The House recently passed HR-5527, which aims to reauthorize the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) through 2033. The bill focuses on replacing outdated IT systems within federal agencies by establishing a “federal legacy IT inventory” to monitor progress. It also includes requirements for agencies to provide detailed reports on their ability to repay the fund before receiving funding, as well as reimbursing administrative fees and ensuring that TMF awards are repaid to keep the fund operational.
The goal of the TMF is to provide upfront funding to agencies to replace legacy systems, with the expectation that savings will be generated over time to repay the fund. However, a recent GAO report found that only eight out of 37 projects funded since the program’s inception in 2017 have shown measurable savings. The bipartisan bill passed by voice vote also includes provisions to improve overall service delivery within the federal government by designating a senior official at OMB to coordinate efforts and requiring individual agencies to appoint officials responsible for building trust with the public.
In other news, there are updates on various federal employee benefits, including changes in COLA rates, ethics rules, office space restrictions, VA executive bonuses, USPS processing changes, FEGLI benefits, and retirement insurance considerations. Additional resources and calculators are available to help federal employees plan for retirement and assess their benefits.