With many agencies’ return-to-office plans still uncertain, Republicans on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee want to take matters into their own hands. GOP committee leaders changed their strategy for trying to get more federal telework data, now reaching out directly to agency heads. In a series of 25 letters, the lawmakers asked for up-to-date numbers of teleworking federal employees, after saying the Biden administration was “not adequately tracking the specific levels of telework.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Homeland Security is updating its IT strategic plan this year as the department shifts away from a “big bang” approach to technology projects, and an associated reliance on system integrators, to more iterative projects and enterprise services. One of the key principles of DHS’s IT modernization approach going forward is “the department, not a contractor, should serve as lead integrator for any modernization effort,” DHS IT leaders told members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s subcommittee on emerging threats and spending oversight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: How about evidence-based policy making not just for you, but for Congress? Meet a guy who's been keeping things running on Capitol Hill for 50 years. The Air Force flies right over two obstacles to digital transformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bipartisan resolution aims to bring more evidence-based policy making to Congress. It would establish a commission to, in the words of the sponsors, "facilitate the integration of robust data in the legislative process." For more about what that would do, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks with one of the main backers of the resolution, Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few people can boast 50 years of federal service. But Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest started as a page in Congress in 1972 and he never left. He is no longer a page, of course. Now he is the building services coordinator for the House office buildings, an employee of the Architect of the Capitol. Take a listen to Tom Temin's interview with Donnie Ward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Region Six of the EPA encompasses 15% of the U.S. land area. But it accounts for 25% of enforcement actions by the EPA. The region covers five states and 66 tribal nations. It also includes many oil and gas fields, chemical plants, and paper factories. Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest, helped helped drive much of the enforcement activity. Now she's a finalist in this year's Service to America Medals program. She's Cheryl Seager, EPA's Region Six Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Assurance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watch out, a new small business subcontracting rule took effect Tuesday. It brings new limits on subcontracting on set-aside contracts. It harmonizes a confusing situation of a mismatch between Small Business Administration rules and the Federal Acquisition Regulation. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Haynes Boone procurement attorney Dan Ramish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) will aid FEMA in feeding disaster victims. The DLA's troop-support unit acquires the rations used by troops the world over. Now it has created what it calls the Survivor Daily Ration for use by FEMA. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the DLA's Operational Rations Chief, Harry Streibich. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A Defense agency helps a civilian agency with a key post-disaster function. New small business subcontracting rule means headaches for everyone. How the EPA funneled enforcement into a difficult-to-reach part of the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The build up to the Defense Enterprise Office Solutions contract vehicle, starting in 2015, was full of anticipation and promise. Before the award of this contract that many estimated to be worth $8 billion-to-$10 billion, Defense Department technology and program executives said the effort will “better align our resources,” it has the “potential to dramatically change the way the Army does business,” and it would “eliminate some barriers to collaboration, and also help to eliminate duplicative spending.” The Department of Navy was writing its multibillion-dollar Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) contract at the time, and specifically took steps so it could easily move its email and collaboration capabilities to DEOS. There even was talk of using DEOS as a model for a civilian agency version, called CEOS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Defense Department’s newest service, the Space Force took lessons learned from other services to create its own path forward in acquisition policy. It now increasingly uses middle tier acquisition (MTA) to get the equipment it needs on a streamlined timetable. The Space Development Agency’s (SDA) low earth orbit (LEO) satellites turned out to be trailblazers in an approach that aligns with commercial business practices and takes a little over two years from the start of the acquisition process to launch. After a successful launch of its first 10 communication satellites in April, the next group of LEO satellites have a scheduled launch in June. The SDA ended bidding for its tranche 2 (beta) transport layer satellites on Wednesday and it plans to make an award announcement by mid-summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The debt ceiling bill must traverse a tortured path to become law. Nothing's guaranteed quite yet. But presuming it becomes law, it will put defense and non-defense spending under caps in place, even with a military pay raise staying in place. Contractors are already analyzing what it all means, as is Federal Drive host Tom Temin, along with his guest David Berteau, President & CEO of the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A House bill would change the way the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) would deal with tribal police departments. It would give them easier access to duty weapons by eliminating ATF regulations that don't apply to other police departments. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the bill's sponsor, South Dakota Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Among the troubling programs on the Government Accountability Office's High-Risk List, is the ability of the Health and Human Services Department to manage the national response to health emergencies. In the most recent pandemic, the response of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was at best disjointed. That left many other agencies to make their own decisions. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks about this with Sanjay Patnaik, who says CDC reform should include a way to make CDC expertise available to help other agencies' responses. Sanjay Patnaik is the Director of the Center on Regulation and Markets at the Brookings Institution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Some new ideas to make the CDC more effective in pandemics. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms would get new marching orders under this bill. What's in that 99-page debt ceiling deal for contractors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The IRS is facing substantial cuts to funds meant to rebuild its workforce and modernize its legacy IT systems over the next decade, as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a first-ever government default. The White House and congressional Republicans reached a final agreement Sunday night to limit federal spending over the next two fiscal years, in exchange for raising the debt limit through January 2025. Congress still needs to pass the spending plan by June 5 to avoid a federal default. That’s about how long the Treasury Department estimates it still has enough revenue on hand to make scheduled payments, without having to borrow additional funds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Department thinks it’s gotten about all the mileage it can out of its special pay and personnel system for cyber and IT professionals. Now it’s time to expand it, potentially delivering more competitive salaries to tens of thousands of additional IT workers across the department. Congress first gave DoD permission to create the Cyber Excepted Service more than seven years ago, and although the department was initially slow to implement it, officials now think they’ve used the authority for as many positions as they legally can: about 15,000. So the Pentagon is sending Congress a legislative proposal that would expand the system to as many as 75,000 employees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In theory there is a debt-ceiling deal between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. But it is not law yet. With days until the theoretical deadline, Congress has a lot of work to do. For the outlook, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Bloomberg Government Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Low-risk investments generally have low returns. By law, the Postal Service must invest retiree assets in U.S. Treasury securities. The Office of Inspector General took a look at how much USPS would have had now, with a stock-and-bond mix. Wow. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Research Specialist Joy Sanzone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deep in the weeds of agency management, you find something called the FITARA scorecard. FITARA stands for Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act. It became law in 2015. Twice each year, agencies receive a scorecard from Congress on how they did managing their IT activities. Now a team, under the IT trade group ACT-IAC, has come up with a list of recommendations for revising the FITARA scorecard. To fet the the whys and wherefores, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke in-studio with former federal CIO Alan Balutis along with the the Executive Director of the Policy Center at the MITRE Corporation, Dave Powner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: New ideas for updating a very old scorecard, at which agencies roll their eyes. One reason the Postal Service has a long-term pension problem. Will theoretical debt-ceiling deadline result in real deal? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following two decades of gradual hiring reforms, chief human capital officers have more plans underway to try to improve recruitment and retention for the federal workforce. Recent efforts from the Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Council, composed of federal human capital leaders, have included establishing an executive steering committee, and increasing agencies’ ability to hire multiple candidates off a single job announcement. Celebrating 20 years of work from the council, agency leaders reviewed successes and areas for growth at an anniversary ceremony on May 18. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to bring its employees back into the office more regularly this fall, and is setting a new minimum requirement for in-person work. VA Secretary Denis McDonough, in an all-staff email sent Wednesday, said the department will require employees with telework agreements in the National Capital Region to work a minimum of five days in the office each two-week pay period. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Memorial Day, we recall those who didn't return. The tragic pattern of those who return only to take their own lives, that's an ongoing challenge. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with a man who says the number of veteran suicides is likely undercounted. He is Michael Carmichael, a 22-year veteran of Army Special Forces and Founder & CEO of Check-A-Vet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest obstacles for small businesses to work for the Defense Department is the need for a facility clearance. It comes down to the old chicken or the egg discussion. The small business needs a facility clearance to win contracts. But that same company can’t get a facility clearance unless they have a sponsor on a contract. Carlen Capenos, the director of small business programs for the Defense Information Systems Agency, said DISA has a plan to crack this conundrum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This interview is sort of postscript to the Federal Drive series, "The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government."  The focus, thus far, has been on the Federal Bureau of Prisons, part of the Justice Department. The Bureau's stated mission, in part, is, "To provide reentry programs to ensure inmates' successful return to the community." The BOP Mission Statement also references "custody and care, not jails and guards." Federal Drive host Tom Temin takes a look a look at one success. Eddie Ellis was convicted of manslaughter, did part of his sentence in the Florence, Colorado super-max prison, and returned to society. He now works for juvenile-sentencing reform. This is a personal, intimate, and instructive interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All week the Federal Drive has examined the Bureau of Prisons, which ranks as, "The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government," according to the annual listing derived from employee viewpoint survey results and compiled by the Partnership for Public Service. To finish the series, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks with Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters, who has been on the job for almost a year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The week-long series concludes: "Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government." How the Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters plans to raise BOP's employee engagement scores. As a post script to the series, a one-time inmate shows the federal prison system can and often does achieve its mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the U.S. Treasury runs out of money to pay all the government’s bills because of the debt limit impasse, no one’s exactly sure what it would mean for federal agencies and employees — after all, it’s never happened before. But key federal stakeholders want answers before things get to that point, and at least one is taking the government to court over it. A federal judge in Massachusetts will hear oral arguments next Wednesday in a lawsuit that argues both that federal employees must be paid even if Congress doesn’t increase the debt ceiling, and that the ceiling itself is unconstitutional. