Weekly Wrap-Up
Week of June 7, 2021
WHITE HOUSE PRESENTS STEPS TO ADDRESS SUPPLY-CHAIN PROBLEMS
(Nextgov) The Biden administration Tuesday released recommendations following a 100-day review of varying supply-chain issues, including the creation of a task force that would provide an “all-of-government response” to near-term supply chain challenges.

The Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force would examine issues that surfaced during the pandemic, including semiconductor shortages, and would be led by the secretaries of the Commerce, Transportation and Agriculture departments.
How Mid-Sized Governments are Changing Their Approach to Modernization with Technology
(GovTech) COVID-19 forced mid-sized local governments to quickly accelerate digital transformation. Now, they’re poised to use the lessons of the pandemic to transform their technology.

There’s a lot of ground to cover. Mobile devices, cloud services, advanced automation, and sophisticated sensors give cities, counties, and other agencies tools to transform back-end systems and front-end user experiences. Meanwhile, they’re dealing with tight budgets and uncertainties about the best route to take.
Pentagon Chief Hicks Pursuing Workarounds to Fast-Track Military Tech
(FedScoop) U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said on Tuesday that she is working to find “creative” workarounds to acquisition regulations to speed up the military’s technology buying cycles.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Center for a New American Security, the DOD leader said alternative contract structures could fast-track the acquisition process and help to support innovation from smaller companies working in defense research and development.
"The Inflection Point is Here": How Covid is Driving Digital Transformation in Health
(PublicTechnology) Covid has put unprecedented strain on every sector, but none so much as healthcare. During the peak of the pandemic waves, the NHS had to significantly scale back many areas of non-COVID care. Access to health services for people with pre-existing conditions dropped by an estimated 20%. The BMA reported that there were an estimated 1.3 to 1.5 million fewer elective admissions, 274,000 to 286,000 fewer urgent cancer referrals, and 2.5 and 2.6 million fewer first outpatient attendances. The resulting backlog is now worse than many expected and some are speculating that it could extend long after the country gets a handle on the virus. David Maguire, Senior Analyst at The King’s Fund, predicts that Covid’s impact on waiting times “will be felt for years to come.”
IRS Chief Presses Case for Boost in IT, Cyber Funding
(FCW) IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said the agency will use some of a $305 million funding request in the Biden administration's fiscal year 2022 budget proposal to continue a multi-year IT modernization plan with the goal of improving services for taxpayers nationwide, including those in underserved communities.

Rettig pressed the case for an increased investment in the agency's modernization plan at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday, saying the additional funds will allow the IRS to "improve conditions for every American."
Member News
How Sanjay Found His Hedgehog at Tackle
(tackle.io Blog) For us road warriors, the last 12 months brought a lot of change. Gone are the days of maximizing every minute on a call before the door to the plane closed for take-off. GoGo wireless went ByeBye for a while. Our mobile phone use evolved yet again. Remember when we held those things up to our heads, think back to when you wore dress slacks. Then the wonder and brilliance of AirPods leaving the phone in the pocket of your jeans. And now, video conferencing in full HD while in your workout shorts and a polo shirt. 
Saildrones are the Latest High-Tech Weapon in Fighting Climate Change
(c|net) Drones aren't just flying through the air -- they're also sailing the Pacific Ocean as the newest scientific weapon to combat climate change. The hope is that by mapping the ocean floor, collecting weather and ocean data, and counting fish and wildlife populations, the autonomous Saildrones will measure the changes happening right now on our planet. 
Palantir Deepens Partnership with the US Space Force
(ITPro.) Palantir Technologies has signed a new pact with the United States Space Force (USSF) and United States Air Force (USAF) to support the country's armed forces.

In 2020, Palantir partnered with the USSF to develop a common operating picture of space for the US Space Command.

Under the new agreement, Palantir will deploy and maintain its data-as-a-service platform to aid the US Space and Missile Systems Centers' (SMC) Cross-mission Ground and Communications Enterprise (ECX) in space command and control programs, including operations at the National Space Defense Center and the Combined Space Operations Center.
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