Winter 2026
The Winter 2026 issue of FedTech Magazine surveys the federal government’s tech agenda, spotlighting AI‑enabled zero‑trust, cloud‑first modernization, and legacy hardware like NASA’s GRiD Compass. It features a Q&A with Palo Alto’s Eric Trexler on identity‑first, AI‑secure cyberdefenses, and examines whether Trump‑era agencies will lean more on commercial‑off‑the‑shelf (COTS) solutions. The publication also highlights 24 influential federal IT leaders, FedRAMP adoption, and practical guidance for hybrid‑work security and backup strategies. Together, these pieces map the evolving landscape of federal IT policy and practice.
Debt‑Strapped SA Municipalities Eye Solar‑Battery Backup
Debt-laden South African municipalities may turn to solar-plus-battery backup solutions #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/yVWOXGTUZe
Star Systems International Transponders Used in Thailand's Toll System
Star Systems International is supplying its Chara transponders for Thailand’s new M‑Flow tolling system, which seeks to replace manual cash payments with electronic toll collection (ETC). The transponders, OmniAir‑certified and engineered for high‑speed, extreme‑temperature environments, will work in tandem with...
The Mandarin Live: Future Ready Public Service Canberra
The Mandarin Live: Future Ready Public Service summit will take place on 17 June 2026 in Canberra and online, gathering senior Australian Public Service (APS) leaders to address the next phase of digital reform. The event emphasizes stewardship, systemic integrity and scaling...
Singapore, Japan Align IoT Security Frameworks for Digital Resilience
Singapore and Japan have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to mutually recognise each other’s IoT cybersecurity labelling schemes. The agreement lets devices certified in one country obtain the other’s Level 1 label through a streamlined process, cutting duplicate testing. It also...
The Future Is Now, Almost
Digital government in Australia is a patchwork of progress and lag, with basic services still relying on paper and fax while some regions experiment with AI. Victor Dominello, former NSW minister, outlined a four‑stage evolution—Government 1.0 to 4.0—culminating in agentic...
Colorado Adopts AI Framework Ensuring Notice, Correction, Human Review
I’m grateful to the task force for developing a framework to guide how Colorado uses AI. Under this proposal, Coloradans would get upfront notice when AI is used in major decisions, the ability to correct errors, and the right to...
Australia: Facial Recognition Aids Regulatory Oversight, Compliance
Australian authorities in New South Wales have issued guidelines for deploying facial‑recognition systems in venues that host electronic gaming machines. The technology is intended to verify identities in real time, enforce self‑exclusion registers, and bolster broader financial‑crime monitoring. Advanced AI...
Cyprus Orders Mandatory Acceptance of Digital Citizen App Credentials
Cyprus has issued a legal order that obliges all organizations to treat identity documents presented through the Digital Citizen mobile app as equivalent to their physical counterparts in face‑to‑face transactions. The decree, signed by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation...
White House Eyes Friday Rollout for AI Framework
The White House is set to deliver a legislative AI framework to Congress on Friday, outlining federal standards that would preempt conflicting state laws and address child safety, creators, and censorship – the so‑called “four C’s.” Republicans are looking to...
Can Zero Trust Survive the AI Era?
Federal agencies are confronting a dual challenge: AI‑enabled attackers are slashing attack timelines to roughly 11 minutes and dramatically lowering malware development costs, while defenders must integrate AI into their security stacks. Zero Trust principles—continuous verification, least‑privilege access, and micro‑segmentation—remain...
CBP’s 4-Part Tariff Refund Process Inches Forward
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is advancing its Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE) system, a four‑step digital platform designed to refund importers for Trump‑era tariffs that were recently nullified. The agency reports the project is between 45 % and...
Gov to Explore "Future Connectivity Between Identity Exchanges"
The Australian government is commissioning a detailed mapping of its Digital ID System (AGDIS) to evaluate how it can interconnect with private‑sector identity exchanges. The effort follows a closed procurement that will produce diagrams, risk assessments, and technical options ahead...
Sen. Blackburn Lays Out Details for Sweeping AI Proposal
Sen. Marsha Blackburn unveiled a draft bill that obliges public companies and selected private firms to report AI‑related layoffs, role changes, and other workforce effects to the Labor Department each quarter. Non‑compliance could trigger civil penalties of up to $1 million...
APS Data Awards Winners for 2026
Australia’s public service held its annual APS Data Awards gala on March 20, 2026, honoring top data‑driven projects across government. Treasury Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh opened the ceremony, stressing that data turns opinions into accountable outcomes. Winners were celebrated for advancing productivity, competition...
Los Alamos County Signs Partner ISPs For Open Access Fiber Network
Los Alamos County, New Mexico, has signed contracts with four partner ISPs—XMission, Anthem Broadband, Intellipop and LANet—to launch the county‑wide “Atomic Fiber” open‑access network. Construction is slated to begin in spring 2026, with initial residential connections expected by fall 2026...