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a major step towards freeing itself from paper records keeping, the Defense Department unveiled its first ever records management strategy on Monday. The plan names goals the department wants to achieve over the next five years in an effort to create user-friendly discoverable digital archives. The strategy lists four goals. They include creating a comprehensive library of records to aid the department in decision-making, automating records creation, retrieving and managing records, and planning a lifecycle for them. Defense officials said an overarching goal is to turn DoD’s vast storehouses of records into “actionable information.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Waste, fraud and abuse in the federal student aid loan program is bad. But it would be a lot worse, if not for someone at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) For more than 20 years, she has dispensed tough and crucial oversight to federal financial aid for students, which has rooted out fraudsters and saved untold sums of money. Now she is a finalist for a Service to America Medals, administered by the Partnership for Public Service. Federal Drive host talks with Melissa Emrey-Arras, the GAO's Director of Education, Workforce and Income Security Issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This interview is part of the Federal Drive series: The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government, focusing on the Bureau of Prisons, part of the Justice Department. Federal Drive host Tom Temin has already spoken to several people affiliated with the federal prison system. Now Tom Temin turns his attention toward a working senior officer specialist, who didn't have official permission to speak publicly, so we'll call him Officer X. His voice has been disguised to protect his anonymity and allow for a very candid discussion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Drive continues its week-long series: The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government, which happens to be the Bureau of Prisons, part of the Justice Department. Yesterday we heard from a former warden, Bob Hood. In today's installment, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks with Aaron McGlothin, President of AFGE Council 33, a local chapter, representing officers at the Federal Correctional Institution at Mendota, California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: How the Bureau of Prisons looks if you're a local union president who also does the job. An unvarnished view of one senior correction officer's daily life. Meet the GAO investigator who bird-dogged the federal student loan program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Institute of Standards and Technology hopes to engage a broader community of stakeholders to drive its Open Security Controls Assessment Language program forward. The open source “OSCAL” program could be a crucial component in helping agencies speed up the adoption of digital technologies, Department of Commerce Chief Information Officer André Mendes said at NIST’s fourth annual OSCAL workshop on Tuesday. “We cannot just keep adding cybersecurity experts,” Mendes said. “It doesn’t work. It doesn’t scale. And so cyber defenses and processes must evolve.” OSCAL is a set of structured data formats that provide “machine-readable representations of control catalogs, control baselines, system security plans, and assessment plans and results,” according to NIST. The current formats are expressed in XML, JSON, and YAML Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Acquisition Regulation Council is out with a new proposed rule regarding small businesses. Specifically, it would align the FAR with the Small Business Administration, when it comes to Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer, together known as SBIR and STTR. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Hanes Boone procurement attorney Zach Prince. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks in this podcast with Gretta Goodwin. As the Director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues at the Government Accountability Office, Goodwin is like a stern but compassionate teacher, as she examines and evaluates the Bureau of Prisons. She treats the subject with tough love, offering specific ideas on how the Bureau could rise from "worst place to work in the federal government." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Drive host Tom Temin continues his week-long series, "The Worst Place To Work in the Federal Government." Because of its last place in this year's rankings, that title goes to the Bureau of Prisons, part of the Justice Department. In today's interview, Tom starts with the notion that the federal correctional facility is the basic unit in the Bureau of Prisons. Tom's guest is a corrections consultant, who served in the Senior Executive Service and as warden of ADX Florence, the system's most secure prison. The Colorado facility is also known as Super Max. For lessons learned there and how BOP can regain its footing, we hear from Robert Hood.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Former federal warden has ideas for Bureau of Prisons reform. The GAO's resident expert on the Bureau of Prisons has a long list of ideas for improving the "Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government." A new federal acquisition rule would straighten out small business rights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Office of Personnel Management took a step to address more immediate concerns from retiring federal employees, ahead of the agency’s long-term efforts to modernize retirement services. A new “retirement quick guide,” which OPM published Monday, aims to help federal employees and recent retirees better understand and navigate the current federal retirement process. “This is a need right now,” Lori Amos, OPM’s deputy associate director for retirement services, told reporters Monday. “This is our current state — we’re paper-based. We need to manage expectations, we need to get information to our customers, because we don’t want them worried about their annuity payments. This is for today.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Veterans Affairs is rolling out a new pay model for its IT and cybersecurity employees later this year — whether or not a governmentwide effort to increase tech workers’ salaries moves forward. VA expects the Special Salary Rate will significantly raise the salaries of more than 7,000 of its personnel nationwide. If adopted by all agencies, the SSR would increase the pay for about 100,000 federal IT and cyber employees governmentwide. But the viability of a new governmentwide pay model for federal IT and cybersecurity employees is uncertain, as agencies brace for possible cuts to discretionary, non-defense spending as part of ongoing debt-ceiling negotiations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That smooshy sound you hear is everyone squirming in their seats as the national-debt default looms closer. The weird thing is, the government is fully appropriated for the rest of fiscal 2023, with four months of high spending yet to go. Contractors worry agencies might treat a default as if it were a shutdown. For more observations, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anyone with so-called transition eyeglass lenses knows that they take forever to darken when you go outside. They also take quite a while to lighten up when you go inside. Now, photochemical scientists from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, together with an R & D company, have developed -- for the Defense Department -- lenses that go from light-to-dark and dark-to light, in the blink of an eye. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with BGSU distinguished professor Dr. Jayaraman Sivaguru. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bureau of Prisons correctional officers, and nearly everyone is a correctional officer, operate in a crucible. They deal with Bureau management, which has trouble maintaining staffing and measuring its programs. Inmates are, well, inmates. Some are beyond redemption, some work to improve their lives. In the fourth interview in his series, The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks with Shane Fausey, the President of the National Council of Prison Locals, Council 33, of the American Federation of Government Employees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The series continues: The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government. The Bureau of Prisons employees union deals with both management and the inmates. When you hear about these new military sunglasses, you'll want a pair. A default isn't a shutdown, but agencies could treat it that way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, there as the pandemic. Then, there was the change in administration. At the same time, there were several high profile cyber threats to deal with. But the time has come to put the 21st Century IDEA Act, passed and signed into law in 2018, to the front of the priority list. The Office of Management and Budget finally is ready to issue implementation guidance for the nearly four-plus-year-old law. Federal Chief Information Officer Clare Martorana said yesterday the new guidance will hopefully come out this summer, following a similar path as the zero trust guidance from 2022, which came out in draft first giving industry and agencies the chance to offer feedback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the height of the Great Depression in 1932, Army troops charged into a Washington, D.C. encampment of World War I veterans and their supporters who had gathered to get money owed to them by the government. The so called “Bonus Army” was driven across the river at bayonet point and dispersed. The event went down in history as a nadir in the government’s treatment of its veterans, and it’s one you might say we have been trying to live down ever since. For veterans, the transition from a military career to life in the civilian world creates an inflection point that many find difficult to navigate. To assist in the transition, the Defense Department created the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The program offers counseling and education to service members preparing to leave the military. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now there's a Senate version of the Show-Up act, designed to get more federal employees to return to their offices to work. In fact, it's getting a lot of attention, even as the debt ceiling uncertainty continues. For the latest, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently expanded a contract to improve the cybersecurity of its main databases, as well as move the agency to that all-important zero-trust architecture. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the USPTO Chief Information Officer Jamie Holcombe and the President of Trustwave Government Solutions, Bill Rucker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Drive host Tom Temin launches a week-long series: The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government. Having best places to work, means some employees endure the worst places. And the worst of all, according to the rankings for 2022 compiled by the Partnership for Public Services, is the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), a component of the Justice Department. It's overall index of 35, compared to 55 for the Justice Department itself, is the lowest of any agency. And it dropped a statistically significant five points from the year earlier. Temin's series starts with an overview of the BOP's workforce challenges, with a discussion with Michael Horowitz, the Inspector General of the Justice Department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: We hear from Justice inspector general Michael Horowitz, as we launch a special series, The Worst Place to Work in the Federal Government. The Patent and Trademark Office wants to improve the security of its crown jewels. A fresh legislative effort to get federal employees back into the office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the world of food, the word organic remains vague, and the rules a bit loose. Now the Agriculture Department has proposed new rules to tighten up the production and handling of food sold as organic. To hear some details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to Dr. Jennifer Tucker, the Deputy Administrator of the National Organic Program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It may not be likely to become law, but a new bill to reform federal civil service shows how deeply some members of congress feel about the issue. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) just introduced a bill that would turn all federal employees, not just senior executives, into employees at-will. For one reaction, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to Bob Tobias, a Professor of Management at American University in Washington, D.