Tag Archives: FITARA

Government-Wide Technology Funding and Measurement in Flux

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For more than a decade, the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) and the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) have served as twin pillars of accountability and investment. Together, they helped move federal IT away from fragmented decision-making and aging systems toward a more strategic, enterprise-focused approach.

However, both programs are in a sort of holding pattern while Congress decides on 2026 funding, and while it re-examines how best to measure the agency IT modernization process against the quickly evolving tech environment and ongoing changes in the current administration's goals. Continue reading →

FITARA 18 Sees Agencies Move to the Head of the Class

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FITARA

The latest Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) scorecard, released in September, showed dramatic improvements in the progress agencies have made towards meeting IT modernization goals. The overall grades of 18 of the 24 tracked agencies increased, while grades for the remaining six agencies were unchanged. Per the scorecard,13 agencies now have an overall 'A,' 10 have a 'B,' and only one agency--the Energy Department--has a grade of 'C.' The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of State showed the greatest improvements, with both agencies' grades moving from 'D's to 'A's.

The grading categories, unchanged from the previous report, measured agency CIO authority enhancements; CIO investment evaluation; cloud computing; modernizing government technology; cybersecurity; and progress transitioning from legacy contracts to the GSA's newer Enterprise Information Solutions (EIS) contract. Improvements in the categories of cloud computing, cybersecurity, and EIS transition contributed to higher scores. Continue reading →

A Cloudy Forecast for Government

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The need for cloud computing has moved beyond simple cost-saving calculations. The elasticity and scalability of cloud meet the demands citizens have for digital services to be efficient and personalized. Cloud is also critical for AI adoption, providing the processing power needed to facilitate the training and use of AI models.

Government Moves to Mostly Cloudy

Based on these capabilities, the use of cloud is increasing. A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that the use of the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) increased by about 60% between July 2019 and April 2023. Continue reading →

FITARA Goes to the Cloud, Grades Come Down to the Ground

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The 17th edition of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) scorecard featured a revamped list of measurements to illustrate federal agency progress against current modernization goals. This latest scorecard introduced two new categories - Cloud Computing and CIO Investment Evaluation - while dropping the measurement of compliance with data center modernization, something all agencies have completed.

This reshuffling of measurement criteria resulted in lower grades for 11 agencies. Twelve agencies saw their grades unchanged. The Department of Defense (DoD) was the sole group earning a higher grade, rising from a C to a B. These drops are not necessarily a concerning indicator, but rather a re-baselining of where agencies stand in terms of modern digital government goals. Continue reading →

FITARA Report Looks to Future Evolution

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The 15th Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) scorecard was issued in December 2022 to provide a look at how agencies are meeting modernization goals. Much like the 14th report, all measured agencies improved their scores or stayed the same indicating that changes are needed to ensure the report fully reflects today's modernization goals that have shifted from data center consolidation to cloud usage, and onward to Zero Trust cybersecurity strategies. The committee overseeing the scorecard, as well as industry groups, are looking at ways to better align modernization activities with the report.

FITARA 15 Findings

Currently, the seven active grading categories on the scorecard are: 1) progress in transitioning to EIS contracts; 2) CIO authority enhancements; 3) transparency and risk management; 4) portfolio review; 5) data center consolidation; 6) Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Act; and 7) cybersecurity/FISMA. Continue reading →