A broken budget system casts a dark shadow over federal spending.

ERIC KATZ | 778 views

The federal budgeting process is broken. Former lawmakers and budget office leaders know it, current negotiators on Capitol Hill know it, a whole slew of good government groups know it and perhaps most of all, federal agencies know it. Under a process established in 1974, the president submits a budget proposal to Congress in February and the House and Senate each pass their respective blueprints in April. They go to conference, set the top-line spending levels, and the appropriations committees delegate that money to agencies in 12 separate bills before the annual August recess.

Spotlight

GroundWork Renewables, Inc.

GroundWork specializes in the design, installation and maintenance of solar monitoring stations for utility-scale solar power plant developers and owner/operators. These on-site solar meteorological stations can greatly improve the bankability of a project in the development cycle, and meet ISO and other regulatory requirements in the plant environment for performance evaluation and forecasting.

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Government Business, Government Finance

Designing a Consistent and Accessible Digital Government

Article | July 12, 2022

It can be challenging to connect government services to Californians who need them most. With a population of nearly 40 million people, the state’s residents have a wide range of experiences, abilities, education, and technical literacy. The California Design System is a collaborative effort between the California Department of Technology and the Office of Digital Innovation to help web developers and designers address common needs to make digital information and services easier to use. The Design System is an open source project and is in early beta status. Currently in use on websites for the Department of Cannabis Control, California Drought Action, California’s COVID-19 website, and the Broadband for All portal, we invite collaboration and feedback so we can incorporate new design system components into the existing state template. The California Design System will help build websites and products that put people first and also look great. Whether you’re an individual developer, product owner, web designer or a public employee, we invite you to get involved and help us make improvements. Reach out to the Design System team through our contact form on the home page, or work through the GitHub repository. This collaborative effort is another example of how state government is innovating to improve state websites and better serve the people of California.

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Government Business

Why Does the Government Around The World Appear to Adopt the Blockchain?

Article | July 11, 2022

Blockchain has started to take off. It is now seen as an important part of development. More and more countries and governments are optimistic about joining the race of leveraging blockchain to commence different projects. It can be used in process optimization, cybersecurity, or integrating connected devices. This distributed ledger format is intended to support both public and government sectors, concluding, identity management, digital currency, payments, health care, land registration, voting, and management of legal entities. Need For Blockchain in Government Sector To provide maximum governance, the government must transform itself digitally from both intra-departmental and interdepartmental perspectives. As different departments run on different disjoint technologies, it leads to the concern of data consistency and data integrity. Due to which it becomes highly essential to incorporate multiple digital identities based on citizens in each department to make cross-referencing an easier task. And this is what Blockchain is for and should be used by the government. Moreover, all over the world, banks are turning towards blockchain technology as a support for their complicated economy. They are going to utilize blockchain for issuing digital currencies. That’s the reason why the central banks of Russia, Japan, Britain, China, and the US are planning to meet and explore digital potential before launching CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency). Advantages Of Blockchain By using Blockchain, governments can acquire several benefits. Some of which are: 1. Data Protection Personal data has always been higher risk in the unique ids saved by the government. Crucial details have sometimes been open to public records leading to data breach attacks. With the use of blockchain, these intensities can be easily avoided as the blocks are secured from cyber attacks. 2. Transparency It has been found that citizens have low trust in government bodies due to the unawareness of the reason behind their decisions. However, blockchain tends to remove the barrier of secrecy by creating a distributed network that enables participants to verify data that led to the decision. 3. Reduced Corruption Every public service department has at least one corrupt officer. So the government is taking measures to remove such personals which indeed is not possible due to other corrupt officials. However, with the inclusion of the Blockchain system, the mediator link will be terminated from the government system leading to the dumping of the corrupted officials. Final Thoughts One of the most intimidating things about blockchain is the absence of regulatory bodies that can cause any theft or scams. For a modern digital world, blockchain resembles a key-tool for securing digital records, developing economic transition, budgeting, and so much more. Companies that want to establish themselves as the pioneer in the upcoming blockchain revolution should also hire developers to develop their own blockchain-based apps or platforms for secured transactions.

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Emerging Technology, Government Business

Creating Public Value using the AI-Driven Internet of Things

Article | October 7, 2022

Government agencies seek to deliver quality services in increasingly dynamic and complex environments. However, outdated infrastructures—and a shortage of sys­tems that collect and use massive real-time data—make it challenging for the agencies to fulfill their missions. Governments have a tremendous opportunity to transform public services using the “Internet of Things” (IoT) to provide situation-specific and real-time data, which can improve decision-making and optimize operational effectiveness.