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: What exactly is organic food? The USDA wants to make sure everyone follows the rules. A long time federal employee advocate reacts to the latest civil service reform gambit. The Defense Logistics Agency moves away from a legacy application in COBOL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Veterans Affairs is renewing its multibillion-dollar contract for a new Electronic Health Record, with new terms meant to hold the vendor accountable for persistent outages. The VA announced Tuesday that it reached an agreement on a renegotiated contract with EHR contractor Oracle-Cerner. Tuesday marked the deadline for VA and Oracle-Cerner to renew the five-year base period contract signed in 2018. The VA announced last month it is indefinitely putting all future deployments of the Oracle-Cerner EHR on hold, until it addresses problems at the five VA sites already using the system. The VA has obligated about $9.4 billion on the EHR modernization program since fiscal 2018. The renegotiated contract includes larger fines Oracle Cerner will need to pay VA, if the EHR doesn’t meet performance targets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Navy thinks it has some answers to the “fix our computers” problem, and those answers can’t come soon enough. Officials estimate the service is losing about one man-year of productivity every single day by virtue of how long it takes employees to log into their desktops and laptops — and that figure only accounts for the service’s workforce within the five walls of the Pentagon. The Navy’s latest attempt to improve user experience will also start inside the Pentagon, where all of its users could start seeing major improvements by next month. That choice was made partly because, for even the most senior leaders there, the experience is far from good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: What NIST is hearing from industry about critical infrastructure cybersecurity. In our Service to America Medals series: How the Air Force went from logjam to innovation factory. If the government defaults, you might need that cash in you mattress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More questions than answers surround the possibility of a government debt default. But it wouldn't be good for federal employees or retirees. For the duration, you might need to live on whatever rainy-day cash you've got saved up. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with certified financial planner Art Stein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Air Force was among the earliest agencies to organize around the need for innovation. Its approach, known as AFWERX, got started back in 2017 and became a model for many other agencies. The idea man behind AFWERX is now a finalist in this year's Service to America Medals program. He's the first of a series of finalists Federal Drive Tom Temin will be talking to through October. He's Mark Ingram, the Chief Strategy Officer of the Air Force Integrated Capabilities Directorate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some things in life are certain. Death, taxes and, wait for it: updates to NIST cybersecurity documents. Now the National Institute of Standards and Technology is evaluating comments for a revision to guidance on critical infrastructure cybersecurity. For an overview of the more than 100 comments NIST has received, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with attorney and Wiley Rein partner, Megan Brown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legal obligations to provide accommodations to pregnant employees under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) apply to employers nationwide, but federal agencies may have a slightly different route for implementing the new law. The PWFA, which President Joe Biden signed into law in December, will officially take effect June 27. It requires employers — including federal agencies — to offer accommodations to employees who have “known limitations” in the workplace that stem from pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With shortages from production down through the supply chain, the Pentagon’s acquisition leadership wants to close the gap by purchasing more commercially available products. To make that work, contracting officers must overcome not just buying issues but budget and planning issues. Military acquisition professionals speaking at the Acquisition Research Symposium in Monterey, California said Thursday they need better ways to get commercial products, particularly those involving advanced technology, into the hands of service members. Some initiatives are helping move Defense acquisition toward commercial products, but more needs to be done. “What you’re seeing now are organizations springing up in order to try to fill that gap. Whether that’s AFWERX in the Air Force, or the unmanned task force that the Navy has played with, or the Office of Strategic Capital now trying to make some effort with money seeding,” said Navy Vice Adm. Francis Morley, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bureaus and offices across the State Department are looking for data scientists to join the federal workforce and lead its emerging “data science for diplomacy” initiatives. The State Department’s Center for Analytics (CfA) on Friday started accepting applications to become GS-13 data scientists as part of an agency-wide hiring initiative. The department will keep the position open through May 25, or until it receives 400 applications. A similar job announcement closed last year in less than 48 hours, after hitting the maximum number of job applications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Regardless of what deal Congress figures out, federal spending is going to rise sharply next year. That will mean more acquisition contracts than ever. Some federal contractors might have technical debt in their ability to manage large volumes of contracts. For some free advice, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Warren Linscott, the Chief Product Officer at Deltek. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal agencies spend more on grants than they do on procurements. Way more! The Government Accountability Office (GA0) found that spending could be more transparent, and could stand a lot more oversight, than it does now. For more, we turn to Jeff Arkin, the GAO's Director of Strategic Issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agency tech staffs must, by law and regulation, report cybersecurity breaches. But some industry surveys show that organizations do not always report breaches, because who wants their own head to roll? For some insight on the whole notion of compliance, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Igor Volovich, the Vice President for Compliance Strategy at Qmulos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Data breach at your agency? Better report it and get it over with. Federal grant dollars are enough to fund a small nation How contractors can prepare for a very big year in contracting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Debt default would seem, in some ways, like a government shutdown. But it's not. The government is fully appropriated for the rest of fiscal 2023. It is the money to roll over Treasury bills coming due that the government would not have. None of this is to say things would be hunky dory for contractors. For an assessment, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to David Berteau, the President and CEO of the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Army camps and bases often feature architecture worth preserving. One example is Camp Dodge, an Army National Guard training facility in Iowa. Its construction and facilities management staff won a Pentagon award earlier this year for restoration of its 1907 gate house and perimeter fence. For more details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Col. John Perkins, the Facilities and Management Director at Camp Dodge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Military installations are also sites of American cultural heritage. Senator Gary Peters on federal information technology priorities. What would happen to contractors in case of a debt default Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nagesh Rao was sitting in New York visiting his family when someone on his team at the Bureau of Industry and Security at the Commerce Department headquarters called him about a large box that just arrived. The BIS chief information officer wasn’t expecting a delivery so, needless to say, he was a bit surprised. As his team opened it, they found about $10,000 worth of Lenovo laptops and Microsoft Surface tablets. At that moment, Rao knew the fraudsters were a little too close for comfort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced the Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF) cohort for 2023. That means 20 private-sector technology and innovation leaders will start pitching-in at 13 federal agencies. To learn more about this year's fellows, as well as some of the unique aspects of the program itself, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White spoke with Ann Lewis, Director of Technology Transformation Services at GSA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the U.S. is to prevail in the world's strategic hot spots, the Defense Department will have to adopt some of the strategies China seems to be using successfully. For a closer look, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with someone who has described a system of melding private capital and commercial technology into DoD's own acquisition system. Pete Newell is the CEO of BMNT Partners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The looming debt ceiling will occupy the first order of business for Congress again this week. Yet budget hearings and other regular stuff will also go on. For an outlook, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Bloomberg Government Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The latest batch of Presidential Innovation Fellows have arrived and settled in. One secret of China's military progress is its military business model. Congress is twisted in debt-ceiling knots, and it only gets worse this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Pentagon moves to create novel ways of customizing acquisition to make the process faster and more agile, a new crop of acquisition professionals is learning their job and choosing what they learn based on specialization. At the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), aspiring contracting officers focus on the basics, and then they pick and choose based on what area of expertise they need. Dr. Bill LaPlante, the undersecretary of Defense for acquisition and sustainment, called the changes at DAU transformational. “If you haven’t gone and seen online, all the courses and things that they put in, a new generation of training for the workforce, it’s very, very impressive,” LaPlante said at the Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Symposium Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It might just be an unfortunate fact: More government will lead to taxpayer dollars stolen through fraud. However, it also means more money is needed to combat that fraud. For example, the Health and Human Services Department has more programs than ever, resulting in the agency's Inspector General to ask for an increase in its 2024 Congressional Budget Justification. To learn more about some of the details, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White got the chance to speak with Julie Hodgkins, Principal Deputy Inspector General at HHS Office of Inspector General. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public employee unions are a fact of life at the federal and most state levels of government, and in many large cities. President John Kennedy famously authorized them at the federal level back in the early 1960s. Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with an author, who argues that public unions not only promote inefficiency, they're also unconstitutional. Philip Howard is an attorney and founder of Common Good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bill from Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) would make federal executive branch employees "at-will." You could be fired for any reason, short of a prohibited personnel practice. For one interpretation of what the bill could mean, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to John Hatton of NARFE: the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: This author says public unions are not only wrong, they're unconstitutional. The HHS Principal Deputy Inspector General says more money is needed to combat medical fraud. Here's a civil service reform bill you'll want to pay attention to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing raised questions of integrity and the so-called revolving door between industry and the Defense Department. The Project on Government Oversight (POGO) was among the witnesses, saying there's too much industrial influence on Pentagon decisions coming from former officers and high-level civilians. For a summary, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with POGO's Government Affairs Manager, Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tonopah Test Range is a classified spot in Nevada, operated by the Defense and Energy Departments. It was once the site for nuclear materials testing. Many veterans who worked at Tonopah in later years claim exposure to residual radiation has caused health problems. Now a bill from Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) would compensate these veterans. Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the man who did much of the research and documentation of the radiation effects. The bill is name after him: Air Force Veteran Dave Crete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supply-chain cybersecurity might seem like and abstraction, until you are, say, NASA, and building new ground stations to support the multi-billion-dollar Artemis-to-Mars program. All those antenna signals, data processing, communication links. At the recent ACTIAC conference on emerging technology, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White spoke with Jena Garrahy, Program Manager for Space Communications and Navigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bipartisan group of members of the Senate Intelligence Committee is pushing a significant overhaul of the government’s procedures for classifying information, seeking both to curtail what they say is a massive over-classification problem and to and make existing records simpler to declassify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Office of Personnel Management, looking to fully close the gender pay gap in the federal workforce, is taking a new approach to try to level the playing field for new federal hires. Proposed regulations OPM published Wednesday would bar agencies from using a federal job candidate’s previous salary history when setting pay as part of an employment offer. OPM’s proposal aims to address the pay disparity between men, and women and racial minorities, in the federal workforce. In 2022, women federal employees’ pay trailed behind that of their male counterparts by an average of 5.6%. In other words, women made 94.4 cents for every dollar men made in the federal workforce. “Relying on a candidate’s previous salary history can exacerbate preexisting inequality and disproportionately impact women and workers of color,” OPM Director Kiran Ahuja said in a press statement Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: This NASA project really shows the need for supply chain security This bill could compensate veterans exposed to radiation at a Nevada test range. Like the revolving door, Defense Department ethics questions keep coming 'round. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Non-fungible digital asset. It's a term few people even heard of five years ago. Now it's the cause of an effort to figure out the best regulatory policy for these blockchain doodads. Like, which agency should actually take the lede here. To learn more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Information Technology and Innovation Foundation VP Daniel Castro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whistleblowers have played a critical role in policy changes at the Veterans Affairs Department over the years, but it comes at a cost for many of them. Some face demotions, workplace hostility, other indignities. There are mechanisms in place to protect them from being punished, but how have they performed? The Government Accountability Office recently took a look at whistleblower retaliation cases at the VA. To learn more about what they found, Federal Drive Executive Producer spoke with Thomas Costa, a Director on GAO’s Education, Workforce, and Income Security team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perhaps you have heard of CMMC, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. Now in its 2.0 version, it is supposed to lay minimum cybersecurity standards on contractors doing business with the Defense Department. But it is like a storm on the horizon that never really arrives. Some company executives are skeptical. Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with one such skeptic: Matt Hodson, the Chief Information Officer of Valeo Networks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Newscast with Tom Temin: Industry skepticism about a Defense Department cybersecurity policy is only growing. An analysis of whistleblower retaliation claims at Veterans Affairs It's time to fix fungible policy for non-fungible digital tokens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Small Business Administration expects the federal government to meet upcoming targets for more of its contract spending to go to small companies, but is trying to reverse a significant decline in the number of small firms actually doing business in the federal marketplace. The total number of federal contracting dollars going to small businesses keeps going up year over year. More than $154 billion in federal contracts went to small businesses in fiscal 2021 — about 27% of all government contract spending that year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: How the Transportation Department tries to bolster a little-known piece of infrastructure. Cloud computing is the next line in the competition with China. Does the GSA have the best data to work with during price negotiations with contractors? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new report from the General Services Administration's Inspector General didn't have many nice things to say about its Multiple Award Schedule’s Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) pilot. First criticizing the agency for not using the data, then calling the data itself unusable. This left at least one contracting expert confused on the IG's true intent here. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Larry Allen, President of Allen Federal Business Partners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's fair to say, federal agencies will never buy commercial cloud computing services from Chinese vendors. But China aims to take the lead in cloud computing worldwide. To examine that competitive challenge to the United States, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Jim Lewis, Senior VP for the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Only a couple of shipyards in the United States can build Navy ships. Hundreds of small shipyards, though, build important pieces of the country's at-home infrastructure: barges, ferries, tugboats. That is why the Transportation Department, through the Maritime Administration, has an ongoing program of grants to small shipyards, to help them stay afloat, so to speak. For an update, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with MARAD Administrator, retired Navy Rear Admiral Ann Phillips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years of working as a small shop with most of its requirements outsourced to the Air Force, Cyber Command’s J9 acquisition and technology directorate finally has the ingredients for an independent acquisition program. While it may be some time before it can take on big platform acquisitions on its own, it now has the budget, if not the manpower, to increase the scope and scale of what it buys. The plan is part of a five-year build up that will eventually see the directorate operating with more people and more responsibilities. Now it just needs to move forward and develop a track record, said Michael Clark, CYBERCOM’s director of cyber acquisition and technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With cameras whirring, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders will meet with President Biden tomorrow. Their topic? What else but the debt ceiling impasse. For more on this and other congressional matters, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the Postal Service, acquisition of new delivery vehicles has been a long, convoluted affair. It's not over. Although the Postal Service did the requisite environmental impact statement, it wasn't good enough for stakeholders. USPS faces lawsuits. Somehow it all has to do with gas engine versus electric. For details and what has to happen next, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Josh Bartzen, the Audit Director of the Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each year we turn to celebrate some of the most capable and accomplished career federal civil servants. Finalists for Service to America Medals, known as the Sammies. It's a signature program of the Partnership for Public Service. Federal Drive host Tom Temin got a preview on the Sammies with Partnership President & CEO Max Stier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: It's time to celebrate some of the government's best and brightest The Postal Service can't just buy new delivery vehicles … oh, no, no, no. That tick-tick-tick-tick-tick you hear? It's the countdown to debt ceiling doomsday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last several years, Congress has passed several pieces of legislation meant to speed up the Defense Department’s acquisition system. Now, DoD officials have an idea of their own: they’re asking for new authorities that would let the military services begin early work on critical new programs without lawmakers’ explicit permission, arguing the current approval process takes too long and risks putting the U.S. military at a technological disadvantage. The reforms Congress has passed since the middle of the last decade have been focused on moving technologies through DOD’s acquisition bureaucracy more quickly. But none of them have made a significant dent in the delays that come from the annual budgeting and appropriations process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After years of alleged discrimination toward pregnant employees at the Department of Homeland Security, a group of Customs and Border Protection officers has now reached the next step in a lawsuit against the agency. The discrimination case, affecting current and former officers and agricultural specialists in CBP’s Office of Field Operations, is now certified as a class action lawsuit. An administrative judge at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission certified the class of employees on April 21. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guidance from the White House a couple of weeks ago seeks to get more federal employees back to their offices. It's a big data-gathering exercise. To find out the pros and cons, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Bob Tobias, a Professor in the Key Executive Leadership program at American University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Camp Ripley is a 53,000-acre civilian and military training facility operated by the Minnesota National Guard. Keeping it up and maintaining it is no trivial matter. But Josh Pennington, the base's environmental supervisor, is up to the task. He and his team were among winners of the 2023 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards. To learn more, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Pennington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Selective Service System collects names on behalf of a place few Americans choose to work. Yet the Selective Service itself ranked in the top 10, of best places to work among small agencies in the latest list. To find out the secret, Federal Dive host Tom Temin conducted an in-studio interview with Joel Spangenberg, the Acting Director of the agency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: What it takes for a small agency to be a great place to work. The administration's new telework guidance is far from perfect. How the Army conserves 53,000 acres of training territory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In one fell swoop, the Court of Federal Claims upended two major governmentwide acquisition contracts from the General Services Administration and almost five years of effort to change the culture of federal contracting. The Court ruled April 21 that GSA’s interpretation of Section 876 of the 2018 Defense Authorization was too broad as applied to the Polaris small business GWAC. The decision, released publicly last Friday, not only forces GSA to pause its efforts on Polaris, but also make a significant change to its strategy for OASIS+, the follow-on multiple award contract for professional services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal retirement tends to stand like a three-legged stool: the FERS annuity, the Thrift Savings Plan and Social Security. But a fourth leg could make for an even sturdier retirement. Good old fashioned Savings Bonds are another instrument federal employees can invest in for their personal savings. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman got more from retired federal manager and financial counselor Abe Grungold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While federal agencies search endlessly to hire people skilled in cybersecurity, local government might have a different way. How about enlisting volunteers to help protect critical infrastructure from cyber attacks. That's the idea behind a detailed set of recommendations from the law firm McDermott Will & Emery. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with McDermott Will & Emery attorney Mark Schreiber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Coast Guard has long worked to boost its capabilities of operating in the Arctic, an area of increasing importance to national security. Now the Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate will fund research aimed at helping other DHS components operate in the Arctic. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Rebecca Medina, Science and Technology Director of the DHS Office of University Programs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more than a decade, harassment has remained the number one issue in employee discrimination complaints filed against federal agencies. The prevalence of harassment in the federal sector makes it all the more important for agency leaders to commit to implementing effective anti-harassment policies, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in new recommendations for agencies. “Leadership plays a pivotal role in preventing and correcting harassment,” Marqui Willoughby, an attorney advisor at EEOC, said in an interview with Federal News Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has hired approximately 80 people through the Department of Homeland Security’s new personnel system for cyber personnel, while a new DHS sub-component is now looking to also take advantage of the system. CISA Director Jen Easterly provided the updated numbers during a House Homeland Security cybersecurity and infrastructure protection subcommittee hearing. “We’re at about 80 people with the cyber talent management system, and some really extraordinary talent at this point in time,” Easterly said. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: It might be frozen, but the Arctic is not locked down. How volunteers could help local governments deal with cyber attacks. The three-legged stool of federal retirement might have a fourth leg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bureau of Prisons, an agency of the Justice Department, made two highly visible lists within couple of weeks. It placed at the very bottom of the list of Best Places to Work in the Federal Government, meaning its employees rank it as the worst place. And, it joined the three dozen other programs on the Government Accountability Office's High-Risk List. For why it made the High-Risk List, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with GAO's Director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues, Gretta Goodwin. High-Risk List | U.S. GAO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency picked a systems integrator for a computer vision project. The integrator, CACI, started to develop a proprietary function that a commercial company already offered. You can guess what happened. Everyone ended up in court. For the details on a case underscoring the legal preference for commercial products, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Haynes Boone procurement attorney Zach Prince. