The Defense Department has proposed stiffer training requirements for contractor personnel who perform information assurance functions. The rule provides that contractor personnel accessing information systems must meet applicable training and certification requirements.

The proposed rule implements requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act. Comments on the rule, DFARS Case 2006-D023, are due March 23.

The Defense Department has issued a final rule requiring contractors to notify the government promptly of any defect that could pose a safety hazard. The rule requires notification within 72 hours of “any nonconformance or deficiency that could impact the safety of items acquired by or serviced for the Government.”

DOD said the rule applies to all repairable and consumable parts identified as critical safety items. It was effective Jan. 22.

The new chairman of a House oversight subcommittee says some federal agencies may need to be restructured to run more efficiently.

New York Democratic Rep. Edolphus Towns told Federal Computer Week, “Many [agencies] are broken, and they need to be fixed,” Towns said. “That’s what we’re going to be about.” He became chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s subcommittee on Government Management, Organization and Procurement when Democrats took control of Congress.

“Wherever the road leads us, that is where we want to go, because this is all about trying to save money, making certain there is no waste, fraud or abuse,” Towns said.

President Bush has renominated Susan Dudley to be the administration’s watchdog on federal regulations.

The Senate did not act on her nomination last year to head OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. A wide range of interest groups, including environmentalists and labor unions, charged she is anti-regulation and pro-business. Business groups generally welcomed the nomination.