Biden’s management has publicly announced joint venture technology projects to be funded by the Technology Modernization Fund, which received a $ 1 billion injection as part of the American Rescue Plan approved earlier this year.
TMF – founded in 2017 as a major fund through which agencies can apply for IT renewal loans – had previously received 11 awards, with $ 175 million allocated to Congress. However, as part of a second pandemic promotion package, the fund received $ 1 billion in funding and mandates to reduce the need for critical security payments and epidemic-related projects.
In some cases a third of $ 1 billion has been allocated for the first round of three cybersecurity security projects, two government programs run by the General Services Administration and the sixth focus on deploying technology to manage immigration issues in the Southwest Border.
The six jobs total is just over $ 311 million, the Office of Budget Management announced on Thursday.
The TMF Board has approved the seventh project as part of the first roll. However, all the details of that project are categorized, including the agency, the amount provided and the type of work to be done.
“Management enhances the flexibility of TMF to modernize modern systems, enhances the basic security of state-owned enterprises, accelerates the growth of public-focused digital services, and enhances inter-governmental co-operation with shared services,” said Federal Chief Information Officer Clare Martorana, board chairman. TMF, on Thursday, issued a ruling. “These first ARP awards represent a set of awards for state-of-the-art technology development in all of these areas.”
Payment terms – if any – of these seven awards were not disclosed as part of the announcement and OMB did not answer Nextgov’s questions.
While the TMF Board relied heavily on cyber security rewards, the body did not select any projects related to another organizational focus on funding: responding to the epidemic. Funding – allocated to TMF as part of the second COVID-19 incentive package – was provided, in part, to fund critical technical needs identified by the epidemic, including tracking and analyzing health data, and use by IT agencies to ensure businesses and individuals receive financial and other assistance. they need it.
None of these technical issues are being addressed by the new prize crop.
The zero trust awards follow congress’ mandate to focus on the use of TMF on sensitive cyber security issues after major breaches of software purchases — including SolarWinds and Microsoft Exchange earlier this year — and recent leadership from OMB and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in the operation of zero trust buildings.
Zero Trust Networking-Human Resource Management Office: $ 9.9 million
The provincial department of labor is one of three awards focused on zero trust – a concept of cyber security that focuses on monitoring users as they navigate the entire system, rather than protecting barriers such as firefighters and passwords.
“The benefits of this project include reducing the number of security tools needed to monitor and maintain an effective cyber security system, saving costs and improving communications and collaborative efforts,” according to a project summary posted on the TMF website. “At the end of this project, OPM will make significant progress in their journey to the full level of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Zero Trust Maturity Model.”
The organization has been a major security issue since 2015, when the public was informed of a violation of the OPM’s origins in the security approval process. The burglary – which was later reported to Chinese national players – jeopardized personal information that once applied for a government job: more than 21.5 million Americans.
The project will start at $ 7.4 million and raise additional funding as progress is shown.
Zero Trust Architecture-Department of Education: $ 20 million
The Department of Education will use its funding in the two-year program to begin building trust trusts, including “strategy, infrastructure, construction and implementation road.”
“The department will set up a less responsible business management office and will begin building high-quality buildings in cloud computing areas along the improved road,” said the project summary, adding that security settings should be both effective and minimal user burden.
The department will receive $ 15 million to launch, with an additional $ 5 million set aside.
Advancing Zero Trust-General Resource Management: $ 29.8 million
The first three awards for GSA projects – which manage the fund through the TMF program office – will also focus on cyber security and will also focus on building trust buildings.
The GSA project will grow by three “blocks”, in summary:
Users and devices: GSA will replace administrative designs to meet the new needs of telework and multi-domain, hybrid cloud architecture with adherence to improved security principles.
Networks: GSA will focus on differentiating microsegmentation through edge service service access, or SASE, solutions and improve public safety network infrastructure.
Security performance: GSA will embrace the increase in machine learning and clever technology used to help connect various data sources and highlight threats while providing security monitoring in cyber security risk management and upgrading basic security operations facilities to incorporate public services.
The project will start with less than $ 11.3 million and will run into additional channels.
“These programs will have an immediate impact on the safety of the organization and help inform future prizes as we work to implement modern safety standards throughout the state’s environmental system,” said Federal Chief Security Security Officer Chris DeRusha, who is also a member of the TMF Board. “The TMF Board and GSA will monitor the progress of these programs, adhere to the lessons they have learned, and make changes in the way they are helped to succeed.”
The two remaining projects – public – fall into another, the traditional focus area of the fund: impact on government. Both awards went to the GSA:
Login.gov: $ 187 million
In one major TMF award to date, GSA is expected to receive more than $ 187 million to improve and increase the use of a single government signing service allocated.
The program — some government programs that can be purchased for a certain amount of money — allows users to create a single online account that can be used to access any integrated government service. The program is currently operated by 27 agencies in more than 200 citizen services.
The grand prize will go to three specific improvement goals:
Increasing cybersecurity identification and protection for current and future users.
Include equal identity verification and personal options for vulnerable people.
Enhance the environment of Login.gov by reducing the barrier to agency entry and allowing a higher percentage of citizen participation.
The project will start with more than $ 27 million and receive the remaining funding as the milestones are met.
MAX.gov exchange rate: $ 14.5 million
The MAX.gov website was created as an online site for officials across the state to obtain information on OMB policies, to coordinate interagency work and to share experiences working on major programs. The program is now 14 years old and, according to the OMB, recognizes usage and “significant increase” and engagement.
The plan has been moved from OMB to GSA’s Technology Transformation Services, with plans to completely reverse and reverse the original MAX.gov by 2023.
The project will start with $ 10 million, with the ultimate goal of creating a “state-of-the-art, secure cloud-based solution for agency collaboration, validation and other shared services capabilities.”
The prize pool includes funding to help protect the Southwest Border while using “data and technology to process efficiently, effectively, and personally to process non-citizens.”
Southwest Border Technology Integration Program – Department of Homeland Security: $ 50 million
Managing immigrant issues in the Southwest Border – whether in ports of entry or inland – has been a constant problem for many administrations. While technology has been used to improve the situation, these efforts have been severely limited.
The plan “will provide limited and secure information sharing across all state-owned enterprises and throughout the life cycle of immigrants to improve border flow and power management and increase the time and reliability of data used by decision makers,” according to the summary. “This project will link different programs, improve inter-agency collaboration and support data-driven decision-making.”