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new campaign from the Army Reserve looks to reach those that want to serve, but also still strive towards their goals in other career fields. The launch coincides with the Reserve's 115th birthday and includes four films showing how the experience can compliment other careers. Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White got a chance to speak with Maj. Gen. Alex Fink, Chief of Army Enterprise Marketing, to ask him all about the "It's Your Time" campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Looking for a side hustle? The Army Reserve may be an option. A federal court reaffirms the government should look for commercial products before going custom. Why the Bureau of Prisons may be the unhappiest place in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Transportation, at the forefront of federal efforts to modernize U.S. infrastructure, aims to ensure cybersecurity is embedded in a wave of historic investments funded through DoT under the bipartisan infrastructure law, but being implemented largely at the state and local levels. Cybersecurity is a top priority for DoT Chief Information Officer Cordell Schachter, he said in a recent interview on the sidelines of the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology’s spring conference in Arlington, VA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Supreme Court looks ready to help out False Claims whistleblowers. There's a call for greater scrutiny of defense officials who transition to the private sector. We'll hear what it could mean for the companies that hire them. Does the Marines new modernization plan go too far? One of its former commandants thinks so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) heard testimony, regarding a so-called "revolving door" between the Pentagon and companies to which it awards contracts. The SASC's Personnel Subcommittee presented a report from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on the topic. It expresses concerns about undue influence and the potential ethical dilemmas of having so many former DoD officials working in the private sector. As you can imagine, this has the folks who represent the interests of those companies worried this could be the case of a solution looking for a problem. To hear more about that and other legislative developments, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White spoke to Stephanie Kostro, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Marine Corps is currently embarking on a restructuring plan know as Force Design 2030. It looks to reshape its combat power for future conflicts with near-peer adversaries, i.e. China. It also looks to put a bit more reliance on technological advances by divesting in the sorts of protective measures it used to rely on for maintaining operational readiness. Some though feel the plan goes too with these updates could potentially lead to the U.S. losing the upper hand on the international stage. One of them is retired Marine general and former Commandant of the Marine Corps Charles Krulak, who spoke with Federal News Network's Eric White about his concerns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right now, the Supreme Court is considering a case that could boost federal whistleblowers bringing forth wrongdoing by contractors under the False Claims Act. The case underscores the importance of intent and its relevance in these cases. For details and why it's a landmark case, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke to noted D.C. whistleblower attorney Stephen Kohn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Am I going back to the office?” It’s the question now on many federal employees’ minds after the White House called on agencies to rethink their work locations and make changes where necessary. Many federal employees are expecting agency leadership to soon tell them to come into the office more often. Others don’t think telework policies will change much at all. But plenty of respondents to Federal News Network’s latest online survey were decidedly unsure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Energy Department installs the latest in its fleet of supercomputers The Navy has bold ideas for a brand new museum The Senate is alone on Capitol Hill this week, as the budget debate rolls on Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House is in recess this week, but the Senate will hear more budget testimony and deal with judicial nominees. Federal Drive host Tom Temin got the outlook from Bloomberg Government Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Five architectural firms are now at work on proposals for a brand new museum for the Navy. To learn more about why the Navy will build a new museum, as well as to hear about the Navy's vision for the new facility, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with retired Rear Admiral Samuel Cox, the Director of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's called Kestrel, but it's not a falcon catching mice. It's the newest Energy Department supercomputer. Kestrel just arrived at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. To look deeper into what it will do and to hear about some of Kestrel's amazing statistics, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Program Manager Kristin Munch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reports of mold in barracks and family housing continue to plague the military services, but two soldiers stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia invented a new device to stop mold growth before it starts. They won an innovation award for their invention, and it is now deployed in barracks rooms as part of a beta testing program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Energy Department’s inspector general is overwhelmed. It cannot keep up its oversight with the amount of money Congress has appropriated the agency over the last few years. Energy received a huge budget increase from four laws Congress passed over the last few years: the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPs and Science Act and $1 billion dollars for solar projects in Puerto Rico as part of the 2023 omnibus appropriations bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A deep look at how the government can promote resilience down to the local level Senior Executives like the latest return-to-the-office plans. The White House’s IT plan means more money for the Technology Modernization Fund. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senior executives say they are okay with the latest White House return-to-the-office guidance. The Office of Management and Budget issued the guidance a couple of weeks ago. It emphasizes what it calls organizational health, and calls for a lot of data gathering. For one perspective, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the Chairman of the Senior Executives Association, Marcus Hill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No one can predict when disaster will occur. But organizations, whether government or private, can control how well they respond. It is all about risk mitigation and resilience. Thinkers at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) have pondered how the federal government can help state and local governments improve resilience in what CSIS calls "connected areas": workforce, climate security, supply chains and cybersecurity. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Suzanne Spaulding, CSIS Senior Adviser. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A five-decade financial burden known as the widows tax is finally gone. CBP puts data about forced labor online for everyone to see. How come so few federal employees actually are TSP millionaires? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Homeland Security is moving out on a multifaceted effort to address both the potential applications of artificial intelligence to DHS’ many missions and potential threats stemming from the diffusion of AI technologies, as the department’s top official looks to respond to rapid advances with ChatGPT and related technologies. In an April 20 memo, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas directed the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to be co-led by Dimitri Kusnezov, under secretary for science and technology, and Eric Hysen, DHS’ chief information officer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It varies with the stock market, but about 1% of Thrift Savings Plans have more than a million dollars in them. Most so-called TSP millionaires have been working for decades. Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with someone who thinks the millionaire roster should be five times as big as it is.: Financial Consultant and retired federal manager, Abe Grungold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2020, Congress repealed something known as the Survivor Benefit Plan - Dependency and Indemnity Compensation offset. Better known as the Widow's Tax, it disappeared after a three-year phase-out ending earlier his year. Mike Meese, President of the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association, calls the situation a once-in-a-generation opportunity for veterans. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks to him in this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Among the uglier mass human-rights violations going on in the world today, is forced labor imposed on the Uyghur minority by China. Congress, in the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, gave U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the job of gathering and publicizing where this forced labor exists in the worldwide industrial supply chains. To find out where the agency is in addressing the issue, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Eric Choy, the Executive Director for Trade Remedy Law Enforcement in CBP's Office of Trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Why Health and Human Services has to fix a fundamental responsibility. How the intelligence community will use psychology to outsmart cyber hackers. When it's better for a subcontractor to walk away from a federal deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout the pandemic, citizens might have suspected that components of the Health and Human Services Department weren't quite coordinated. Now the Government Accountability Office has put HHS leadership and coordination of public health emergencies on the list of at-risk federal programs. To find out why, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Mary Denigan-Macauley, GAO's Director of Health Care Issues. GAO Report to Congressional Committees Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bad things can happen when contractors fail to include their subs in negotiations with the government. The Air Force decided to redo its approach to a small construction contract. It drove up costs. But the prime signed on to a new price without agreement of its subcontractor, so the whole thing ended up before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Boone Haynes procurement attorney Dan Ramish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leaning into negative feedback from employees is uncomfortable, but necessary. It’s an idea that Erin Moore, chief human capital officer at the Department of Energy, said contributed to a slow, but steady rise in the agency’s results in the 2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings. DoE moved from 14th place in the 2021 rankings, up to eighth place this year for midsize agencies. “It’s human nature to try and explain away unfavorable results. We do it in our personal lives, we do it in our work lives. But the explanations that we give ourselves don’t change the results,” Moore told Federal News Network. At the same time the governmentwide score in the Partnership for Public Service’s rankings sank 1.1 points, Energy increased its employee engagement and satisfaction score by 1 point. The department was one of just 19 agencies in the rankings this year that either improved or held steady. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives isn’t known for jumping into cutting edge technology with both feet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The rest of fiscal 2023 is shaping up to be an extra-rocky time for contractors. This year's list of high risk programs shows, once again, what's possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A lawsuit against the Air Force on behalf of the deaf and hard of hearing. USAID reinforces its commitment to rule of law overseas. Congress has a decidedly nuts and bolts week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Veterans Affairs is putting all future deployments of its new Electronic Health Record on hold, until it addresses problems at sites already using the system, as part of a “larger program reset.” The agency announced Friday that “additional deployments will not be scheduled until VA is confident that the new EHR is highly functioning at current sites and ready to deliver for veterans and VA clinicians at new sites.” