Welcome to The Wrap for Friday, September 26!
From the newsroom at MeriTalk, it’s the quickest read in Federal tech news. Here’s what you need to know today:
A new report, spearheaded by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is sounding the alarm on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), accusing it of playing fast and loose with Americans’ personal data by uploading sensitive information to the cloud without proper safeguards or oversight. The report is the result of a months-long investigation led by Peters and Democratic staffers on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The report alleges that “DOGE staff … copied Americans’ sensitive Social Security and employment data into a cloud database without any verified security controls, likely a serious violation of cybersecurity and privacy laws that puts the information at risk of being stolen by cybercriminals.” At the top of the concern list: a cloud environment built by DOGE personnel at the Social Security Administration to handle NUMIDENT data – a database containing sensitive personal information on nearly every American. Committee staff are calling for its immediate shutdown, citing “extraordinary risk” to data privacy. They’re also pushing for a full audit to determine whether any breaches or manipulation have already occurred. Read the full report here.
GSA’s OIG Audit Checklist
On its fiscal year (FY) 2026 audit agenda, the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Office of Inspector General said it’s examining the impact of Trump administration directives and efforts led by DOGE – from the shuttering of 18F to whether OneGov is delivering on its promised savings. The OIG said it will verify 18F interagency closeouts “are in compliance with regulations, guidance, and agreements,” and to determine if GSA “has established measurable targets” and is accurately tallying OneGov savings. GSA’s 18F team, which partnered with federal agencies to improve technology procurement and digital services, was disbanded earlier this year as part of a White House-ordered reduction in force, led by DOGE, targeting functions deemed nonessential. Other planned checks: data quality, cybersecurity risks, and compliance with the January return-to-office order. And with the administration touting the largest FAR overhaul in four decades, OIG says it will ensure “critical regulations are not altered or removed without appropriate public comment and consideration.”
Guardians Go To Procurement School
The U.S. Space Force is strapping in for faster, sharper acquisitions with a new training course aimed at turning Guardians – and their procurement partners – into high-speed, low-drag buyers in a contested space domain. Speaking at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman announced the service has launched a new 10-week initial qualification training course to prepare acquisition officers in program management, contracting, and space system testing. The curriculum zeroes in on hands-on skills – requirements shaping, risk trade-offs, and aligning contracting strategies to mission timelines – so teams can move from intent to award without falling into “process for process’ sake.” “It’s imperative that we invest in developing our workforce so that all Guardians can effectively play their role in system delivery,” Saltzman said. The training course is part of a broader effort to provide all Space Force officers with foundational instruction in space operations, cyber operations, intelligence, and acquisition prior to their first assignments. Those selected for acquisition roles will then complete the specialized qualification program.
AI ‘Meta-Human’ Coming Soon
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is lifting the digital curtain on its latest tech creation: an AI-powered meta-human designed to support frontline missions – not replace them. CBP’s “meta-human” will be an avatar powered by artificial intelligence, explained Edward Mays, deputy assistant commissioner of Infrastructure and support services and chief enterprise infrastructure officer at CBP, who back in July first mentioned the AI-powered agent. Speaking at a NextGov event on Thursday, Mays said that the meta-human will start off as inward facing to help reduce workload and give time back to CBP employees by allowing them to focus on other tasks. One standout feature? Real-time language translation. Mays described a scenario where someone speaks to the avatar in one language, and it instantly translates for someone else on the other end. Ultimately, Mays sees CBP’s meta-human as “agentic AI” – but kicked up a notch.
Once again, let’s “call IT a day,” but we’ll bring you more next week. Until then, please check the MeriTalk breaking news website throughout the day for the latest on government IT people, progress, and policy.
And finally, please hit the news tip jar (with leads, breaking news, or simply your two cents) at newsstaff@meritalk.com.