House Panel Clears Bill to Pressure President on Inspector General Vacancies

Government Executive | March 26, 2019

A president slow to nominate candidates to fill inspector general vacancies would be required to explain why in a report to Congress under a bill approved on Tuesday morning by the House Oversight and Reform Committee. The just-introduced 2019 Inspector General Protection Act (HR. 1847), sponsored by Reps. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., and Jody Hice, R-Ga., would require the president to file a report on vacancies that go on longer than 210 days. And it would require notification to Congress within 30 days whenever there is a “change in status” for an IG, such as being placed on administrative leave. The bipartisan bill, which was sent to the House floor by voice vote, “would improve inspector general independence,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the committee.

Spotlight

Governments around the world are enacting stronger cybersecurity mandates in which Zero Trust features as a central theme. Eighty-eight percent of security leaders agree that adopting a Zero Trust approach is very important.1 But while desire and regulatory momentum is there, overall implementation is lagging.

Spotlight

Governments around the world are enacting stronger cybersecurity mandates in which Zero Trust features as a central theme. Eighty-eight percent of security leaders agree that adopting a Zero Trust approach is very important.1 But while desire and regulatory momentum is there, overall implementation is lagging.

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY,GOVERNMENT BUSINESS

AINS is Now OPEXUS, Fresh Focus on Govt. Operational Excellence & Community

OPEXUS | January 19, 2023

AINS LLC, a government process management software service provider, recently announced its rebranding and will now function under the name OPEXUS. The new identity perfectly describes the company's dedication to public institutions, providing their communities with great technology experiences. The company has relocated its headquarters to Washington, D.C. Before the rebranding, AINS was acquired by an affiliate of Gemspring Capital in November 2021, after a remarkable year of growth. New customers touched an all-time high in 2022, including federal, state, and local government agencies in the United States, national and provincial governments in Canada, and a university as the company's first customer in higher education. Additionally, OPEXUS has established itself as the market leader in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) technology space, which played a significant role in the company's success and will remain a priority in 2023. OPEXUS (formerly ANIS) this year has been acknowledged as a first-time member of the GovTech100, a yearly list compiled and published by Government Technology featuring 100 companies committed to making a distinction in and selling to government agencies across the U.S. Furthermore, the OPEXUS team will focus on providing product enhancements and a range of new customer experience capabilities. It includes revamped user experiences for the existing software, a brand-new customer success team, and a more comprehensive network of cutting-edge tech partners to speed up the development of a range of new products. Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) Director, Kristi Whitfield said, "Mayor Bowser remains steadfast in her commitment to encouraging businesses to headquarters in the District of Columbia. More businesses establishing and maintaining roots in our nation's capital means more job opportunities for District residents as well as more opportunities for our local government to keep local dollars local by doing business with District-based enterprises. That's a win for all." (Source: PR Newswire) About OPEXUS Founded in 1988, OPEXUS is the leader in FedRAMP-certified government management software, supporting public institutions with 30 years of experience. OPEXUS, headquartered in Washington D.C., brings functional excellence to governments' middle office so that agencies can concentrate on the critical work of mission delivery. With a built-for-government product suite that includes solutions for audits, investigations, correspondence, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and employee & labor, the company empowers 100,000 government users with exceptional technology experiences and collaborates with more than 150 government agencies across the U.S. and Canada.

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY,CYBERSECURITY

Accela in Government’s Tech 100 List for the 8th Successive Time

Accela | January 06, 2023

Accela, a provider of cloud solutions for government operations, has made it to the Government Technology magazine's annual ‘GovTech 100’ list for the 8th consecutive year. The list recognizes top government technology companies that enable state and local governments in the US enrich the lives of its residents. This recognition shows Accela’s commitment to being a leader in the public sector and help government agencies improve their operations to better serve their citizens. Accela recently launched Managed Application Services solution to support agencies with staffing challenges, and a Rapid Damage Assessment Cloud Service to help communities impacted by natural disasters to respond and recover more quickly. Accela's innovative solutions, like Managed Application Services and Rapid Damage Assessment Cloud Service, help state and local governments provide better services to their citizens. Accela’s accolades include Inc. 2022 Best in Business award for its software-as-a-solution expertise, 3rd consecutive Microsoft 2022 US Government Partner of the Year award showcase its leadership in supporting state and local government agencies. About Accela Accela's cloud solutions help governments accelerate digital transformation, deliver vital services, and build stronger communities. Accela's government software solutions benefit 275 million people. The company offers agile, purpose-built solutions and a platform that shares data across departments and ensures world-class security. Accela accelerates government digital transformation. Accela's government software helps agencies modernize and prepare for the future. The company has won three Microsoft US Partner Awards for its innovative SaaS solutions to combat COVID-19. Accela won Inc.'s "Best in Business" for SaaS and Fast Company's "World Changing Ideas Award" in 2022. Accela has global offices in San Ramon, California.

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

MongoDB Atlas Achieves FedRAMP®’s Moderate Authorization

MongoDB | February 09, 2023

On February 08, 2023, MongoDB, a software development company, announced that its platform, MongoDB Atlas, has achieved FedRAMP, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program's Moderate Authorized designation. The MongoDB Atlas for Government platform provides software tools and services for organizations of the U.S. government, enabling them to quickly build and deploy secure, high-scale distributed applications over the cloud. An independent auditor has reported that it fulfills almost all the requirements of the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS). In addition, it makes it easier for educational institutes, local agencies, states, and the federal government, to build updated cloud-native applications while still fulfilling data security and privacy standards. FedRAMP is a U.S. government program providing a standardized approach to authorization, continuous monitoring, and security assessment for cloud-related products and services. MongoDB received FedRAMP's approval because it fulfilled the requirements of strict performance, compliance, and security standards. It is now listed among FedRAMP-authorized companies, offering cloud software to government organizations to help them innovate and grow faster and more confidently with FedRAMP's approval. Chief Product Officer of MongoDB, Sahir Azam, said, "Security is our priority at MongoDB and a top priority for our customers. We know that with the proliferation of different types of data that is transmitted and stored in the cloud, protecting sensitive data is increasingly important for both private and public entities." He added, "The FedRAMP Moderate designation, as well as the assessment of MongoDB Atlas for Government in support of customers with CJIS requirements, are the result of our efforts to ensure that MongoDB Atlas for Government is well positioned to secure the country's most crucial data sets and power the most innovative applications designed to transform government. Now the more than 7,500 government organizations leveraging AWS also have access to MongoDB Atlas for Government to create modern applications. We are grateful for the support and partnership of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who sponsored MongoDB throughout the authorization process." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About MongoDB MongoDB, a developer data platform company, has empowered innovators with software and data requirements to build, transform, and disrupt industries since 2007. Headquartered in New York, it has more than 39,100 employees in about 100 countries worldwide. The statistics say that its database platform has been downloaded more than 352 million times, and about 1.5 million people have registered for MongoDB University courses. It provides solutions for the financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, retail, and public sectors. Its strategic initiatives are Legacy modernization, Business agility, Data as a service, and Cloud data strategy for public and private enterprises without any lock-in.

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