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement that the Oracle-Cerner EHR is not yet meeting expectations, and that “we’re holding Oracle Cerner and ourselves accountable to get this right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The usual uncertainty over budget negotiations, coupled with the debt-ceiling brinksmanship, mean contractors should be highly prepared. This as federal spending continues to set records. For one view of the situation, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biennial list of high risk federal programs, published last week by the Government Accountability Office, is both promising and discouraging. It shows that more appropriations can help and also that money is not always the answer to improving programs. As the Federal Drive does every two years when the list comes out, host Tom Temin gets executive analysis from the man who runs the GAO, Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Agency for International Development has updated its policy for promoting the rule of law in countries where the agency operates. The new approach emphasizes what USAID calls people-centered justice. To examine what that is all about, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with USAID's Miranda Jolicoeur, the team lead for justice, human rights and security. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent decision from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has allowed a lawsuit against the U.S. Air Force to move forward as a class action suit. It involves a group of current, former and prospective civilian employees who are also deaf. They claim that the department did not provide some basic accommodations that it is required to by law, which made it even more difficult for them to communicate these concerns to management. To learn more about the case, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Sean Betouliere, who is a senior staff attorney at Disability Rights Advocates, and Wendy Musell from the Oakland, California Law Offices of Wendy Musell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress last week took up several issues close to the federal bureaucracy. There was the Small Business Administration and its struggles with defaulted COVID loans, the Veterans Affairs Department and its troubled Electronic Health Record project, and the GAO's High-Risk List. With what to expect in the week ahead, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with CBS News congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With recreational marijuana use at an all-time high and more states legalizing weed every year, confusion over federal policies around drug use and security-clearance eligibility could discourage many young people from entering a career in national security. That is the conclusion of a new survey, the results of which were rolled out in a report published today by ClearanceJobs and the Intelligence and National Security Foundation. The survey polled students and young professionals aged 18 to 30 currently living or attending school in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., California, Florida, Texas and Colorado. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Department has been under investing in facility upkeep for years, and its maintenance backlog keeps getting bigger. DoD says it’s now rolling out new tools that won’t necessarily solve the problem, but will at least help officials make better decisions on exactly how they’re spending their maintenance dollars. According to the Government Accountability Office, the department has a deferred maintenance backlog of at least $137 billion. But that figure is almost certainly a major underestimate, for several reasons. For one, it’s based on 2020 data. It also doesn’t account for the facilities that are already past their useful lifespans — and nearly a third of DoD’s facilities meet that criteria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: That new federal regulatory agenda has generated opposition. HUD's inspector general takes on two of the worst public housing problems. People, process and innovation drive Homeland Security procurement in 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Office of Inspector General at Housing and Urban Development is boosting efforts to end sexual abuse and unsanitary conditions in HUD-backed housing. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. PSA on Sexual Harassment PSA on Environmental Justice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration recently declared a new approach to federal regulation it said would modernize and streamline it. The new framework has drawn opposition from business. For one point of view, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Chad Whiteman, the Vice President of Environment and Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The IRS, after wrapping up this year’s filing season with significantly improved service, compared to recent years, is planning to bring the agency’s long-term hiring needs into focus. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday that the agency will, in the coming weeks, shed more light on the agency’s hiring plans over the next decade. The IRS Strategic Operating Plan released earlier this month only includes proposed hiring through the end of fiscal 2024. Under the plan, the IRS is looking to hire more than 10,000 employees before the end of this fiscal year, and approximately another 10,000 employees in fiscal 2024. Most of the hiring is focused on taxpayer services and enforcement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agencies made more improvements than usual with federal programs and governmentwide challenges, the Government Accountability Office said in its high risk list. But more long-standing problems are miring further progress. GAO’s 2023 high risk list, a biennial report that the agency published Thursday, details a broad range of troubled federal programs that are vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. Congressional committees use GAO’s high risk list to help create their own oversight agenda. Overall, 16 of the 37 items on the high risk list improved for 2023, including health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as the Postal Service, GAO said in its report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Space Systems Command is turning government-industry collaboration on its head. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Got thoughts on how to manage in the government? There's a contest for that. New plans to categorize Americans leave out one important group. Even with the ups and downs, the Thrift Savings Plan is looking solid again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investments can change seemingly as fast as the weather, a fact to which anyone with a Thrift Savings Plan account can testify. Federal Drive host Tom Temin knows he can't forecast the investment weather, but along with his guest, certified financial planner Art Stein, this interview takes a look at recent trends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For 25 years, IT giant IBM has operated a government focused think tank. It's called the IBM Center for the Business of Government. To commemorate the Silver Anniversary, the center is holding an essay contest. It'll take the form of a challenge grant, and seeks essays on the future of government. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the Center's Executive Director Dan Chenok. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration has proposed new ways to classify people for the 2030 census, with more racial groups than ever. But this podcast guest tells Federal Drive host Tom Temin that the changes could still end up misrepresenting Native Americans. Robert Maxim is a senior research associate at Brookings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a move that seemed a little like the boa constrictor swallowing an elephant in “The Little Prince,” IBM Consulting made a deal for its biggest acquisition ever with the purchase of federal government digital services provider Octo Consulting. The $1.25 billion transaction included moving 1,500 Octo employees into IBM’s consulting business and it enhanced Big Blue’s place in the firmament of the government consulting and technology services landscape. For Octo, the move created an opportunity for future expansion, and by acquiring Octo, IBM increased its foothold in the business of federal government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Commerce Department pushes for greater utility in the 5-G spectrum. How Homeland Security is marking emergency communications month. The CIO of Veterans Affairs, is the authority simply symbolic? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Steps agencies could take to improve and broaden the acquisition process. Why the Pentagon wants germs to be part of the factories of the future. The Pentagon takes the pulse of companies it does business with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Veterans Affairs Chief Information Officer is often on the sidelines of major IT acquisitions. The CIO, by law, is suppose to be involved in all of the major acquisitions. But maybe it's not. That's what the Government Accountability Office found. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Carol Harris, GAO's Director of Information Technology Acquisition Management. Full GAO Report IT Management: VA Needs to Improve CIO Oversight of Procurements https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105719 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 5G wireless network has a way to go before reaching the lofty potential its purveyors promised. Now the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is part of the Commerce Department, has a 5G research competition running and is seeking interoperable network equipment. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with NTIA Director April Delaney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots of things have days, like National Ice Cream Day. Lots of things have whole months, like USDA Invasive Plant Pest Month. So why not emergency communications? Emergency Communications Month is in fact going on right now. And for an update on developments in this field, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Billy Bob Brown, Executive Assistant Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal agencies have new guidance from the White House on their return-to-office and telework policies. The Office of Management and Budget called on agencies to try to strike a balance between adding in-person work where necessary, while still maintaining telework flexibilities. Agencies are expected to increase “meaningful” in-person work at federal offices, especially at headquarters offices, OMB said in a memo published Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joseph Cuffari, the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security, is suing the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency over what his lawyers call “baseless inquiries” into his conduct. The unusual lawsuit pits Cuffari and some of his top aides against his fellow inspectors general in a complaint that challenges the authority and structure of the council’s Integrity Committee. He has enlisted a legal team from an advocacy group that said it views the “administrative state” as “a threat to the Constitution.” And court documents show the Integrity Committee has been probing Cuffari’s actions around the deleted Secret Service texts from the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The only thing larger than the paperwork it sometimes takes to win a federal contract, is the amount of complaints you hear from folks both inside and outside the government contracting community. With around $665 billion in goods and services purchased annually from outside contractors, you might expect some issues with transparency, equity and fairness to pop up. So what can be done to address those issues? A new report from the Brookings Institution looks for solutions to those problems. Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White talked about the report with Brookings Senior Fellow Darrell West. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been decades since the last time the Defense Department took an in-depth look at how its contract policies affect the financial health the defense industrial base. That long-awaited report is now out. Meanwhile, a separate, outside study is examining what DoD needs to do to speed up its adoption of innovative technologies. To take a deeper look at both of those studies, Federal News Network’s Deputy Editor and DoD report Jared Serbu talked with Stephanie Kostro, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An emerging need for the future of manufacturing is application of biology. As a result, the Defense Department has issued a strategy for bio manufacturing. To take a deeper look as to what bio manufacturing is and why it matters to national security, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Kate Sixt, Principal Director for Biotechnology in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agencies are tightening access to sensitive intelligence and reviewing their practices around granting security clearances and sharing classified information after a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman was arrested for allegedly leaking highly sensitive information online. Experts say the case raises important questions about access to classified information, while pointing out that more details are needed to determine exactly what went wrong in the case of the leaks. And some are worried about an overreaction to a situation that’s garnered international attention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just 19 of the 74 agencies in the 2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings either held steady or improved their employee engagement score. But among many declining trends in the Partnership for Public Service’s results, some agencies still managed to shine. “When we look at these averages, I think it’s so much more powerful when we pull apart and look at the variation across government and within agencies,” said Max Stier, the Partnership’s president and CEO, at a Best Places to Work ceremony Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A DC area lawmaker is using testimony from her own constituents to try and get a benefits fix through Congress. Even the State Department has a job under the Chips Act. Congress returns with a couple more members than last session and plethora of work to keep it