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//]]>// >By John K. Higgins
Jan 29, 2021 4:00 AM PT
The incoming presidential administration has proposed a stunning increase in support of federal investments in high technology. As part of the administration s plan to deal with the economic impact of COVID-19, the Biden proposal includes $10 billion for various federal information technology programs.
The single most visible component of the plan is a proposal to allocate $9 billion for the federal Technology Modernization Fund (TMF). The fund was created by the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017, and provides an innovative funding vehicle that gives agencies additional ways to deliver services to the American public more quickly, better secure sensitive systems and data, and use taxpayer dollars more efficiently, according to the General Services Administration (GSA). Projects approved for support from the fund receive incremental funding and technical expertise to ensure project success.
Government Executive
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The administration needs a strategy that empowers employees and helps agencies deliver on their missions. Matthew T. Cornelius |
Executive Director, Alliance for Digital Innovation
We’re approaching an anniversary nobody wants to celebrate a year of COVID-related lockdowns and forced remote work for millions of employees. While bumpy in the early weeks, the majority of organizations have survived some have thrived during total telework.
Studies show productivity is up and communication has improved. Many employees have grown accustomed to working from home and aren’t likely to go back into the office full-time even after vaccines are widely administered. These findings are especially true for the civilian federal employees and contractors that make up the vast majority of the government workforce.
Several industry groups sent a letter to lawmakers last week urging them to include $10 billion for cybersecurity in the next coronavirus relief bill, however congressional backers of a tech push in the relief bill say that Senate opposition makes a big push unlikely to pass.