The U.S. General Services Administration is the kingpin for government’s acquisition of the goods and services that government needs to deliver its mission. The Federal FY 2022 budget reflects key funding priorities such as climate change, equity, healthcare, R&D, and information technology. IT modernization, investments in cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence will be a focus by government agenc...

Federal Chief Data Officers are the stewards of government most vital asset – data. Their mission is a lofty one: to increase the benefit of data to the Nation. As a whole, these leaders strive to improve the management, use, protection, dissemination, and generation of data in government decision-making. This panel will discuss how CDOs are leading transformational change by leveraging data as a strategic asset. Learning objectives: Exp...

AFFIRM May Virtual Speaker Series Federal government CIOs are critical drivers of transformation through managing innovation, enabling data-centric decisions, capturing the value of evolving technology, and developing the talent that forwards government’s mission. This panel will discuss the CIO and the long-range view of technology that is shaping the future of government services. This event is on the record. Learning objectives: Explo...

Theodore Roosevelt said, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” This adage was true over 100 years ago and it still just as true today. In the public sector, the definition of “customer” includes all individuals, businesses, and organizations that interact with agencies, including their employees. By focusing on these stakeholders and optimizing these interactions, agencies gain public trus...

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a unified cybersecurity standard designed to reduce the theft of Controlled Unclassified Information from companies in the defense industrial base. But the impact doesn’t stop there. Major contracting shops such as the General Services Administration are adopting the maturity model for contracts outside of DoD. With 171 controls spread across 17 categories, the CMMC is the most st...

Across the nation, women in government technology are raising their voices to build a government fueled by a diversity of perspectives. Over the last 20 years, more women are not only sitting at the table, but are also thriving as change agents in the drive to bring technology modernization and innovation to support their agency’s mission. This panel will discuss the path to successfully leading in challenging times. The discussion will...

New and potentially ‘game-changing’ technologies such as advanced robotics, autonomous transport devices, blockchain, virtual and augmented reality, and wearable devices, will inevitably change the way government works. These transformative technological innovations are reshaping and disrupting the way government agencies deliver the mission and how the military forces preserve our homeland. Join AFFIRM on Wednesday, December 16 at...

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...

The Office of Management and Budget recently released interim regulations outlining the pathway agencies can pursue to bar companies from Federal contracting when they constitute a supply chain security risk. Connections to adversarial foreign governments represent an unacceptable risk of espionage through back doors placed in their products or by the companies routing data to home countries where foreign laws may make it easier to access them...

Every agency has focused on digital transformation in recent years, but coronavirus has pushed those efforts into high gear -- and agencies that were behind are scrambling. During this panel discussion, we will look at lessons learned from the digital transformation efforts and what the coronavirus means for efforts across government.