No, government IT mostly doesn't have "required certifications"; it actually has far less credentialism, IME, than private industry.
Competence is something of a mixed bag; I'd say the biggest problems aren't with technical competence of line staff but with government IT management and organization and policies imposed from outside of IT in government that constrain IT practices.
Competence is something of a mixed bag; I'd say the biggest problems aren't with technical competence of line staff but with government IT management and organization and policies imposed from outside of IT in government that constrain IT practices.