busy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House and Senate are coming back to the Hill after a two-week spring hiatus. The Senate will have a couple of members return from their own breaks, while some House reps will be taking their work on the road, for what is sure to be a hearing with a lot of eyeballs on it. To find out more of what's ahead, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White spoke with Bloomberg Government's Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Several retired federal employees feel they are being unfairly denied benefits, due to the Social Security provisions known as the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). We know how those retirees feel, thanks to a recent survey conducted by the office of Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who plans to use the survey results to push through legislation that would get rid of the WEP and GPO. To find out how, Federal News Network's Eric White had a conversation with the congresswoman last week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year's Chips Act was enacted to help the U.S. semiconductor industry. The law gave jobs to lots of federal agencies. Even the State Department. State received $100 million a year for five years to help secure the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. To go deeper into this subject, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoked with Ramin Toloui, the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Defense acquisition reform may seem like a topic that never changes, but a group of former Pentagon officials said they have solutions that will not only work, but work quickly. The Atlantic Council’s commission on defense innovation adoption just released an interim report with a list of 10 ways the Defense Department can immediately modernize acquisition. The list focuses on a strategy the Defense Department can use to adopt cutting edge technology by working with commercial and public sectors to deliver those products in a shorter time frame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A changing of the guard at NASA. A new leader has also been named at a charity which specializes in helping those in the special forces. USCIS, Millennium Challenge Corporation show there is no one path toward zero trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Green Beret Foundation, which provides U.S. Army Special Forces Soldiers with ongoing support, has a new president and chief executive officer. This won't be Charlie Iacono's first role in a position to help servicemembers and veterans, as he formerly held a senior position with the USO. Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White talked with Mr. Iacono, to find out more about his new mission, as well as that of the Green Beret Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The biggest federal employee union expands its international presence. AFGE and the Veterans Affairs Department conclude epic negotiations. More and more agencies share dollars across funding silos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shared funding. More digital services. More fluid workforce models. Those are among the federal government trends in this year's study by Deloitte. To dive into the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Bill Eggers, the director of Deloitte's Center for Government Insights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some 10,000 federal employees working in Europe will soon be eligible for the American Federation of Government Employees. AFGE has launched a new local, as it expands coverage. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin was joined in studio by Peter Winch, AFGE Special Assistant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It took more than five years. But now the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and First Executive Vice President of AFGE National VA Council have a tentative new master collective bargaining agreement. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Mary Jean Burke, the First Executive Vice President of AFGE National VA Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Why the judicial branch needs to improve its information technology staffing. The Agriculture Department's top research and education priorities. Service members and veterans get expanded anti-discrimination coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The full rankings are out today for the 2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. NASA, the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Budget Office took the number one spots for large midsize and small agencies on the list, created by the Partnership for Public Service and the Boston Consulting Group. But even for some of the best places to work, employee engagement and satisfaction scores are still on the decline. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman talked about all of this with Max Stier, President & CEO at the Partnership for Public Service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, known as USERRA, protects service members and veterans from discrimination because of their service. Now the Merit Systems Protection Board has clarified some of the rights under USERRA , as Federal Drive host Tom Temin heard from Tully Rinckey Managing Partner, Dan Meyer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts keeps the busy system of court dockets running. It has information technology underpinning this work. The Government Accountability Office said the Court lacks a strategic approach to improving its IT staff. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with GAO's Director of Information Technology Acquisition Management, Carol Harris. Full GAO Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Agriculture Department is, in many ways, mainly a research agency. Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest on this podcast, came up through the ranks to run the 13,000-person Agricultural Research Service. Now she's the USDA's Undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics, as well as its Chief Scientist. Chavonda Jacobs-Young also garnered the prestigious Presidential Rank Award late last year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) launched 10 of 28 new satellites last week, it highlighted another victory for the new service. Space Force proved it could execute a speedy, agile procurement process capable of responding to evolving technology, and do it in just 30 months. The quick turnaround started with solicitations in 2021 and in two-and-a-half years, the satellites went from authority to proceed and then on to launch. The acquisition model follows the Space Force’s plan for a hybrid satellite mix where large and small satellites launch into high and low orbits. The recent launch of the low earth orbit (LEO) satellites met the requirements of being cheaper and faster to produce, with capabilities similar to commercial satellites. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A recipe for resilience in the event of a damaging cyberattack. The Coast Guard focuses on Arctic ice, and the water in between. How the approaching debt ceiling crisis could hit contractors first. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been almost six years since Maryland Democrat Senator Barbara Mikulski left Congress, but her influence on preventing all public-private competitions in government has not waned. Starting with the fiscal 2009 appropriations bill and through today, the firebrand 31-year Senate veteran’s disdain for competitions under Circular A-76 remains embedded in all agencies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House is undertaking major updates to regulatory review policies and guidance in a bid to make the process more equitable and inclusive under a new executive order signed by President Joe Biden today. The EO issued today follows up on a presidential memorandum Biden signed on his first day in office on “Modernizing Regulatory Review.” The latest directive aims to fold more considerations for underserved communities into the regulatory review process, and make changes to how agencies measure the cost-benefit analysis of their actions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Why the Marine Corps has established its own software factory. This bill would pay schools and universities to offer more data science. Congress's workload is building up even while it's not in session. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress is on its second week of spring break. But its workload is piling up like drifts of cherry blossom petals. To get a rundown the latest Hill news, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) recently introduced a bill to boost data science education. It would offer up to $10 million in grants to schools from nursery school to four-year colleges. Is it a good idea? For one answer, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Laura Albert, a University of Wisconsin Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If it's true that software is eating the world, that's certainly true of the U.S. military. One way to get crucial software is to develop it with your own people. Now the Marine Corps is the latest component to establish a software factory for, in the Corps' words, "solving real Marine problem sets." For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the software factory director, Lt. Col. Charlie Bahk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Navy says it’s having trouble meeting its homeland defense responsibilities in the Carribbean and other areas of U.S. Southern Command. That’s one of several reasons officials think that region — the 4th Fleet, in Navy parlance — is an ideal place to continue proving out the feasibility of unmanned ships, aided by advanced technologies like artificial intelligence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The IRS is preparing to hire tens of thousands of new employees by the end of fiscal 2024, with many of those new hires going to improve taxpayer experience and beef up enforcement. The IRS outlined its hiring and workforce goals as part of the Strategic Operating Plan it released Thursday. More broadly, the plan describes how the IRS will spend nearly $80 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act, which is meant for the agency to rebuild its workforce and modernize its legacy IT over the next decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: How DHS encourages software startups to remember their bills of material. Here's one statistic that shows how bad the cybersecurity problem really is. Not even the United States, can win a war if it runs out of ammunition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One thing the nation has learned in helping Ukraine fight Russia, is how fragile our defense industrial supply base really is. From javelin missiles to major platforms, in a conflict the U.S. would run out in days or weeks. And then what? For some fixit ideas, the Federal Drive turned to the executive director for the Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University, Jerry McGinn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you buy or approve the acquisition of software for the government, you probably already know. You're going to have to deal with something called a software bill of materials, or S-BOM as part of understanding what you're getting. Now the Science and Technology Directorate of the Homeland Security Department is aiming to help with the whole software provenance and supply chain issues. It's calling the Silicon Valley Innovation Program. Here with details, the program technical director, Anil John. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Several federal agencies track, and try to do something about, the cybersecurity threat. Among them, the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, known as DC3. Its' vulnerability disclosure program started back in 2016. How many reports do you think it's issued? 100? 6,000? Wait 'til you hear how many. Here's the DC3's director of vulnerability reports, Melissa Vice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agencies still have trouble staffing up with cybersecurity employees. Now, there’s yet another way the Office of Personnel Management is trying to help out. A pair of cyber workforce dashboards will launch soon. OPM says they’ll help agencies better understand their skills gaps. Joining the Federal Drive with more, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Space Force may be the newest and smallest military service, but it's moved pretty quickly to start new commands and build up its force. Federal News Network’s Alexandra Lohr attended the Mitchell Institute's Space Power Symposium earlier this week and got the lowdown on Space Force staffing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A long-serving federal union leader calls it a career How the Naval War College teaches sailors about dealing with the China threat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The past three administrations have named China as the U.S. top rival, threat. Military leaders model what would happen in a conflict in and around Taiwan. At the Sea Air Space conference earlier this week, the Federal Drive discussed how the Naval War College teaches about the China rivalry when I caught up with professor and retired Navy officer James Holmes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 33 years of working for the National Treasury Employees Union, its president, Tony Reardon, is calling it a career. He'll retire in August, when his term as president concludes. Before that, he joined the Federal Drive in studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You probably know agencies are moving zero trust cybersecurity on their networks. One challenge with that is managing the arrays of cybersecurity tools and products agencies typically have. Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday, discussed that issue during a recent panel discussion hosted by ATARC. First we hear from Jonathan White, cloud and data branch chief at the Coast Guard. You'll also hear from was Jonathan White, cloud and data branch chief at the Coast Guard. Justin also spoke with Donald Coulter, senior science advisor for cybersecurity at Homeland Security’s science and technology directorate.