On Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, we participated in the Open Source Summit hosted by Nava, a public benefit corporation that focuses on modernizing technology in the public sector. The summit brought together champions of open-source software who are working to update government technology in various agencies and functions.
A key theme of the summit was that open-source software in government promotes technological advancement while fostering transparency and driving efficiency. One example is the ongoing effort to modernize Grants.gov, the website researchers use to apply for grants totaling $550 billions of dollars annually. This modernization effort is being conducted openly on a public GitHub repository, demonstrating full commitment to transparency and open-source software processes.
It was refreshing to learn that many open-source-software champions are roaming the halls of government, not only bringing technology up to date, but changing the culture. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), for example, is using technology to improve healthcare services for over 160 million Americans and is using open-source software to do it. CMS has an ongoing digital transformation strategy, led by its Director of Digital Services and Chief Digital Strategy Officer Andrea Fletcher, with its focus placed more on people and processes than on technology. The agency is using open-source software to drive down costs and increase transparency, while navigating a complicated bureaucratic landscape. Its commitment to digital transformation is reflected on the creation of a new Open Source Program Office, the first of its kind in the federal government.
GW OSPO director David Lippert and Prof. Lorena Barba participated in a panel on “Open Source Community & Collaboration.” Panelists were asked to share real-world examples of open-source software driving innovation, but they also discussed the subjects of security of open-source software and ethical technology development.
We took the opportunity to highlight the GW OSPO’s work as a member of the Open Forum for AI (OFAI), led by Carnegie Mellon University, as well as our endorsement of the Open Source Initiative’s efforts to define open source AI. This ignited a brief debate, as the consensus-building effort of OSI has not been free of criticism. The healthy debate took a short detour into the merits of copyleft versus permissive software licenses—a perennial topic in open-source gatherings.
Transforming Government for the Better
The Nava Open Source Summit highlighted the progress being made in government adoption of open-source software and methodologies. It was inspiring to hear success stories from various agencies who are using open source to modernize critical public services, increase transparency, and reduce costs. CMS's digital transformation efforts and unique new OSPO are a model for other agencies to follow.
The event shined a light on the vital importance of open source in government. By harnessing the power of openness, agencies can deliver better services to citizens more efficiently. Open source also aligns with government's duty of transparency and responsible stewardship of public resources. When the code powering public services is open, it enables accountability, security, and trust.
As open-source software champions in government connect and the movement grows, it is catalyzing a change in culture. Agencies shifting to be more open become agile and collaborative. This change will have far-reaching positive impacts on government's ability to fulfill its mission effectively in the digital age.
We look forward to continued collaboration with forward-thinking agencies and other partners in the open source community. By working together, we can fully realize the potential of open-source software to transform government technology for the better.
The future is bright for open source in the public sector and we're excited to help drive its growth and success!
Open-source software champions in government are catalyzing a culture change
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