9/12/23: Avoiding the pitfalls of digital modernization; the help wanted sign is out at the IRS; timeline and budget creep at the Pentagon’s security clearance shop

The Department of Veterans Affairs is the recipient of one of the most recent Technology Modernization Fund awards. The TMF Board says the $7.4 million award “aims to help the VA tackle the digitization of forms at scale.” Maria Roat, Founder and CEO of MA Roat Consulting and former Deputy Chief Information Officer of the United States, details the potential pitfalls of digital modernization projects, and how to avoid them.

The Internal Revenue Service will soon have more than 90,000 employees for the first time in more than ten years. The Commissioner of the IRS, Danny Werfel says the agency is looking for data scientists, accounting pros, and many more skill sets. On the newest edition of Fed Gov Today TV, I ask the new Chief Human Capital Officer at the IRS, Traci DiMartini, who she’s looking for.

The National Background Investigation Services system is on the way to replacing the legacy system the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency uses for security clearances. But the original operational goal of 2019 is now 2024 for full capability. Alissa Czyz, Director of Defense Capabilities and Management at the Government Accountability Office, explains how the program slid, and how to get it back on track.