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Billions in funding from COVID relief programs now flowing to state, local governments

Article | July 3, 2020

The CARES ACT (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) passed by Congress created a sprawling, multi-faceted plan to combat COVID-19 and its debilitating effects on the U.S. economy. Signed into law in March, the $2 trillion relief package allocated funding for preserving jobs, backfilling government budgets, helping school districts, providing assistance for the unemployed and establishing grant programs for various industry sectors such as transportation and telecommunications. There are murmurs of a second stimulus bill which could be debated as soon as July, with the president on July 2 expressing his support for one. But, billions of dollars remain in the CARES Act funding for numerous programs. Much of that funding has reached recipients already, and more should start flowing at any time. All parties and stakeholders are eager, of course, for the funding to reach governmental entities. CARES Act funding programs include the following examples. The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER, program was established with approximately $13.2 billion. This funding is designated for public school districts through an application process that has oversight from each state’s centralized education agency. Texas school districts received $1.29 billion through the program, just behind the state of California, which received the highest allotment at $1.6 billion. Other states receiving a larger share of ESSER funding are New York ($1.03 billion), Florida ($770 million), Illinois ($569 million), and Georgia ($457 million). The program requires that at least 90 percent of the grant funding must be awarded to schools that received Title I, Part A funding during the 2019-20 school year. That stipulation will result in only school systems with a high number of students from low-income families being eligible for the bulk of the revenue. Applications are to be submitted to the state education agency for review and approval. However, decisions about how the funding is used are to be made by local officials in the school districts. Another part of the CARES Act provides billions more in funding for airports. The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) offers $10 billion in distributions through grants for capital projects. This revenue can also be used to fill funding gaps in fiscal year 2020 budgets, since airport systems throughout the nation sustained such heavy losses as a result of the pandemic. Previously, the grants required a local funding match, but the CARES Act increased the federal share to 100 percent. The AIP program allocates $7.4 billion for commercial airports that serve more than 10,000 passengers annually. Another $2 billion is set aside for commercial airports and general aviation airports. Looking at the listed intended uses of these funds, it appears that many airports will have thousands of upcoming contracting opportunities. Millions will be spent on projects to extend and/or rehabilitate runways. Other airports plan to install new lighting, expand terminals, purchase additional safety equipment, reconfigure taxiways, conduct studies, and develop planning documents for future expansion. Cities and counties are most eager to participate in the $5 billion in funding available for local government programs and projects through the Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, program. This funding is intended for local governmental officials to use for corridor redevelopment, economic development initiatives and other projects. Every state received funding and some of the larger allocations were designated for Texas ($63.4 million), California ($113 million), Florida ($63 million), and New York ($70.5 million). The U.S. Economic Development Organization continues to accept applications for projects that reinvigorate regional economic recovery, with $1.5 billion earmarked in the CARES Act for the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program. Through grants for projects that “leverage existing regional assets,” this program is designed to support economic development within distressed communities. Funding is available to states, counties, universities, and regional planning organizations, as well as for public-private partnerships. Examples of funding allocated through the program include the award of a $400,000 in grant to the Kennebac Valley Council of Governments in Maine to update its economic development plans and provide COVID-19 services. In Texas, the Concho Valley Council of Governments in San Angelo received a $2.2 million grant to purchase a building for its regional headquarters. The city of Odessa is using $927,708 in CDBG grant money for several social services programs and to supplement local nonprofits’ efforts during the pandemic. And the city of Lewisville recently received $5.8 million in CARES Act money, which includes $452,305 in CDBG grants. The Federal Transit Administration is distributing $25 billion with approximately $22.7 billion earmarked for large and small urban areas and $2.2 billion set aside for rural areas. This funding does not require a local match of any kind, and it can be used for capital projects and for operations and/or planning purposes, as long as those activities relate in some way to COVID-19. Transit agencies in urban areas with a population over one million --- such as Cap Metro, which received $104 million --- are getting $17.5 billion through the FTA. Transit agencies serving areas with populations fewer than one million --- such as Brownsville, Texas, which is receiving $7.6 million --- are getting $5.1 billion. In the middle of the current, historic pandemic, the economy will significantly be stimulated by projects and initiatives that result from this funding. Public-private collaboration will not only create jobs and generate additional revenue flow, it will result in getting Americans working together again … and that will serve the country well. Mary Scott Nabers is president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships Inc., a business development company specializing in government contracting and procurement consulting throughout the U.S. Her recently released book, Inside the Infrastructure Revolution: A Roadmap for Building America, is a handbook for contractors, investors and the public at large seeking to explore how public-private partnerships or joint ventures can help finance their infrastructure projects.

