Analysis: Federal Contractors Navigate Trump Administration Uncertainty

by  Nick Wakeman

Recent quarterly earnings calls by Science Applications International Corp. and Accenture reveal early some impacts as DOGE reviews create market anxiety.

Most of the executives we speak to are reluctant to directly address the pressures their companies are feeling because of the changes bought by the Trump administration.

But one place we are looking at is the quarterly financial reports and investor calls that public companies make, where we can to get a fuller picture of the actions companies are taking.

Regulatory filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission also include a section where companies describe the risks they see to their business. Some are boiler plate items such as warnings about competition.

But in Science Applications International Corp.'s most recent 10-K annual report, it talks about how the Department of Government Efficiency efforts to reduce federal spending “create uncertainty and risk” because of potential changes in budget priorities and the issuing of awards.

 Read full story at Washington Technology…

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GSA to “Quadruple” in Size to Centralize Procurement Across the Government

by  Natalie Alms

The head of GSA's Federal Acquisition Service told employees at a Thursday meeting that the agency will “do about $400 billion” in procurement management under this effort.

Natalie Alms gives insight to what the changes in GSA procurement means to government contractors. She explains:

President Trump signed an executive redirecting a significant portion of federal agency contracting to the General Services Administration (GSA), a move set to expand the agency's procurement responsibilities fourfold.

Josh Gruenbaum, head of GSA' Federal Acquisition Service, told employees the agency has already piloted the transition with two to three agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management, which recently disbanded its procurement team.

The shift coincides with major internal changes at GSA, including workforce reductions and the elimination of entire offices, such as the Technology Transformation Services' talent and market development divisions. Amid layoffs, GSA introduced a new AI bot—demoed at the meeting—to boost efficiency, with plans to share it across federal agencies.

 Read full story at NextGov/FCW…

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USPS Plans to Use AI to Enhance Customer Service

by  Edward Graham

USPS Vice President for Customer Experience Marc McCrery said the agency is looking to switch its call center platform to a cloud-based application this summer, which he said will be “the start of our AI journey.”

The U.S. Postal Service is looking to adopt generative artificial intelligence tools in the coming months to improve customer experience and service delivery, an agency official said during a keynote session at the Salesforce World Tour D.C. event on Wednesday

Marc McCrery — vice president for customer experience at USPS — said that, coming out of the COVID pandemic, the agency was receiving up to 100 million calls and 13 million service requests.

While he said the agency's customer operations were “extremely efficient” at handling that influx of outreach, he said one concern was that the agency “hadn't even come close to tapping the value of that data.”

Now, McCrery said USPS is working “to harness that data for the next best actions, with AI on the forefront” — a push that the agency expects to see come to fruition in a few months.

 Read full story at Government Executive…

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California Bill Would Force ISPs to Offer 100Mbps Plans for $15 a Month

by  Jon Brodkin

A proposed state law in California would force Internet service providers to offer $15 monthly plans to people with low incomes. The bill is similar to a New York law that took effect in January but has a higher minimum speed requirement: The proposed $15 plans for low-income California residents would have to come with download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps.

Broadband lobby groups fear that many states will enact such requirements after New York won a multiyear court battle to enforce its law. The Supreme Court has rejected telecom industry challenges to the New York law twice.

The California bill was proposed in January by Democratic Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, but the original version simply declared an intent to require affordable home Internet service and contained no specifics on required speeds or prices. The requirement for specific speeds and a $15 price is being added to the bill with an amendment that was provided to Ars … by Boerner's office. The amendment should be in the official record by early next week, a Boerner spokesperson said.

 Read full story at arsTechnica…

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Dell Unveils AI PCs With Nvidia GPUs for AI Model Testing

by  Agam Shah

The new lineup includes laptops and desktops with Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra GPUs; they're designed to provide enough muscle to test AI models before they're deployed.

New PCs introduced Tuesday by Dell sport high-powered Nvidia GPUs designed to help workers test AI models before deployment.

The new AI PC lineup includes laptops and desktops with Nvidia`'s latest Blackwell Ultra and Blackwell GPUs, which provide the muscle needed to test compute-intensive AI models. AI PCs are designed to run generative AI tools and models more efficiently than standard PCs.

