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The Daily Scoop Podcast
The federal CIO says OMB plans to make IT contract data collection public
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The Office of Management and Budget plans to make…
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Today on the Daily Scoop podcast from the Scoop News Group, the Federal CIO says OMB plans to make it contract data collection public, and the White House continues to press ICE for updates on wearable identity verification technology. It's Friday, May 15, 2026. Welcome to the Daily Scoop podcast, where you'll hear the latest news and trends facing government leaders. Hi. I'm the host of the Daily Scoop podcast, Billy Mitchell. Thanks so much for joining me. And now let's dive into the day's top headlines. The Office of Management and Budget plans to make public at least some of the technology contract data it's collecting from agency, per the government's top IT official. Under a March memo, certain chief information officers are required to update OMB each month on contract they or their subordinates have approved. That same memo also mandates data collection about pricing and agency use of services from vendors themselves. The memo received some positive reception as a possible method to better inform procurement decisions, but a common critique was that it provided no assurances the information would ever be transparently published. Despite citing data standards consistent with the Open Government Data Act, a law that requires agencies to publish non sensitive information in machine readable and open formats by default, the memo did not state whether the information would be publicly disseminated. When asked by FedScoop recently whether public sharing is part of the plan for that information, Federal CIO Greg Barbaccius said, absolutely, this is the citizens data. The format that might take is less clear, Barbacci has said it remains to be seen what amount we could share responsibly, and he would have to take that back and think about that a bit. In addition to confirming public sharing, Barbaccia also indicated the reporting process could change over time. The current monthly reporting requirements under the memo run only through September, but there are plans to extend the process. The six month period was designed as a way to review the data from agencies and make changes as needed before implementing something indefinitely, barbaccia said. And now moving on to other news, the White House is keeping an eye on Immigration and Customs Enforcement's progress on a plan to deploy wearable identification technology for its agents, according to ICE Assistant Director Matthew Elliston. The Department of Homeland Security's fiscal 2027 budget proposal set by the White House allocates $7.5 million for the agency's Science and Technology unit to develop critical technologies that strengthen the component's ability to execute its mission. If passed, a portion of those funds would go to delivering operational prototypes of smart glasses that will equip agents with real time access to information and biometric identification capabilities in the field, per the budget justification. Elliston said at AFC Bethesda's LEAPS summit Thursday in Washington, D.C. that ICE has been toying with the idea of wearable facial matching technology. Even in early stages. The project has been met with apprehension from lawmakers and privacy advocates. A group of senators sent a letter Thursday to DHS Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen calling for the agency to abandon its dangerous proposal. ICE agents currently depend on mobile biometric technology, such as the AI powered mobile fortify to identify individuals. The Smart Glasses project is in its beginning stages, and the agency is still looking for a vendor to partner on it, Elliston said. The White House doesn't have an appetite for slow I'm getting hit for Like a weekly update from the White house, the fiscal 2027 budget outlines a one year timeline for the smart glasses project, beginning in Q1 of 2027 and wrapping by the fourth quarter of the same year. For more news at the intersection of the federal government and technology, make sure to visit fedscoop.com the battlespace has entered a new era of relentless multi domain competition spanning land, air, sea, space, cyber and beyond. In this rapidly shifting environment, speed, precision, technology and information superiority are not just advantages, they are critical to modern warfare. Register today for GDIT's Emerge Battles Space of the Future June 2 at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C. where military leaders, technologists and industry leaders will converge to explore the breakthroughs defining the future of warfighting and and what it takes to secure and maintain strategic dominance in an increasingly contested world. For more information about the event and to register, make sure to visit gditbattlespace.upgather.com or visit the events page on fedscoop.com
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thanks so much for tuning in to another episode of the Daily Scoop Podcast, available on all podcast platforms. If you've already rated the podcast on your platform of choice, thanks so much. High ratings and good reviews of the show help more people to find it. The Daily Scoop Podcast is a production of the Scoop News Group in Washington, dc. Adam Butler and Carlin Fisher help put the show together and the entire Scoop News Group team contributes. We'll be back next week with more top headlines.
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Until then, I'm your host Billy Mitchell. Thanks so much for listening.