Mark Forman

How Federal Agencies Can Enhance Their RSS Feeds For Free

By

The federal agency responsible for thousands of international radio and television broadcasts is using Google Currents, a free tool that potentially could be the blueprint for every federal agency distributing RSS feeds to big audiences.

The Broadcasting Board of Governors — which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio and TV Marti, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks — launched the Google Currents platform last October to disseminate its content easily and swiftly to its weekly audience of 175 million in 59 languages. Keep reading →

 /  Published January 10, 2013 at 7:00 AM

Data.gov Expands Federal Communities, Global Impact

By

As open government gains favor and reaps benefits for the federal workforce and citizens, Data.gov continues to build a Google-style universe based on the concept and expand its mission globally.

From launching new virtual communities to gather data on pertinent subjects and partnering with city governments to offering a free open source version of its data portal internationally, Data.gov’s reach continues to grow beyond it’s Washington roots. Keep reading →

 /  Published September 26, 2012 at 7:00 AM

AOL Government Celebrates First Anniversary

By


It was a year ago this afternoon, when the pages of a new website called Breaking Gov began propagating across the Internet, offering a fresh perspective on the business of government.

As we pause briefly to celebrate our first anniversary, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank the growing number of readers who have discovered Breaking Gov’s distinctive brand of coverage. Keep reading →

 /  Published July 12, 2012 at 4:00 PM

Analysts Applaud Next Step In President’s Digital Efforts

By

The federal digital strategy released today is the next step in President Barack Obama’s effort to streamline and improve government services through mobile and web-based technologies and solidifies many efforts already under way.

Analysts mostly applauded the strategy, saying it provides specific, measurable goals, demonstrates a commitment to transforming the use of technology to better serve citizens, requires the use of analytics to enable more responsive government and builds security into to the federal digital architecture. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 23, 2012 at 4:43 PM

‘Do Not Pay’ Site: Value Will Depend On Changing Behavior

By

COMMENTARY:

It’s hard to fault the Administration for wanting to make a big splash with it’s new “Do Not Pay” website, aimed at trying to reduce the federal government’s decades old challenge in reducing duplicative and improper payments. Keep reading →

Post a comment  /   /  Published April 16, 2012 at 11:10 AM

White House Proposes Modest Trim In 2013 Federal IT Spending

By

Federal spending on information technology is scheduled to decrease by 1.2%, or about $586 million, in the next fiscal year, according to the president’s fiscal year 2013 budget, with most of the reduction coming from cuts in the Department of Defense. Keep reading →

 /  Published February 13, 2012 at 6:16 PM

Vivek Kundra Missing The Mark Again? | Commentary

By


I got the announcement a couple days ago that Vivek Kundra is joining Salesforce.com as executive vice president of emerging markets, and the invitation to be first to post a comment.

Mark Amtower beat me to it and he was right to the point: “Is Salesforce.com part of that “IT Cartel” that Vivek warned us about?” Keep reading →

 /  Published January 17, 2012 at 5:06 PM

Feds Working to Prune Their Online Auction Sites

By

Dozens of online federal auctions have come under scrutiny after President Obama’s executive order calling for web site consolidations and cuts in a massive online system that now results in confusion and massive duplication.

The auctions, designed to offload excess government property, currently offer no easy way for consumers and businesses to find the best deal. You can find similar wares on many different government websites, and there’s no roadmap to help the public find their way. Keep reading →

 /  Published December 21, 2011 at 10:30 AM

Appropriators, Not Just OMB, Contribute To GAO’s Finding On IT Overspending

By

I got a chance to look through the Government Accountability Office’s latest report recommending that the Office of Management and Budget “needs to improve its guidance on IT investments” in government.

No doubt, the biggest underlying issue driving over investment in federal information technology is redundancy in government. Keep reading →

 /  Published October 31, 2011 at 5:44 PM

OMB Method For Tracking Federal IT Costs Leads To Overspending Says GAO Audit

By

Federal government efforts to identify and track federal information technology investments remain insufficient to curtail duplicative spending, according to the latest in a series of a reports released by the Government Accountability Office critical of government IT spending practices.

The GAO report, released Oct. 27, took primary aim at the the White House Office of Management and Budget, and the way it categorizes and tracks IT investments, citing a number of principle shortcomings, although those familiar with OMB’s operating levers note the problem goes beyond OMB. Keep reading →

 /  Published October 31, 2011 at 5:05 PM
Page 1 of 212