“These AI developer PCs will make it much easier for developers to prototype, to test and even scale their models into production environments,” said Kevin Terwilliger, vice president and general manager for consumer, commercial and gaming PCs at Dell.

 Read full story at Computerworld…

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Windows 11 Awful Search Is Getting an AI Boost Soon, and That's Not All

by  Mark Hachman

AI is the main focus, but you'll also see updates to the Taskbar, Voice Access, and more that should make your PC easier to use.

Based on a number of new features being rolled up within new “Release Preview” updates for Windows 11, Microsoft appears to be readying a push for AI-powered enhancements in the coming weeks.

Although Microsoft typically reserves major feature releases for the fall, April 2025 is a key month for the software giant because it marks the 50th anniversary of the company's founding. With two preview releases of Windows 11, Microsoft has tipped off what features your PC will be receiving soon—most likely in April.

Both Windows 11 Build 26100.3613 and Windows 11 Build 26100.3624 are part of the Release Preview Channel for Windows 11 Insiders, meaning you can try them out early yourself by joining the Windows Insider program. If you do, note that Microsoft isn't releasing all of these features in one fell swoop. Some of them will be released “normally” while others are rolled out in a “gradual” cadence.

 Read full story at PCWorld…

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Energy Department Advances Efforts to Lower Costs and Increase Consumer Choice

by  U.S.Department of Energy

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright today announced the Department of Energy (DOE) has further postponed the implementation of three of the Biden-Harris administration's restrictive mandates on home appliances.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced the Department of Energy (DOE) has further postponed the implementation of three of the Biden-Harris administration's restrictive mandates on home appliances. These actions, taken in accordance with President Donald Trump's Executive Order, “Unleashing Prosperity through Deregulation,”marks a key step in lowering costs, enhancing performance, and expanding options for American consumers.

…“ “By removing burdensome regulations put in place by the Biden administration, we are returning freedom of choice to the American people, ensuring consumers can choose the home appliances that work best for their lives and budgets. This power should not belong to the federal government,” said Secretary Wright.

The Department's notices officially postpone the effective dates for three home appliance rules:

• Test Procedures for Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps
• Efficiency Standards for Walk-In Coolers and Freezers
• Efficiency Standards for Gas Instantaneous Water Heaters

In addition … the Department has officially withdrawn four conservation standards, including standards on electric motors, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, and external power supplies. …

 Read full story at Energy.gov…

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The Importance of Security for Power Utility Substations

by  Jordyn Alger

Security Magazine talks with Kaitlyn Albertoli, CEO of Buzz Solutions, about the importance of security for power utility substations.

Power utility substations face a variety of risks, ranging from theft to overgrowth of vegetation. To protect across such a wide scope of threats, the utilities sector can embrace modern security solutions.

Security magazine: Why is security for power utility substations so important?

Albertoli: We1ve seen an uptick in targeted substation attacks that leave customers without power for days and put vulnerable populations who rely on power for their life-saving devices at risk. Beyond the direct threat to our communities, substations are critical components of the energy grid. They ensure the safe and efficient distribution of electricity. If compromised, whether due to natural disasters or intentional attacks, the impact can be far-reaching — causing widespread outages, economic losses, and safety concerns. Given the increasing reliance on reliable energy infrastructure and more demand for power from electric vehicles and AI model training, ensuring substation security — both cyberattacks and physical breaches — is essential to protect both the grid and the communities it serves.

 Read full story at Security Magazine…

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The Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC) announced the recipients of the 2025 Best Practices Awards

by  Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative

SECC's eighth annual Best Practices Awards recognize the innovative ways that electric utilities are improving customer experience and engagement

SECC's Best Practices Awards — now in their eighth year — recognize leadership from electricity providers in the U.S. and Canada in the transition to a smarter, more consumer-focused energy ecosystem. The awards highlight programs, technologies and strategies that have proven to deliver significant benefits for residential and/or small business utility customers.

Selected by an independent advisory panel of industry veterans, the 2025 winners are:

• Arizona Public Service (APS)
• Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC)
• Cobb EMC
• American Electric Power (AEP)
• Evergy
• Dominion Energy South Carolina

 Read full story at Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative…

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