“You could see the momentum to finally push real funding to the Technology Modernization Fund building all last week.”
“Three nominees for key positions at the Office of Management and Budget specifically mentioned the need to put serious money behind federal agency cybersecurity and IT modernization efforts. Senate lawmakers did more than casually mention it or offer to submit questions for the record.”
“A draft of the Senate’s version of the American Rescue Plan — labeled a manager’s amendment — leaked out finally offering some specifics: $1 billion for the TMF, $650 million for cybersecurity and another $350 million for other related IT modernization efforts.”
“But it wasn’t until the Senate Budget Committee released its initial version of the bill did reality set in. Real, impactful funding for the TMF was closer than ever to crossing the finish line…”
“’Having $1 billion dollars in the Technology Modernization Fund is a good first step and will be critical to helping address many of the common challenges still hampering effective IT transformation across the government, such as identity management, secure data sharing, leveraging AI and other emerging technologies to enhance citizen service delivery and expanding critical cybersecurity shared services to combat persistent threats,’ said Matthew Cornelius, the executive director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation, an industry association, and a former senior technology and cybersecurity advisor at OMB, in an email to Federal News Network. ‘Because these funds are being provided as part of this relief bill and should be used to deal with immediate challenges, it is incumbent upon OMB and the General Services Administration to use the authorities they have…'” Read the full article here.
Source: Technology Modernization Fund on track to receive biggest pay day ever – By Jason Miller, March 8, 2021. Federal News Network.
