On Tuesday, April 4, 2017, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross delivered opening remarks at a public data forum hosted by the Department of Commerce’s National Technical Information Service (NTIS) to explore how the federal government can be more effective in its data management and delivery of public services. The event also featured presentations by federal agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the U.S. Census Bureau. Also in attendance were representatives from NTIS’s Joint Venture Partners, a group of small and large companies, nonprofits, and research groups selected through a merit-based process to work with NTIS on groundbreaking data projects conducted for and funded by federal agencies.

In May, Commerce’s NTIS Director Avi Bender spoke with Francis Rose, who hosts Government Matters at WJLA-TV, about the recent Federal Data Meeting, the common challenges facing most agencies today, and the exciting NTIS private-sector partnerships that are accelerating innovation across the federal landscape.