Granular Driving and Intersection Data Helps Drive Traffic Safety Investments
Missouri reported a drop in traffic‑related fatalities from 955 in 2024 to 910 in 2025, marking the first sustained three‑year decline since 2019. The state transportation department (MODOT) is turning to Cambridge Mobile Telematics' platform to collect granular driver‑behavior data...
Lack of CISA Leadership Amid DHS Shutdown Raises Risks, Cyber Pros Say
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is operating with roughly one‑third of its staff as the DHS shutdown sidelines 1,500 employees and leaves the agency without a permanent director. Despite the staffing squeeze, CISA continues to issue critical alerts—such...
How the Public Can CRUSH Medicare and Medicaid Fraud
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a new public‑idea portal under its Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare initiative. CMS Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Brandt invited citizens, providers, and industry experts to submit suggestions for strengthening...
Tech Force Signals Shift to Centralized, Skills-Based Federal Hiring
The Office of Personnel Management is launching the first cohort of its Tech Force initiative, placing several hundred technologists into federal roles through a new shared‑certificate system. The program centralizes hiring, using a three‑phase, skills‑based assessment to create a cross‑agency...
Bastille Wireless Threat Detection Podcast Series, Smartwatches
In this inaugural episode of the Wireless Threat Detection series, Adrian Sanabria and John Bundy examine the security implications of smartwatches, highlighting how Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, NFC and built‑in sensors expand the attack surface for both consumers and enterprises. They...
FAA Picks 8(a) Firm for $295M Technical Center Support Contract
Quecon, an 8(a) service‑disabled veteran‑owned firm, secured a potential $295 million, seven‑year Second Level Engineering Support contract for the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. The award, selected from three proposals, covers a broad portfolio including engineering studies, system assurance, safety...
Comtech Delivers First Set of Digital Modems to US Army
Comtech has delivered the first batch of Enterprise Digital Intermediate Frequency Multi‑Carrier (EDIM) modems under a $48.6 million U.S. Army contract signed in 2023. The units are still in development and will undergo final acceptance testing this summer before fielding. The...
City Leaders Predict ‘Real Bad Trouble’ if FirstNet Isn’t Reauthorized
City leaders warned at the National League of Cities conference that a lapse in FirstNet’s authority could leave first responders without interoperable communications during disasters. The First Responder Network Authority, set to expire in February 2027, is backed by a...
New FAA Protocol Addresses Helicopter, Plane Safety at Airports
The FAA issued a new safety directive that ends visual separation for helicopters and airplanes in Class B and Class C airspace, requiring radar‑based spacing after a deadly 2025 Blackhawk‑jet collision. Using AI analytics, the agency identified high‑risk mixed‑traffic airports and mandated...
Pentagon Seeks Anthropic Alternatives Amid $200M Contract Dispute
The Pentagon terminated its $200 million contract with Anthropic after the company demanded safeguards against mass surveillance and autonomous weapons, while the DoD insisted on unrestricted model access. In response, the Defense Department has moved to integrate OpenAI’s GPT and xAI’s...
FedRAMP Clears Microsoft Azure GCC High as CrowdStrike Expands GovCloud
Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) granted its seal of approval to Microsoft Azure Government Community Cloud High despite earlier internal criticism, while CrowdStrike announced a suite of new GovCloud capabilities. The twin moves underscore a rapid shift toward...
Buying a ‘Loot Box’ in an Online Game? Some of the Swag Could Help Public Schools Under a Colorado Bill
Colorado lawmakers are considering House Bill 1148, which would impose a 5% fee on microtransactions such as loot boxes in online games. The fee is projected to generate more than $20 million annually for public schools, while the broader bill tightens...
Latest White House Cybersecurity Strategy Talks Crypto, AI, Quantum
The White House released President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America in mid‑March, outlining six policy pillars that target critical‑infrastructure protection, emerging‑technology superiority, and a broadened offensive cyber posture. Notably, the strategy calls for securing supply‑chain integrity, promoting U.S.‑made hardware, and...
SpiderOak Wins New UAS Systems Contract
SpiderOak has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems PMO to conduct supply‑chain analysis and cybersecurity assessments for vendors in the Drone Dominance Program. The company will apply its Advanced Cyber Threat & Resilience Assessments (ACTRA)...
Water Utilities Need Hands-On Cybersecurity Help, Not Just Free Guidance, Pilot Program Finds
Microsoft, the Cyber Readiness Institute and CCTI ran a 2023‑2025 pilot to boost cybersecurity at small and medium water utilities. Of 113 utilities that expressed interest, 72 enrolled and only 43 completed the program, but utilities that received a dedicated...
Gov. Sherrill Backs Social Media Restrictions for Young People
Governor Mikie Sherrill announced her backing of a suite of New Jersey bills aimed at tightening online safety for minors. The proposals would bar targeted advertising to children, impose black‑box health warnings on social‑media apps, and set default privacy settings...
Fire, EMS Departments Turn to Online Resale Market as Apparatus Costs Surge
Fire and EMS agencies are confronting soaring apparatus prices—often exceeding $1 million—and supply‑chain delays that can stretch delivery to five years. To offset costs and shorten acquisition cycles, many are turning to Garage, an online resale marketplace that connects departments nationwide...
