You read that title correctly; here we are near the end of another federal fiscal year. If you’re thinking it feels like Congress just passed the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) budget, you’re correct. Half of FY24 was spent in a state of continuing resolutions, with the passage of a final budget a whopping six months into the year, in March 2024. Federal agencies have had effectively half the time they would be allotted in an ideal fiscal year timeframe to spend less, the same, or in some cases more money.

In a contest this year of “Most Popular IT Market Trends” it’s highly likely artificial intelligence (AI) would win first place. Federal agencies have released troves of related guidance in the past year, including an executive order, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memos, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) protocols, and the Department of Defense’ (DoD) AI Strategy. So much of the discussion around AI up until very recently though has been just that: discussion.

Recently the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released a roadmap entitled Vision for the IC Information Environment to outline a vision to protect the nation from adversaries and maintain a “strategic advantage" over those intending to harm its information infrastructure. The roadmap contains recommendations from a collaboration of more than one hundred technical leaders from the intelligence community (IC).

If you have been confused lately seeing multiple March dates with some mention of the federal budget tied to them, you are not crazy. There are in fact multiple budgets floating out there in the ether: some finalized versions for certain agencies, others still awaiting that vote and presidential approval for fiscal year 2024 (FY24), as well as a wholly new request for funding from the President for FY25 priorities. We will catch you up as succinctly as possible, and if FY24 sounds too confusing, read on to hear what’s catching attention across IT for FY25.

The 2024 United States presidential election is rapidly approaching, and state and local governments are focusing their efforts on bolstering election security and ensuring the proper safeguards are in place.

We’re still in the first quarter of the fiscal year and headed toward the holiday season. Historically, that predicates a slower pace across the federal sector, but not this year. This year, artificial intelligence (AI) is having a moment, and nearly everyone across the public sector, including the White House and The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has something to say about it.

Modernizing the defense healthcare system has never been more front and center for Defense Health Agency (DHA), the Department of Defense's (DOD) primary arm that manages all things healthcare for military service members and their beneficiaries. With acts of war and terrorism arising from overseas and the possibility of having our troops involved in future conflicts, patient healthcare and service preparedness are top priorities for the agency. So, the DHA is looking to work across federal agencies and industry to strengthen its healthcare systems.

Over the last few months, there have been several recent cybersecurity initiatives at the federal level, aimed at bridging gaps in K-12 cybersecurity policy and strategy.

Ah yes, we meet again. The last week of the fiscal year: the air is cooler, pumpkin spice is in everything and the government might shut down. That is, if a deal isn’t reached by midnight on September 30th. This feels even more common, mostly because it is. And I don’t know about you, but the word “shutdown” might sound scary, apropos leading up to Halloween I suppose, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ll talk about what exactly a shutdown is, and more importantly, what it is not.