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Cost Estimating NewsBrief: April 3, 2026
OMB wants more information and data about government IT purchases
(FedScoop) The Office of Management and Budget is asking federal IT leaders to provide more information about what they buy and collect more data about those purchases from the private sector. A Tuesday memo mandates certain agency chief information officers both provide OMB with monthly updates on contracts that they or their subordinates approve, as well as require vendors to provide details about pricing and agency use of those services. “It’s time to put all the cards on the table,” Federal CIO Greg Barbaccia said in a video about the memo posted to LinkedIn. “At the end of the day, this is about using taxpayer’s dollars responsibly, buying smarter, and making sure the government is actually getting value from the technology it depends on.” Read More
Fiscal 2027 budget request expected to back Space Force’s push for rapid growth
(Federal News Network) The White House is expected to roll out its budget proposals for fiscal 2027 this Friday, with all signs pointing to a $1.5 trillion defense budget request, which is a $600 billion increase from the department’s fiscal 2026 levels. While military spending grows every year, President Donald Trump’s potential request would be the highest year-over-year increase since World War II — the president said the massive increase in spending is required to build a “dream military” during “troubled and dangerous times.” But the administration has yet to provide strategic reasons for a budget increase of this magnitude, and there are concerns about the Defense Department’s ability to spend such an extraordinary sum. Read More
Lawmakers want FTC to take on ‘black box’ AI foundation models
(FedScoop) One of the House’s top voices on artificial intelligence wants to put an independent federal agency in charge of ensuring the data and algorithms behind foundation models are made public. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., co-chair of the Congressional AI Caucus, is part of a bipartisan trio behind a bill introduced last week that would require the Federal Trade Commission to establish requirements for foundation model transparency. The bill, co-sponsored by Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., calls on the FTC to work with the Commerce secretary, the Office of Science and Technology Policy director and the head of the National Institute of Standards and Technology on those requirements. Read More
Old-school spycraft could make a comeback as AI undermines trust
(NextGov/FCW) Artificial intelligence is widely expected to revolutionize intelligence gathering, enabling faster, cheaper and more scalable collection of information. But a new analysis suggests the technology may also spur a return to some of espionage’s oldest methods. The recent article published in Studies in Intelligence, the CIA-backed academic journal, argues that, as AI degrades the reliability of digital communications like text messages and video calls, traditional human intelligence tradecraft — like dead drops, brush passes and in-person meetings — could regain renewed importance. Read More
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