Money talks – and BS walks. We’re about to separate the men from the boys in Federal cloud. Yes, we’re rolling into busy season – when agencies use it or lose it. […]

Agency CIOs QB Fed IT – or do they? That’s FITARA’s goal – to improve Fed IT performance by ensuring CIOs are the only QB on the Fed IT field. So, isn’t it ironic that, like the Redskins, DC’s IT franchise is plagued by ownership and QB problems? […]

Never let a good crisis go to waste. The OPM breach – and the subsequent Cyber Sprint – may be just the jolt we need to euthanize our geriatric Fed IT. […]

Asked about the best way to deal with the Y2K problem, an IT consultant quipped, let’s find the fella that fixed Y1K – and get him back on the job. It wasn’t Methuselah magic that mended the millennium madness, it was good old fashioned auditing and a commitment to Enterprise Architecture. […]

If you thought Fed CIOs’ dance cards were full with the cyber cha-cha, cloud can-can, and data center duck walk – it’s time to make room for some new moves. Here comes the FITARA Fandango. […]

I’m all for shaking up Fed IT. So, when Dan Tangherlini launched 18F, GSA’s internal innovation hub, he grabbed my attention. More than a year later, seemed like a good time to check in on GSA’s geek squad. The question, is the 18F experiment working – Fairytale or Frankenstein? I decided to ask around – […]

Smokey the Bear says, “Only you can prevent wildfires.” Today, that wildfire is the OPM breach. Yesterday it was IRS. The day before that, it was Snowden. […]

Not sure if he’s a coffee or tea drinker, but I do know Tony Scott’s joining us for breakfast this Wednesday at the Cloud Computing Brainstorm at the Newseum. The Federal CIO will set the table for the half-day cloud chow down with his morning keynote address. […]

Action packed this week. FedRAMP mass confusion. Capitol opportunity to get serious about FITARA. […]

Forget tuning in for the Indianapolis 500 this weekend. All eyes trained on the Great FedRAMP CSP Acquisition 500 right now. Smaller companies that pioneered the FedRAMP approval process are selling quicker than Express Lane traffic on the Beltway. […]

ne of the three White House IT priorities called out in the 2016 budget request, Digital Services may be the first IT casualty of partisan politics. A series of agencies have reported that their 2016 budget pass backs include a big goose egg in funding for Digital Services. […]

Chances of snow – remote. But, this week was Cloud Christmas for agencies focused on IT transformation. Like a silicon Santa, Congressman Gerry Connolly unwrapped the Cloud Computing Caucus Advisory Group annual report, “Don’t Be a Box Hugger,” on the Hill on Monday. Based on interviews with CIOs and CFOs, Box Hugger divides agencies into […]

Considering we’re getting down to the dog days of the administration – and CIOs are jumping overboard quicker than you can say FITARA – these are surprisingly heady times in government IT. We’ve got a new tech-savvy leader on the Hill in Congressman Will Hurd (R-Tx). […]

What’ll it be – Cup of IT, beer, or shirley temple? MeriTalk’s sister organizations, O’Keeffe & Company and 300Brand, are celebrating 18 years in business. […]

Thinking about inking? Quick march to the parlor. Last week, the Army relaxed its restrictions on tattoos. Used to be you couldn’t have more than four tats below the knee or elbow – and no body art could be bigger than a soldier’s hand. […]

Atkins Diet. Metabolism Miracle. Fen Phen. The 25-Point Plan. There’s no shortage of gorgeous slim-and-trim gimmicks. GAO tells us that IT cholesterol is rising – Uncle Sam now spends 80 percent of the $86.4 billion on legacy IT. […]

It’s not the circus. Is that what you thought? Apologies to Cecil B. DeMille. Cyber’s all the rage. Feds can’t get enough. It touches everything – data, networks, mobile, data centers. Feds are throwing money at security. Is it enough? Don’t think so. But don’t take my word. Take it from someone who was on […]

Once in a while, it’s good to revisit and reconsider from a distance. It’s just over two years since then-unknown Alexandria-based cyber security company, Mandiant vaulted into the media spotlight. […]

How did a wannabee Scott Fitzgerald in college become a middle-aged man fascinated by government audits?  Now that’s a question I frequently ask my reflection in the mirror while shaving.  But, fascinated I am. As if it’s not enough to ingest GAO APBs, I recently found myself fascinated by a new analysis of the last […]

True to their word, Terry Halvorsen and Major General Alan Lynn released milCloud pricing on Friday. Here’s the chance for industry to see the competitor’s price card. Some observations. […]

The 2016 budget’s out – read six pages in the Analytic Perspective to get smart on what’s important in Fed IT. If you won’t do the homework, this cup’s a must-read. We did the reading so you don’t have to. […]

With the snow, don’t want you getting frostbite reading this pour on your mobile. Three short pours. Caution, the beverage you are about to enjoy is extremely hot. […]

Is DoD marching in double time to the cloud – or MIA on modernization? That’s the question that caused companies to close ranks at last week’s DoD industry day at the Commerce Department. […]

At last, someone that knows what they’re doing.  That’s the hopeful refrain from Federal IT and industry folks after the White House announced Tony Scott as the new Federal CIO.  You can tune in on Tech Tony’s Titan Talent here.  But, I’m pouring a cupful of the one thing nobody asks for – advice.  Five points to consider: Less is More […]

In Fed IT, it’s AFE. Don’t recognize that TLA – Three Letter Acronym? It’s Acronyms For Everything. As the elephants and donkeys charge and kick one another over the 3Is – Immigration, Iran, and Israel – there’s one acronym on which they find common ground – FITARA. […]

This one’s less of a Cup of IT – more like Texas tea, black gold, oil that is. Based on my citizenship exam, three things enshrined in the constitution – freedom of speech, right to bear arms, access to cheap gas. […]

If Uncle Sam has a New Year’s resolution, maybe he should stop chewing his digits? No, I’m not talking about nail biting, I’m talking about digital natives. […]

What does everybody in Federal IT want for the holidays this year? Answers to five FedRAMP questions: […]

Halloween is safely in the rear view mirror – but Uncle Sam’s still wracked by IT nightmares. App glutony’s front and center as we head to Thanksgiving – and a new MeriTalk study, the App Gap, showcases agencies’ eating disorders. […]

Looking for a recipe for success this turkey day – and a heaped helping of hilarity?  Look no further than our Fed IT gourmets’ take on bad lip reading – That’s How You Cook a Bird.  Key ingredients – hint of Halvorsen, pinch of Palmer, Barloon broil, Rudnicki roast, butter goes on top. Now that’s funny… Enjoy the holiday with your family. […]