budget neutrality.

GAO noted that DoD officials have projected the department to save $2 billion from fiscal years 2017 to 2021 but no strategies have been developed to help meet the estimated cost savings.

Auditor also found out that the DoD did not establish specific metrics to assess the three mandated benchmarks discussed on the report including customer satisfaction, product quality and patron savings.

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Air Force Picks 305 Airmen for RPA Pilot Selection Board Process
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Air Force Picks 305 Airmen for RPA Pilot Selection Board Process


Air Force logoThe U.S. Air Force has selected 305 active-duty personnel to proceed with a selection process to identify the next enlisted batch that will attend remotely piloted aircraft training.

The service branch said Wednesday the Enlisted Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot Selection Board is part of an effort to boost the Air Force’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission.

Airmen that were selected for the next phase responded to the call for nominations in July and achieved qualifying scores for the Air Force Enlisted or Officer Pilot Qualifying Test and basic aviation skills test, the Air Force added.

The service branch also considered candidates’ flying hours, assignment limitation, availability codes and retainability.

The Air Force Personnel Center received more than 800 applications for the RPA pilot training which necessitated a phased approach that produced the initial list of potential board candidates.

The selection board will meet on Feb. 6-Feb. 9, 2017 and release results later that month.

VA, SSA Launch Medical Records Sharing Initiative; David Shulkin Comments
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VA, SSA Launch Medical Records Sharing Initiative; David Shulkin Comments


health infosecThe Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration have jointly introduced a new initiative that aims to help the VA share electronic medical records with Social Security disability processors.

The new health IT initiative’s goal is implement an automated process to obtain veterans’ medical records through electronic means, VA said Wednesday.

SSA works to access nearly 15 million medical records from healthcare organizations every year to process nearly 3 million disability claims.

“VA’s partnership with Social Security will ultimately improve the quality of life for veterans and their dependents by enabling veterans to share their health information within a safe and secure health-related consumer application,” said David Shulkin, VA health undersecretary.

The partnership uses VA’s VLER Health Exchange under the Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record Program to help the VA and participating community providers search for veterans’ health information from each other for treatment.

VLER Health Exchange currently shares health information with more than 79 community healthcare partners.

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