Government agencies faced and mastered the workforce transformation needs of the last few years. As remote teams, they demonstrated exceptional innovation and service to our country, making a significant impact on citizens, their agencies, and across the government. Their missions are vital, from delivering veterans’ healthcare using a whole-system approach, digitizing information to permanently preserve historic documents, husbanding pu...

SecDevOps: DHS’s Roadmap for Secure Software Development In order to tackle urgent cybersecurity threats to our nation, the Department of Homeland Security has taken a leadership role in adopting SecDevOps to put security first and foremost in the software development process. The process supports the agencies drive to build a culture of innovation, develop secure processes, leverage technology automation, and create a scalable framework...

The last few months have seen the devastating results of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires that have impacted the technology that underpins government, educational institutions, and citizens. To be effective, rescue organizations must rely on communications and data, and when lives or livelihoods are threatened, the stakes are high; vital government data and information must be robust with an ironclad disaster recovery plan and the l...

Federal agencies are facing ever more sophisticated adversaries and threats that place our privacy, our economy, and our Nation at risk.These cyber threats are diverse and include the prevalence of malicious actors who operate globally at will; the growth of risks from the Internet of Things, and increasingly complex networks, all elevating the security and resilience of cyberspace to a critical homeland security imperative. Exacerbating these...

According to the Office of Personnel Management’s 2019 Status of Telework in the Federal Government Report to Congress, workforce participation in telework hovered at 22%, mostly on an off again, on again basis for the last few years. Few if any employees were engaging in full time telework, until the pandemic. The tide is turning for a gradual return to the office, and agency leaders are assessing how telework has enhanced employee pro...

Since the passage of the Pendleton Act of 1883, it has been a fundamental value of civil service to draw from all segments of society, and the first woman to be appointed to the U.S. Civil Service was Treasury Department employee Mary Hoyt in September of 1883. Now over a century later, diversity of experience and perspective in government continue to flourish. Women in the public sector have played pivotal roles in moving toward a more open,...

Government technology modernization initiatives launched in 2018 have jump-started innovation by expanding the use of modern commercial technologies that are effective, economical, and secure; reducing the impact of cybersecurity risks by safeguarding IT systems, sensitive data, and networks; leveraging common solutions and innovative practices to improve efficiency, increase security, and ultimately meet citizens’ needs. This briefing w...

AFFIRM is hosting this event to network with Government, Academic and Industry IT Professionals in a lively and informal setting. We will be inviting a Government Featured Guest who will be available for individual discussions. This event is part of an annual series of AFFIRM After Hours Networking events, offering our members and guests the chance to connect after working hours. CIOs and other IT professionals from many Federal agencies will...

As the pace of technological change accelerates, government agencies are looking for ways to keep up the pace by tapping innovative ways to spur the buying process. Techniques such as Other Transaction Authorities promise to cut contract delivery time by 50% in the near future. These procurement approaches encourage innovation while reducing the risk and conserving budget. This briefing will bring together government agencies leading the charg...

Digital transformation continues to power government and the adoption of emerging technologies to deliver the mission. Agencies are using chatbots and artificial intelligence for more citizen-centric services. Digital natives in the workforce develop apps for Americans whose primary device is a cell phone. And, as the #1 target of hackers, government is exploring new advances such as blockchain to build trust and authentication.This briefing...