Energy Department takes the title owning the fastest computer in the world

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• 86% of federal workers say the commute is a large issue for office environment reentry. In an special Federal News Community survey, traveling to and from get the job done was the most popular issue for feds returning to the office. Several also claimed they are concerned about workplace security steps and perform-existence stability. With far more adaptability, no commute and confined interruptions lots of say remote work is *far more* productive than heading into the business. A lot of study respondents also say they want to improve telework when doable. (Federal News Community)

• A federal watchdog states the Countrywide Safety Agency remaining itself susceptible to contractor fraud during the top of the pandemic. The NSA Inspector Common audited the spy agency’s handling of contractor reimbursements under the CARES Act. The IG discovered inadequate documentation in lots of scenarios, major it to dilemma $16.4 million in rates. That represented 40% of the CARES Act invoices sampled by the IG. The NSA noted a complete of $917 million in CARES Act invoices.

• A previous journey clerk with the Office of Veterans Affairs pleads responsible to thieving virtually $500,000 from the company. Prosecutors billed Bruce Slight of Philadelphia with theft federal government funds, after they say he made fraudulent travel reimbursement claims in the names of at least 3 other VA staff. Prosecutors say he then diverted the money into bank accounts he controlled. This took place concerning December 2015 and September 2019. The VA inspector general’s office environment done this investigation.

• The Transportation Protection Administration is grappling with a absence of diversity among the its senior ranks. TSA expects to carry on a main variety fairness and inclusion officer within the subsequent thirty day period. The specific will be a member of the senior executive company and report directly to TSA Administrator David Pekoske. When more than half of TSA’s workforce are persons of colour, 53 out of the agency’s 66 federal stability directors are white. The new DEI officer is predicted to choose a really hard search at that disparity and spearhead suggestions from TSA’s Inclusion Action Committee. (Federal Information Network)

• A federal AI job drive outlines ‘equitable future’ for investigate and progress methods. The undertaking drive at the rear of the Nationwide AI Investigate Useful resource (NAIRR) challenges an interim report outlining how the AI data-and-investigation hub can set federal AI resources in the arms of more U.S. researchers. A last report is anticipated this November. Lynne Parker, the deputy U.S. main technological know-how officer and director of OSTP’s Countrywide AI Initiative Business, says the interim report marks the “first stage towards a much more equitable future for AI R&D in America, it is a upcoming the place innovation can prosper, and the promise of AI can be understood in a way that advantages all Us residents.” (Federal Information Network)

• Beginning tomorrow, the Thrift Price savings Prepare will make 5,000 mutual cash available to individuals. But some lawmakers are anxious about the implications of expanding expenditure selections. Republican senators phone on the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board — the company that manages TSP — to possibly terminate or postpone the mutual fund window. The senators question the board to be certain no money invest in “dangerous, noncompliant or opaque Chinese securities.” The board says no TSP participant is expected to devote in any of the mutual funds.

• There’s a new site that provides jointly all technology procedures and regulations in a single place. The objective of the site is to assist business and federal workers grow to be a lot more well-informed on these topics and know the place to seem for answers. The portal breaks down the guidelines and insurance policies by subject matter like cybersecurity or information, and by specific title of the mandate. It also offers swift data about the coverage or law like title, who it applies to and a link to the formal supply document. This web-site was developed by a federal IT executive on his very own time and isn’t affiliated with any 1 company.

• The Power Department’s Oak Ridge Nationwide Lab is property to the world’s fastest supercomputer. The lab’s Computing Facility can obtain exascale computing on their Frontier System, this means they can carry out a quintillion calculations for each next, which is one billion, billion. Congressman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) praised the accomplishment calling exascale the next generation of computing energy and that it is critical that the U.S. sales opportunities the way in this area. The U.S. is dwelling to various other supercomputers in the best 10, which include a different at the Oak Ridge Lab, just one at Lawrence Livermore Countrywide Lab and one particular at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

• 4 key themes emerge about GSA’s commercial platform initiative. The upcoming actions for the Standard Solutions Administration’s industrial platform initiative have not however arrive into concentration, but a couple trends arrived to gentle. GSA introduced a request for data previously this 12 months in search of comments on what other ways could be examined. The RFI came right after Congress mandated GSA look at other techniques to make it a lot easier for businesses to buy goods and products and services from industrial platforms. 1 of the findings highlighted industry’s potential to provide distinct running models that meet up with goals like timely item shipping and delivery with genuine-time acquire monitoring and speedy reaction buyer support.

• The Centers for Illness Handle and Prevention suggests 87% of men and women who drank water contaminated by the Crimson Hill Bulk Gas Storage Facility in Hawaii knowledgeable new or worsening signs and symptoms. The self-reporting study exhibit men and women suffering from head aches, stomach concerns, respiratory issues and pores and skin complications. Purple Hill leaked jet gas into Hawaii’s drinking h2o late final drop.

• Right after a year of file suicides, the Protection Office is looking for methods to beef up its psychological wellbeing sources. The Pentagon’s top rated wellbeing formal states the military services is starting up a new method that will match mental overall health staffing with demand. The Defense Office would like to add mental wellness counselors, therapists and other experts to its ranks in the coming a long time. DoD would like to substantially enhance its telehealth visits and lessen the approvals for individuals on TRICARE to get mental wellness solutions. People are ready a minimal considerably less than two months for mental well being evaluations, nevertheless some waits can be longer than a thirty day period.