CIO Council Issues State of IT Report
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) Council has released a “State of IT” report, a 155-page document investigating the challenges of information technology within the federal government. Acquisition and contracts management is one of the six policy areas explored in the report, with much of the emphasis on speeding up the process and making it more responsive to needs. “[C]urrent acquisition processes do not necessarily incentivize the use of agile or other innovative and modern information technology development and purchasing practices,” states the report. “The slowness, limitations, and uncertainties of the acquisition process were frequently cited during CIO interviews as major challenges in purchasing IT.”
Rep. Chaffetz Identifies Acquisition as Top Priority for House Oversight Committee
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, presented his agenda for the committee yesterday, highlighting reform of the civil service, addressing acquisition and procurement challenges, and modernizing IT systems. Chaffetz called the current climate a “great opportunity” to address “literally hundreds of billions of dollars” spent through federal acquisition. Chaffetz said he hoped to revive past efforts to create a funding mechanism for IT modernization.
New Mexico Introduces Legislation to Set-Aside Contracts for In-State Businesses
Two New Mexico lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require executive agencies to set aside a third of contract for qualified New Mexico firms, claiming around 80% of state contracts now go to out-of-state businesses. The measure wouldn’t change state code, but would require agencies to report annually on their efforts to meet the goal. Larry Maxwell, the state’s CPO, said the bill may need to clarify that a business’s owner must live in New Mexico, since many large companies qualify as in-state firms because they own property in the state and pay state taxes.
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