Updating federal campaign finance reporting software, modernizing tribal community school websites and streamlining human resources information systems are some of the new investments announced Tuesday from the Technology Modernization Fund.
The announcement of $31.66 million in funding for the Federal Election Commission, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Energy was accompanied by a warning from the General Services Administration.
“It is essential that Congress provide funding so TMF can continue to meet the growing demand for investments that address ever-evolving technology needs, threats and advancements so the government can better serve the American people,” GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan said in a press release.
Carnahan’s funding request follows a similar request by TMF board chair and federal CIO Claire Martorana, who asked Congress in April to “please fund TMF.” Lawmakers took back $100 million from TMF in March.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives passed a bill last month to tighten procedures and extend the deadline for the TMF. The bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), amended the Government Technology Reform and Modernization Act of 2017 to impose additional restrictions on reimbursements to give agencies more flexibility in paying back the funds.
As the House bill awaits Senate approval, TMF leaders touted the latest funding round, with Martorana saying the investments from the FEC, Department of the Interior and DOE “demonstrate our commitment to using technology as a driver of positive change to increase government transparency, improve access to talent data, and create more equitable opportunities for disadvantaged communities.”
For example, the FEC has legacy software that only runs on Windows-based PCs that is not compatible with other operating systems, hindering accessibility and security for users with non-Windows-based machines. The FEC is investing $8.8 million to modernize its FECFile Online software and make it cloud-based and accessible from the web for filers, aiming to “improve data quality and strengthen security.”
Meanwhile, schools funded by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education (which includes both BIE-run and tribally-controlled schools) either do not have websites or “operate with an outdated online presence.” The $5.86 million awarded to the BIE will go toward a website modernization project that will “close the information gap” between these schools and other educational agencies, and ensure parents have access to important information about school-related activities and announcements.
Finally, DOE received $17 million to transition away from an “outdated HR infrastructure” to better support the agency’s workforce and limit the risks posed by current technology. DOE’s HR system, which will be replaced with a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform, last underwent a “significant investment” nearly 20 years ago, according to GSA. This modernized approach aims to improve data integrity, accessibility and reduce time, and the agency expects automating processes will “drive cost savings.”
“People are at the heart of every TMF investment,” Larry Bafundo, TMF’s acting executive director, said in a statement.
“TMF and the agencies we partner with are committed to improving the services, systems and programs that make government more accessible to everyone, from federal employees supporting clean energy to children attending school in underserved communities,” he added.
