Tag Archives: TX

Exploring the State of State and Local Cyber Resources

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State and local organizations are highly targeted by cyber criminals due to the value of the data they hold and the criticality of the systems they operate. In 2024, there were over 40,000 potential cyber attacks targeting state, local, and tribal governments. Despite this very real threat, these same organizations are largely underfunded and understaffed when it comes to cyber protection.

The federal government has looked to fill this gap between risk and preparedness. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, providing (when combined with the Tribal Cybersecurity Grant Program) $1 billion in funding available over four years for state, local, tribal, and territorial cybersecurity efforts. This program ended at the close of the 2025 government fiscal year but received a short-term extension under the stopgap funding agreement that reopened the government in November 2025. Continue reading →

Streamlining Government with a Back-to-Basics Approach

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Building efficiencies into government requires more than adopting new technologies that automate processes. It also involves updating how the government procures those technologies, as well as other goods and services. Several Executive Orders (EOs) have addressed improving the procurement process across government. In response, some recent updates and guidance show progress is being made in revisiting the requirements companies must meet to sell to the government.

OneGov

The General Services Administration (GSA) was created as a centralized function for the administration of government. This included managing procurement, office space, supplies, and records. Over time, these functions have migrated back into individual agencies for a variety of reasons, a key one being (ironically enough) efficiency. Many agencies started their own contracting vehicles and took on more procurement activity because they felt they could better serve the needs of their workforce and missions themselves. In some cases, this was true, but the spread of responsibility led to great duplication in effort and weakened the government's buying power. Continue reading →

Blockchain’s Role in Blocking Fraud

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Blockchain technology has gained traction across the U.S. government as a practical tool for multiple diverse purposes. From streamlining procurement to preventing fraud, agencies are increasingly exploring how blockchain can enhance transparency, security, and efficiency in federal operations. However, with innovation comes risk. The government is also looking into how to ensure the technology is not misused to conceal illicit activity, commit fraud, or obscure accountability.

Fraud Prevention

Since every transaction in a blockchain is recorded permanently, malicious actions are traceable, which increases accountability. Each transaction is unique and chronologically linked, meaning a record cannot be copied, altered, or duplicated without triggering detection. This level of traceability allows governments to confirm that payments are going to the intended recipients. For foreign aid, payments can be tracked not just to the intended country but as they continue on from there. In terms of domestic benefits, blockchain can verify the identities of welfare recipients, while simultaneously confirming their eligibility. Continue reading →

Next Generation Procurement Reform

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The White House recently released a pair of Executive Orders (EOs) that aim to streamline the way the government acquires products and services. The complexity and inefficiency of government procurement has long been decried by industry and government officials alike. Numerous steps have been taken to simplify processes and open access to businesses that can provide the innovative solutions the government needs. These latest EOs focus on reforming the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), the two guiding principles of federal procurement.

Common Sense FAR

The "Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement" EO highlights the fact that the federal government is the world's largest buyer, spending nearly $1 trillion on procurement contracts each year. However, the provisions that guide that buying are cumbersome and, in many cases, outdated. The FAR is 2,000-plus pages containing 3,000-plus directives. The EO seeks to overhaul the FAR with plain English and eliminate nearly all non-statutory and duplicative regulations. Continue reading →

New AI Guidance, Similar Goals

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In early April, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a pair of memos to provide agencies with guardrails for how they use and purchase artificial intelligence (AI). These memos replaced guidance issued by the previous administration but maintain many of the same structures.

The first memorandum, M-25-21, gives agencies three priorities when accelerating the federal use of AI: innovation, governance, and public trust. It states, "...agencies are directed to provide improved services to the public, while maintaining strong safeguards for civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy." The memo maintains items that were established under the Biden administration, including:

  • The creation of chief AI officer roles and AI councils "to serve as change agents and AI advocates, rather than overseeing layers of bureaucracy."
  • Implement minimum risk management practices for "high-impact" AI use--those applications of AI that could have significant impacts when deployed.

Continue reading →