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Spotlight

GroundWork Renewables, Inc.

GroundWork specializes in the design, installation and maintenance of solar monitoring stations for utility-scale solar power plant developers and owner/operators. These on-site solar meteorological stations can greatly improve the bankability of a project in the development cycle, and meet ISO and other regulatory requirements in the plant environment for performance evaluation and forecasting.

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Emerging Technology, Cybersecurity

Red River Secures Army ITES-3S Contract

Businesswire | March 23, 2023

Red River, a technology transformation company serving government and enterprise customers, today announced that it is now an authorized provider on the U.S. Army’s Information Technology Enterprise Solutions 3 Services (ITES-3S) contract. Awarded by the Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) and the Army Contracting Command - Rock Island (ACC-RI), ITES-3S is a nine-year, $12.1 billion, indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The ITES-3S IDIQ will provide a broad range of enterprise information technology services and support to the U.S. Army and other authorized Federal Government agencies. Types of information technology services available through the ITES-3S IDIQ include Program Management; Cybersecurity/Information Assurance; Enterprise Design, Integration and Consolidation; Network/Systems Operation and Maintenance; Telecommunications; Supply Chain Management; Operation and Maintenance; Business Process Engineering; and Information Technology Education and Training. This award demonstrates Red River’s longstanding commitment to providing superior professional services to the U.S. Army and the opportunity to continue to serve and support the men and women in uniform at home and abroad. Red River has more than 25 years as a trusted technology and services provider to the U.S. government and Department of Defense (DoD). “We are excited to continue our longstanding history of supporting the technology services needs of the Army and other government agencies supported through this contract vehicle,” said Brian Roach, CEO for Red River. “We look forward to collaborating with DoD technology leaders to support their mission requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, managed services, cloud, infrastructure and collaboration. This is a significant addition to our contracts portfolio and strengthens our position as a leading technology and services provider to the DoD and the U.S. government as a whole.” About Red River Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 25 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in managed services, cybersecurity, infrastructure, collaboration and cloud solutions.

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Emerging Technology

Surfacide® Awarded U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Contract

Surfacide | March 20, 2023

Surfacide, an industry leader in UV-C low-level disinfection technology, announced today that it has been awarded a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). This contract will allow government customers and federal agencies to easily procure Surfacide's Helios® UV-C disinfection systems for their healthcare facilities. As a GSA Schedule Contractor, Surfacide has met all the requirements to sell to the federal government, making the federal purchasing process faster and more cost-effective for government agencies. Government buyers will now be able to access Surfacide products through GSA Advantage!, the government's premier online shopping superstore. The Surfacide Helios system is the only patented, low-level UV-C disinfection solution to use a trio of light emitting 'robots' simultaneously, significantly reducing bacteria and virus on colonized surfaces. The Helios system provides UV-C energy to more exposed areas than single devices—boosting power, dosage and efficacy in a single cycle. The system can be easily moved and configured within different high-impact areas of a hospital or clinic such as patient rooms, patient bathrooms, ORs, outpatient/ambulatory surgery, burn units, labor & delivery, isolation rooms, etc. "As a GSA Schedule Contractor, we now have the stamp of approval stating that we've met all the requirements to sell to the federal government, giving us a huge benefit in the federal purchasing process," said Gunner Lyslo, CEO & Founder of Surfacide. "We're proud to have been awarded this GSA MAS contract and are excited to provide our innovative UV-C disinfection technology to government customers more efficiently." Surfacide is rapidly growing and has become widely adopted in the VA space. After seeing the benefits of Surfacide's scientifically-proven technology, more and more VA facilities are transitioning from single emitters to Surfacide's patented triple-emitter Helios System. About Surfacide Founded in 2010, Surfacide is a UV technology and infection solutions company producing scientifically proven, hospital-grade UV devices. Surfacide's award-winning Helios® System is the world's only patented, triple emitter 'robotic' UV light solution to rapidly reduce bioburden and pathogens. A trusted partner in infection prevention, Surfacide has been deployed in over 600 leading hospitals, nursing homes, dental offices, fire stations, prisons, police stations, commercial office spaces, hotels and public venues worldwide. Surfacide LLC is proud to be American-made and manufactured in Waukesha, WI.

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Donald Trump's apparent 'U-turn' on Huawei ban explained and what happens now

abc | July 03, 2019

US President Donald Trump surprised many at the G20 Summit in Osaka when he relaxed his ban on American companies doing business with Huawei, which has been at the centre of his trade war with China. The apparent backflip means that businesses like Google and Qualcomm can tentatively continue business as usual with Huawei, without requiring special permission from the US federal authorities. But the White House and Commerce Department haven't yet clarified whether the decision will affect Huawei's use of Google's Android operating system.

