MEGABYTE Act Archives

Bill to overhaul agencies’ software purchasing progresses in Senate

The SAMOSA Act will now move forward to be debated by lawmakers on the floor of the upper chamber.

May 17, 2023 By John Hewitt Jones

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 21: Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) listens as Transportation Security Administrator David Pekoske speaks during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images).

Lawmakers reintroduce legislation to consolidate agency software procurement

The proposed legislation replicates the SAMOSA Act, which was proposed in September.

Mar 23, 2023 By John Hewitt Jones

WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 21, 2022: Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) listens as Transportation Security Administrator David Pekoske speaks during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images).

SAMOSA Act could increase large software providers’ monopoly powers say acquisition experts

IT acquisition specialists caution that the legislation could affect the choice of software services available to agencies over the long term.

Oct 11, 2022 By Nihal Krishan

Lawmakers float cost-saving legislation to mandate consolidation of federal agency software contracts

Work on the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act is being led by committee chairman Sen. Gary Peters, D-MI.

Sep 9, 2022 By Nihal Krishan

Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. at an Oversight and Government Reform hearing in 2014.

FITARA grades hold steady almost a year into pandemic

All agencies managed to ace the software licensing metric, resulting in its retirement in favor of one gauging their telecommunications transitions.

Dec 22, 2020 By Dave Nyczepir

More attention from Congress could lead to smoother EIS transition

Experts are hopeful Congress' recent interest in the EIS transition could give agencies a new urgency to move to the contract and reap the cost-savings benefits.

Dec 21, 2020 By Billy Mitchell

Telework boom expanded an existing headache: keeping track of software licenses

More mobile devices, more updates to apps — agencies like the USDA and the Air Force are confronting how to keep track of what software is on…

Jul 17, 2020 By Dave Nyczepir

Rep. Will Hurd. (Voices for National Service / Flickr)

FITARA Scorecard 7.0: Agencies take big steps forward with software licensing

The latest iteration of the so-called FITARA shows an upward trend for agencies, due in large part to improvements in software licensing.

Dec 11, 2018 By Billy Mitchell

Will Hurd (House Oversight and Government Reform Committee / Flickr)

These 3 categories tanked agencies on the latest FITARA scorecard

The combination of the three categories took agencies from a potential spread of five As, 14 Bs and 5 Cs to only three Bs, 12 Cs, eight…

May 23, 2018 By Carten Cordell

Cyber, talent challenges sideline USPS software license management

A new report found compliance problems with the agency's software license management program once cost it $26.8 million in penalties.

Sep 28, 2017