Weekly Roundup: February 6 - 10, 2017

Ethical Hacking.  Federal News Radio reports: “The federal market for “white hat” hackers continues to grow. Not only are ethical security burglars popular in the Defense Department, but now the General Services Administration’s Technology Transformation Service (TTS) is setting up a bug bounty program.”

Sentiment Analysis of Potential Threats. FedScoop writes: “The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has been building a suite of software to assess the likelihood its employees could leak classified information, harm someone in the workplace or harm themselves. And now it’s planning to try a tool that “looks for emotion” by analyzing text in emails, work chats, social media and more.”

Reg Policy in Operation. Government Executive reports: “The Trump administration has issued a set of strict rules governing how federal agencies can offset costs as part of the president’s new regulatory reform policy, though it allowed some broad carve-outs and exempted an entire swath of offices. . . . In new guidance, the Office of Management and Budget instructed agencies that Trump’s one in, two out policy would not require they repeal regulations outright to meet new demands.”

What Reg Policy Covers/Doesn’t Cover. Federal Times writes: “The Trump administration’s Feb. 7 guidance for its “one-in, two-out” regulation executive order detailed how agencies can apply the measure to pursue cost offsets and savings between now and the end of the fiscal year.”  It describes what’s in, what’s out, and what can be waived.

Siri for Services.  NextGov reports: “Americans might be happier with government services if they had a virtual guide to walk them through the process. . . . Chatbots and voice-controlled assistants like Alexa and Siri are increasingly common in the private sector, but haven't quite penetrated the federal market yet. But about 85 percent of citizens say those digital helpers would be useful, according to a recent Accenture Federal Services survey.”

AI A-OK. Similarly, Federal Times reports: “Citizens would embrace federally offered digital assistants, according to an Accenture Federal Services survey conducted by McGuire Research Services Inc. . . . More than 60 percent of respondents cited 24/7 service, enhanced efficiency and better navigation as the foremost benefits that could be provided by agencies implementing AI technology.”

Civil Service Reform Hearings on Hill.  According to Federal News Radio: “The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ federal workforce subcommittee is on a fact-finding mission this year — with the intent of finding new ideas to modernize the civil service. . . . It was the first of several hearings the subcommittee has planned this year to examine federal hiring, discipline and performance management.”

Category Management Is a “Go.”  According to FedScoop:  “Early conversations suggest President Donald Trump will look to sustain the progress the previous administration made using category management to drive IT savings, a senior acquisition official said Wednesday. . . . Trump’s White House is looking at IT risk management beyond the obvious cybersecurity concerns, and category management plays role on the acquisition side of that . . . “

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This Week’s The Business of Government Radio Show.  What are the strategic priorities for GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service? How has category management benefited federal acquisition? What is the Making it Easier (MIE) initiative? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these and so much more with Kevin Youel Page, Deputy Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service, at GSA.

Broadcast Schedule: The show airs Monday at 11 a.m., and Friday at 1 p.m. on Federal News Radio 1500AM WFED.