IT Contracting
Tech under OneGov remains ‘fully available’ during shutdown — but agencies may lack funds and personnel to access it
Some of the advanced software tools made available to federal agencies as part of the OneGov initiative are available for a limited time with impending expirations.
Government pacing toward increased IT contract spending despite DOGE cuts
A new administration and new priorities haven’t slowed the federal government’s spend on IT.
Advocacy groups ask OMB to axe Grok AI procurement
Citing vulnerabilities and biased outputs in the program, multiple advocacy organizations and nonprofits signed a letter to the Office of Management and Budget asking it to bar Elon Musk’s Grok from federal workflows.
GSA introduces USAi.Gov to streamline AI adoption across government
The new platform will be available to all agencies beginning Thursday, allowing government users to explore, experiment with and adopt a variety of AI tools.
OpenAI to give federal agencies ChatGPT access at $1 per year
The General Services Administration signs this new OneGov pact to help agencies adopt advanced artificial intelligence tools as part of the Trump administration’s push for AI leadership.
DOGE now has approval authority for defense IT, consulting contracts
A new memo from the Defense Department's acquisition leader spells out what agencies and components have to inform the Department of Government Efficiency before proceeding on certain contracts.
Contractors face greater scrutiny from anti-DEI executive orders
President Trump’s actions come with enforcement provisions that encourage employees to report on their companies.
OPM awards $149M cyber, network operations support contract
The Office of Personnel Management wants to more heavily lean on cloud-based technologies and a zero trust approach.
House passes agency software licensing bill
Saving on software licensing appears to also be on the radar of the new DOGE caucus.
GSA plans new federal employee travel system with $930M IBM contract
The General Services Administration expects 124 civilian agencies to transition to the new system by June 2027.
FBI’s Carahsoft raid comes amid allegations of price-fixing
The leading IT reseller is in the middle of an ongoing False Claims Act case involving multiple vendors.
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FBI raids government IT and cyber contractor Carahsoft
The FBI confirmed the raid but declined to provide further details.
Generative AI’s fleet-footed evolution is causing quandaries for federal acquisition
Government leaders and federal contractors said the rapid development of generative AI makes it difficult for agencies to determine what types of tools it needs.
Senators look to mitigate risks in AI procurement
Sens. Gary Peters and Thom Tilis introduced new legislation that would codify safety measures in government contracts for artificial intelligence products and services.
Senators call for VA to tighten performance standards in new health records contract
Three lawmakers on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee are calling for the department to “add accountability and oversight provisions” in a renegotiated one-year contract with Oracle Cerner.
HHS removed Login from its grantee payment system after funding theft
Hackers used data from a federal contracting hub to steal funding from seven grantee organizations in an HHS breach that occurred last year. Both HHS and GSA say that Login.gov was not compromised or connected to the theft.
VA budget bill maintains EHR funding but imposes additional ‘reset’ oversight
The bipartisan FY24 budget package allocates over $1.3 billion for the agency’s new electronic health record system but makes 25% of that funding contingent on enhanced transparency around VA’s ongoing EHR “program reset.”
SSA taps White House tech official for CIO post
Marcela Escobar-Alava will be starting as the CIO of the Social Security Administration on Monday.
Proposed contractor cyber reporting rule sets a ‘significantly problematic’ bar, industry groups say
The groups, which represent tech and cybersecurity companies sometimes contracted by the government, say the proposals are too rigorous and inconsistent.
Experts warn that OMB’s AI guidance could slow federal adoption of the emerging tech
Commentators say proposed definitions of “rights-impacting” and “safety-impacting” use cases could wind up saddling low-impact AI programs up with high-impact controls.