Read More

Emerging Technology, Cybersecurity

Red River Secures Army ITES-3S Contract

Businesswire | March 23, 2023

Red River, a technology transformation company serving government and enterprise customers, today announced that it is now an authorized provider on the U.S. Army’s Information Technology Enterprise Solutions 3 Services (ITES-3S) contract. Awarded by the Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) and the Army Contracting Command - Rock Island (ACC-RI), ITES-3S is a nine-year, $12.1 billion, indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The ITES-3S IDIQ will provide a broad range of enterprise information technology services and support to the U.S. Army and other authorized Federal Government agencies. Types of information technology services available through the ITES-3S IDIQ include Program Management; Cybersecurity/Information Assurance; Enterprise Design, Integration and Consolidation; Network/Systems Operation and Maintenance; Telecommunications; Supply Chain Management; Operation and Maintenance; Business Process Engineering; and Information Technology Education and Training. This award demonstrates Red River’s longstanding commitment to providing superior professional services to the U.S. Army and the opportunity to continue to serve and support the men and women in uniform at home and abroad. Red River has more than 25 years as a trusted technology and services provider to the U.S. government and Department of Defense (DoD). “We are excited to continue our longstanding history of supporting the technology services needs of the Army and other government agencies supported through this contract vehicle,” said Brian Roach, CEO for Red River. “We look forward to collaborating with DoD technology leaders to support their mission requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, managed services, cloud, infrastructure and collaboration. This is a significant addition to our contracts portfolio and strengthens our position as a leading technology and services provider to the DoD and the U.S. government as a whole.” About Red River Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 25 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in managed services, cybersecurity, infrastructure, collaboration and cloud solutions.

Read More

Emerging Technology

Surfacide® Awarded U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Contract

Surfacide | March 20, 2023

Surfacide, an industry leader in UV-C low-level disinfection technology, announced today that it has been awarded a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). This contract will allow government customers and federal agencies to easily procure Surfacide's Helios® UV-C disinfection systems for their healthcare facilities. As a GSA Schedule Contractor, Surfacide has met all the requirements to sell to the federal government, making the federal purchasing process faster and more cost-effective for government agencies. Government buyers will now be able to access Surfacide products through GSA Advantage!, the government's premier online shopping superstore. The Surfacide Helios system is the only patented, low-level UV-C disinfection solution to use a trio of light emitting 'robots' simultaneously, significantly reducing bacteria and virus on colonized surfaces. The Helios system provides UV-C energy to more exposed areas than single devices—boosting power, dosage and efficacy in a single cycle. The system can be easily moved and configured within different high-impact areas of a hospital or clinic such as patient rooms, patient bathrooms, ORs, outpatient/ambulatory surgery, burn units, labor & delivery, isolation rooms, etc. "As a GSA Schedule Contractor, we now have the stamp of approval stating that we've met all the requirements to sell to the federal government, giving us a huge benefit in the federal purchasing process," said Gunner Lyslo, CEO & Founder of Surfacide. "We're proud to have been awarded this GSA MAS contract and are excited to provide our innovative UV-C disinfection technology to government customers more efficiently." Surfacide is rapidly growing and has become widely adopted in the VA space. After seeing the benefits of Surfacide's scientifically-proven technology, more and more VA facilities are transitioning from single emitters to Surfacide's patented triple-emitter Helios System. About Surfacide Founded in 2010, Surfacide is a UV technology and infection solutions company producing scientifically proven, hospital-grade UV devices. Surfacide's award-winning Helios® System is the world's only patented, triple emitter 'robotic' UV light solution to rapidly reduce bioburden and pathogens. A trusted partner in infection prevention, Surfacide has been deployed in over 600 leading hospitals, nursing homes, dental offices, fire stations, prisons, police stations, commercial office spaces, hotels and public venues worldwide. Surfacide LLC is proud to be American-made and manufactured in Waukesha, WI.

Read More

Donald Trump's apparent 'U-turn' on Huawei ban explained and what happens now

abc | July 03, 2019

US President Donald Trump surprised many at the G20 Summit in Osaka when he relaxed his ban on American companies doing business with Huawei, which has been at the centre of his trade war with China. The apparent backflip means that businesses like Google and Qualcomm can tentatively continue business as usual with Huawei, without requiring special permission from the US federal authorities. But the White House and Commerce Department haven't yet clarified whether the decision will affect Huawei's use of Google's Android operating system.

Read More

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