Weekly Round-up: March 21, 2014

John Kamensky

• New Acquisition Chief for Federal Government.  Mark Rothwell, Federal Computer Week, reports that GSA’s Anne Rung will replace the departed Joe Jordan as the next Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget.
• FOIA Meets National Sunshine Week. Two stories report complaints about the Freedom of Information Act.  In the first, Josh Hicks, Washington Post, reports: “The Center for Effective Government handed out failing grades to seven of the 15 agencies it examined for its annual government transparency report card, which the group released Monday.” And the second, by Jason Miller, Federal News Radio, reports that agency FOIA officers are unhappy with pending proposed legislation to amend FOIA because it “focuses too much on the end of the process and the consumer of the information.”  They say they need more resources, not more requirements, to be effective.
• How Twitter Tracks the Flu.  Clara Ritger, NextGov, reports “New research suggests Twitter—the social-media site best known for spot news and cat GIFs—can also be used to pinpoint flu outbreaks. . . . A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University and George Washington University found that tweets are an accurate predictor of where cases of the flu are highly concentrated.”  

Michael Keegan

GSA launches 'digital incubator'
The agency's new 18F program is intended to work like a tech startup aimed at helping build federal Web services.

Climate is highlight of latest open-data play
The aggregation of climate info and tools is designed to help foster application development and entrepreneurial opportunities.

Why maps matter
With new technologies and an explosion of geodata, more and more agencies are mapping to make sense of their missions:
- State Department: Mapping the humanitarian crisis in Syria
- EPA: Using maps to make sense of water pollution data
- NGA: Seeking full immersion in geospatial data

NOAA budget boost focused on data
The largest request for NOAA's five offices is the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, which would get an increase of about $165 million over fiscal 2014.

Health Industry: Premiums will rise: 
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has said rates would Increase more slowly in the past, but insurance officials called that prediction "shortsighted." One said his company expects to triple its rates on the Obamacare exchange next year, based largely on the low number of young people who have signed up. 

The Business of Government Radio Show: Conversations with Authors: David C. Wyld

The Business of Government Hour features a conversation about management with a government executive who is changing the way government.

What is meant by the concept of tail spend? How can government executives best address tail spend management; and what are better ways to manage the long tail of acquisition spending in public sector agencies? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and the IBM Center report, Controlling Federal Spending by Managing the Long Tail of Procurement with David Wyld.

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

If you can't wait, though, you can listen to (or download) this week's program and all our previous interviews at businessofgovernment.org and by searching our audio archives.