US Department of War Targets Open-Source CUs, DUs
The U.S. Department of War, through its FutureG programme, has become a founding member of the Linux Foundation’s Open Centralised Unit Distributed Unit (OCUDU) Ecosystem Foundation. OCUDU aims to create production‑ready, open‑source software stacks for Centralised Units (CUs) and Distributed...
Polish Air Traffic Authority Launches New Radars to Boost Detection
Poland's air traffic control agency PANSA activated two new radars on Thursday, one near Katowice and another near Pułtusk, to sharpen radiolocation data and operational security. The installations are part of a 1.4 billion‑zloty modernization program running from 2024 to 2029....
Testimony to the NYC Council for 2026 Preliminary Budget Hearing – Technology
BetaNYC testified before the NYC Council urging budget reforms for the Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), citing severe staffing shortages that undermine open data and automation efforts. The testimony proposes moving OTI’s specialized units under the Deputy Mayor for...
Exclusive-India's Proposal to Preload National ID App Aadhaar on Phones Faced Pushback
India’s UIDAI quietly asked the IT ministry to explore pre‑installing its Aadhaar biometric ID app on all smartphones sold in the country, a move championed as a way to boost accessibility. The proposal met immediate resistance from Apple, Samsung, Google...
Building the Military Health System’s AI Ecosystem
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) has launched a five‑year data strategy to create a secure, interoperable AI ecosystem for the Military Health System. Partnering with Red Hat, DHA is building cloud‑native infrastructure, data lakes, and governance frameworks that can safely scale...
Md. Firefighters Train for EV Fires with Crane Operations, Parking Garage Removal
Howard County’s Department of Fire and Rescue Services held a regional training session at Howard Community College focused on electric‑vehicle (EV) fire response. Firefighters practiced using a crane to lift and relocate a burning EV from a parking garage, employing...
Punjab Integrates 252 Services Into E-Biz Portal, Targets 300 by Mid‑April
Punjab’s chief secretary announced that 252 government services across 18 departments have been integrated into the e‑Biz online portal, with 44,519 applications processed and 40,854 approvals issued. The province plans to expand the portal to 300 services by April 15,...
Ofcom Fines 4chan for Non-Compliance with the Online Safety Act
Ofcom fined 4chan £520,000 for breaching the Online Safety Act by lacking age‑verification, failing risk assessments, and not updating its terms of service. The regulator set a compliance deadline of 2 April 2026, after which a daily penalty of £800 will apply....
Alaska Secures $629 Million Federal Grant to Extend Broadband to 46,000 Sites
The U.S. Department of Commerce approved a $629 million Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) award for Alaska, earmarked to deliver 100‑megabit‑per‑second service to more than 46,000 homes and businesses. The funding, the largest single federal investment in Alaskan connectivity, will...
Small Cells Offer New Visibility Into City Flows
Bath has launched a city‑wide small‑cell rollout, partnering with Virgin Media O2, Ontix and the local council to bolster 5G capacity on busy shopping streets and tourist hotspots. The cells, mounted on existing lampposts, aim to alleviate network strain during...
Recent Developments in Data Access Policy
The Open Data Policy Lab added 11 new policy developments this quarter across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. These entries illustrate five emerging approaches governments use to structure data access, from mandatory public data release to controlled sharing of...
Gartner Predicts Surge in AI-Powered Public Services
Gartner forecasts that by 2028 at least 80 % of governments worldwide will deploy AI agents to automate routine decision‑making, boosting efficiency and service delivery. The firm highlights a shift toward decision intelligence, where governance focuses on the decisions themselves rather...
Self‑moving Traffic Cones Boost Safety, Threaten Jobs
#WhosNext? Road workers? These automated traaffic cones can protect road workers from accidents. But won't they also take away the jobs of those who used to move the regular traffic cones? (GiGadgets) #Automation https://t.co/BBX42XDPvd
Tax Code Analysis Tool 1.0
The Tax Code Analysis Tool (CAT) models the U.S. federal tax code as a graph, linking the text of Title 26 to the entities and concepts it governs. By treating over 1,900 sections as interconnected nodes, CAT can surface cross‑references, map...
SAVVI Data Pilot to Identify Vulnerable Residents Earlier
A £1.1 million government‑funded pilot will test the SAVVI and Open Referral UK (ORUK) data standards in Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. The standards aim to spot early signs of vulnerability—such as housing instability or health...
Webinar: Government 3.0 – Smarter Systems, Sharper Minds
A Mandarin Talks webinar titled “Government 3.0 – Smarter systems, sharper minds” explored how AI can reshape public services without undermining human judgment. Former NSW minister Victor Dominello and ex‑White House AI adviser Carmem Domingues argued that speed‑focused metrics are insufficient and...
AI Chatfest Could Up-End Community Consultation
Governments are experimenting with AI‑driven chat platforms to replace traditional public‑consultation processes. The new approach promises to capture comments in real time, analyse sentiment, and generate summary reports faster than manual methods. Early pilots show submission volumes rising while processing...