21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act

Report to Congress on Modernizing Agency Websites and Digital Services

Prepared for Congress per the requirements of section 3(b)(2) of Public Law 115-336.
21st Century IDEA DoD CIO Implementation Report to OMB (2020)
21st Century IDEA DoD CIO Progress Report to OMB (2021)
21st Century IDEA DoD CIO Progress Report to OMB (2022)
21st Century IDEA DoD CIO Progress Report to OMB (2023)

March 2020

As required by section 3(b)(2) of Public Law 115-336, the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA), this report includes a list of key websites and digital services evaluated by the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer (DoD CIO) that have been prioritized and targeted for modernization.

Background

The 21st Century IDEA requires each Federal executive agency to provide a prioritized list of the agency’s “most-viewed or... otherwise important” public websites and digital services in compliance with section 3(a) of the law, and to provide an estimation of the cost and schedule to modernize those sites and services.

The Department has been aligning policies, responsibilities and procedures with evolving laws, Federal guidance, and best practices for public websites since 1996. The most recent example of our comprehensive focus is embodied in DoD Instruction (DoDI) 8170.01, “Online Information Management and Electronic Messaging,” January 2, 2019, which provides specific policies, responsibilities and procedures, and additionally serves as a compendium of related policies and procedures critical to successful online information management and electronic messaging. This instruction is currently in alignment with section 3(a) of the law in the areas of accessibility, search, and mobile optimization.

This instruction also directs DoD personnel to ensure that public DoD websites are operated in compliance with the laws and requirements cited in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-17-06, “Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites and Digital Services,” November 8, 2016, which include secure connections (HTTPS), and Analytics & User Feedback.

Going forward, the Department will update DoDI 8170.01 to additionally direct compliance with the 21st Century IDEA, and to specify the adoption of the evolving United States Web Design System as website standards. Key Websites and Digital Services

The GSA DAP identifies the following public DoD websites with the highest traffic in 2019:

  • United States Department of Defense
    https://www.defense.gov
    The principal, public website of the U.S. Department of Defense.

  • Defense Health Agency
    https://health.mil
    The principal, public website of the Military Health System.

  • TRICARE
    https://www.tricare.mil
    The public website of the Defense Health Agency’s Tricare program.

  • Defense Contract Management Agency
    https://www.dcma.mil
    The public website of the Defense Contract Management Agency.

  • National Security Agency | Central Security Service
    https://www.nsa.gov
    The public website of the National Security Agency | Central Security Service.

  • United States Navy
    https://www.navy.mil
    The principal, public website of the U.S. Navy.

  • United States Navy
    https://www.public.navy.mil
    The gateway and host of many public websites across U.S. Navy activities.

  • Naval History and Heritage Command
    https://www.history.navy.mil
    The public website of the U.S. Navy’s Naval History and Heritage Command.

  • United States Air Force
    https://www.af.mil
    The principal, public website of the U.S. Air Force.

  • United States Marines
    https://www.marines.mil
    The principal, public website of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Modernization Priorities

The office of the DoD CIO evaluated the Department’s highest traffic websites and determined that each website was in compliance with most standards required by law. Across the board, the most prevalent need for improvement is compliance with accessibility standards which has been reported as a modernization priority.