Source: United States General Services Administration
May 23, 2022
Two latest investments will digitize federal records and advance cybersecurity
WASHINGTON – Today, the Technology Modernization Fund announced investments to modernize the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) records delivery systems and to further safeguard the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) data. The NARA investment will allow Veterans and their families to electronically request and receive records and support agency customers’ recordkeeping needs; the USDA investment will implement new cybersecurity tools to prevent, detect and fix network intrusions, better securing shared services and sensitive data.
“Every interaction between the Government and the public is in an opportunity to deliver the efficient, effective, and secure services the American people expect and deserve,” said TMF Board Chair and Federal CIO Clare Martorana. “With the TMF investments in NARA and USDA, we’re moving the needle in deploying technology that is secure by design and building back trust in delivering a Government that meets today’s customer expectations.”
“Each year, millions of Americans rely on the security and accessibility of records from NARA and USDA, including military families, government employees, and everyday Americans.” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “These investments will help modernize both record-delivery systems and network security. This is another example of the TMF’s approach to making smart technology investments that provide better service to the public and save money for taxpayers.”
NARA serves as the nation’s record keeper, holding federal records as far back as the American Revolution. Each year, NARA receives approximately 1.1 million records requests from Veterans and their families who need to access benefits, as well as nearly 8 million records requests from over 400 federal agencies and offices to provide citizen services and fulfill their mission needs. With TMF support, NARA will replace legacy records systems with cloud-based platforms, allowing staff to fulfill electronic records requests remotely, digitally and in a secure fashion.
“We are grateful to the TMF for vitally needed assistance to help with IT upgrades to transform our ability to meet mission requirements and deliver needed records to the American people,” said Acting Archivist of the United States Debra Steidel Wall. “Our very mission is to drive openness, cultivate public participation, and strengthen our nation’s democracy through public access to high-value government records.”
The TMF will also help the USDA move toward implementing a zero trust architecture, better securing shared services and sensitive data, and protecting websites that connect citizens to vital resources. USDA employees do critical work in areas ranging from rural development and forest management to nutrition programs, agricultural research and international trade. The USDA also houses the National Finance Center which provides payroll services for over 600,000 employees and financial services for more than 40 agencies across the federal government.
“This TMF investment will improve the USDA’s threat monitoring, detection and response capabilities,” said USDA Chief Information Officer Gary Washington.
About $9.1 million will be invested in NARA to digitize and transform paper-based fulfillment processes for citizen and government agencies through secure, accessible web portals. Another $4.4 million in TMF investment funds are set to improve USDA’s cybersecurity by boosting threat monitoring, detection and response capabilities.
For more information, visit: tmf.cio.gov
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About the TMF: The Technology Modernization Fund is working to transform the way the government uses technology to deliver for the American public in an equitable, secure, and user-centric way. The TMF invests in technology projects across government, providing incremental funding, technical assistance, and oversight throughout execution to ensure the success of its investments.
The TMF is overseen by the Technology Modernization Board, which is composed of government IT leaders representing proven expertise in technology, transformation, and operations. To date, the TMF has announced investments totaling over $400 million. These investments have supported projects ranging from providing a single secure login experience for government websites to digitizing temporary worker visa programs and modernizing systems that support crop inspection and certification. The TMF has received $175 million through the annual budget process and $1 billion through the American Rescue Plan to fund modernization projects to date. For more information, visit tmf.cio.gov and follow us at @TMF_gsa.
About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.