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The largest federal employees union says industry is price-gouging the Defense Department. The American Federation of Government Employees urges Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to consider emergency waivers, to recapitalize DOD's own production capabilities. This as commitments to Ukraine diminish U.S. supplies of ordnance and launch platforms. For industry reaction, the president and CEO of the Professional Services Council, David Berteau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A persistent problem for the federal Bureau of Prisons is the rate at which former convicts come back. 45% of released inmates end up re-arrested within three years. A 2018 law required the Justice Department to measure individuals' risk of recidivism and take steps to prevent it. The Government Accountability Office has taken a new look at the program, and found room for improvement. The GAO's director of homeland security and justice issues, Gretta Goodwin spoke with the Federal Drive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Navy famously has a challenge in keeping its ships, ship shape and ready. Bolted to naval ships are the weapons systems that form a ship's purpose. Naval Supply Systems Command has a special unit for that called Weapons Systems Support. At the Sea Air Space conference this week, the Federal Drive caught up with Weapons Systems Support commander, Rear Admiral Kenneth Epps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The State Department makes it easier for people with disabilities to join the Foreign Service. It sets a new standard of medical clearance for prospective diplomats, and settles a 20-year-old discrimination lawsuit. The department will also pay plaintiffs $37 million dollars, after it rejected or delayed hiring more than 230 individuals who were unable to obtain a “Class 1” or “Worldwide Available” medical clearance. For more, Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman spoke with the acting deputy assistant secretary, Jameela Akbari.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The debate over federal telework has sharpened. Congressional Republicans passed a bill earlier this year to get feds back in their offices. They're calling for more data on the impact of telework. Now the American Federation of Government Employees finished a survey with three thousand responses. A majority say telework works. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman spoke with AFGE Deputy Legislative Director Daniel Horowitz. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Justice is urged to tighten up its program to keep former convicts from returning to prison. How the Navy keeps its guns ready to fire no matter where in the world they are. The defense industrial base is in a big federal union's crosshairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Human migration patters, the billowing drug trade, allies nervous about China, it's all picked up the pace for the U.S. Coast Guard. At this week's Sea Air Space Conference, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin got the lowdown from the Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Linda Fagan, starting with the Coast Guard's 2024 budget priorities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After year of rising suicide and sexual assault rates, the Defense Department is expanding its mental health programs. Federal News Networks Alexandra Lohr joins the Federal Drive to tell us about some of those initiatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pilot training outside of the cockpit, in a simulator, is known as synthetic training. It's getting more sophisticated and realistic. For more, at this week's Sea Air Space Conference, Tom Temin spoke with an Air Force synthetic training officer with the Air Combat Command, Major Joseph Silverio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Customs and Border Protection wants to improve its detection of illegal and dangerous shipments coming to U.S. shores. And simplify procedures for low-value, low-risk packages. It's asking industry for help it expand what the agency calls the Section 321 Data Pilot. The Federal Drive got details from CBP's executive director of trade policy and programs, Brandon Lord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The General Services Administration is weeks away from releasing the solicitation for the next great multiple award contract, OASIS-plus. The final request for proposals will be a culmination of thousands of comments and feedback from industry and government and two draft solicitations. Tiffany Hixson is the assistant commissioner for the Office of Professional Services and Human Capital Categories in the GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service. She tells executive editor Jason Miller about how the final RFP will reflect the last 10 months of work to get OASIS-plus correct. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Simulated pilot training has come a long way. How Customs and Border Protection hopes to streamline inspections of import shipments. How the armed services are trying to tackle the problem of sexual assaults and mental health overall within the ranks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: NASA explores the future of an airspace filled with flying taxis. Lessons from one big agency on how to get out from under technical debt. Congress is on a long recess, so nothing too bad can happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not for lack of things to do is Congress on a two week recess. But the first three months of the 118th Congress have produced some results of note. The Federal Drive got a quick review, and a look at what's ahead from Bloomberg Government deputy news director Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aviation is changing thanks to the emergence of new types of manned and unmanned aircraft. NASA's Advanced Air Mobility Mission seeks, in its words, to help emerging aviation markets operate safely. The program pulls in many public and private partners. Joining the Federal Drive with a flyover view, NASA research and test pilot Gerrit Everson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a little over three years since Congress created a dedicated military service to focus on space. Lawmakers are wondering whether it’s time to do the same thing for cyber. The Defense Department hasn’t yet taken a position on that question – officials say they’re still studying the topic of military cyber force design. But as Federal News Network’s Jared Serbu reports, some members of Congress are getting impatient. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You almost take for granted it'll take months, probably years to get through a background investigation for serving in government. People in the national security apparatus want to cut that down to weeks, at least for most applications. The White House has also set ambitious new timelines for personnel vetting. Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Veterans Affairs’ troubled rollout of a new Electronic Health Record always had its critics. The same could be said of the VA’s three previous efforts to wean itself off the legacy, purpose-built EHR the agency developed about 40 years ago. But congressional scrutiny is intensifying over the VA’s latest effort, a multibillion-dollar contract with Oracle-Cerner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: What does the future of copyright law look like now that AI can churn out content?  A new program to help Border Patrol agents deal with the stress of the job. Is Congress even capable of thinking rationally about spending? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ChatGPT, Anyword, Midjourney. These are among the most popular content generators powered by Artificial Intelligence. But when there's no human hand behind the creation, what rights does the user of an AI tool have when it comes to copyrighting those sometimes strange images and writings? Well to help answer some of those questions, the U.S. Copyright Office is launching a new initiative to lay out just where its policies stand, and to also hear from the people using generative AI technologies. Federal News Network's Eric White go a chance to speak with Andrew Foglia, Deputy Director of Policy and International Affairs at the Copyright Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Border Patrol agents face unique and difficult situations in their daily work. Whether it's arresting dangerous criminals, or rescuing those in peril, that kind of trauma can start to weigh on a person's mental health. To help lift morale and put a friendly face on its community engagement efforts, Border Patrol has launched its Support Canine Program. To learn more about it and the four-legged agents who will be tasked with it, Federal News Network's Eric White got to chat with Robert Hess, Supervisory Border Patrol Agent and Support Canine Handler, along with his partner, Chappie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By all accounts, the nation is on an unsustainable fiscal course. Congress's own budget and oversight agencies say this regularly. Yet members refuse to confront the main drivers of exploding deficits. There's gotta be another way. To look into this, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with Elaine Kamarck, a veteran of budget battles as a member of the Clinton administration. She is currently with Brookings, a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies and the Founding Director of the Center for Effective Public Management. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Army may be putting its final touches on the plan for the Army of 2030, but it is already looking ahead to building its Army of 2040. The Army Futures Command (AFC) will develop the concept and a rough draft of the plan should reach completion this fall. With quickly changing technology, that plan will be as much about predicting the future as it is about planning requirements, addressing long-term training needs and getting new equipment into the field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: How the main civilian cybersecurity agency is building up its own cyber chops. A man with deep connections to farming is now heading a big Agriculture Department agency. New rules coming for contractors working on federal infrastructure projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Companies leaders who want a piece of projects funded by last year's infrastructure bill, should pay attention. The White House is coming out with lots of new rules for the Build American, Buy American act aka BABA. For more on this, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Dan Ramish, Haynes-Boone procurement attorney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The great Solar Winds breach back in 2020 prompted many agencies to improve their cybersecurity. Even the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) found it had to improve its own ability to detect threats. Since then, CISA has steadily added to its capabilities for keeping an eye on networks across the government. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Kristen Bernard, the Homeland Security Department's Assistant Inspector General for Audits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Farming ranks among the most technologically intensive and productive industries. One reason is ongoing research. Now the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), part of the Agriculture Department, has a new administrator. To try and harvest some information about his research agenda, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with ARS Administrator Simon Liu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some agencies are struggling with how federal employees perceive their Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs. Although ADRs should be an effective option for mitigating workplace disputes before they rise to the level of litigation, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said negative perceptions from employees about ADR programs can worsen participation rates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency hired hundreds of people last year and it plans to hire even more in 2023, as it works to stem attrition and burnout amid its mounting cybersecurity responsibilities. CISA hired 516 people in fiscal 2022, and it’s on track to hire 600 people in 2023. Director Jen Easterly hold the House Appropriations Committee’s homeland security subcommittee Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Those Agriculture Department agency relocations continue to throw off lessons learned. Big bucks up for grabs for those who can make buildings more energy efficient. Some bank failure take-aways for feds worried about their own investments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bank stocks might look like dicey propositions these days. There's nothing to focus investors' minds like the possibility of a run on the banks. It's not 2008 though, and we probably won't see the failure of hundreds of banks like we did back then. For more on the state of money and investments, big and small, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Certified Investment Planner Art Stein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Trump administration moved two small agencies of the Agriculture Department to Kansas City, Missouri, it lit a storm of opposition. The agencies have more or less settled down, but the move remains an object of study. Now the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has laid out what it calls leading practices for re-locations. To get the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Steve Morris, GAO's Director of Natural Resources and Environment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than $22 million in cash prizes are available to teams with the best ideas accelerate widespread, equitable energy efficiency and building electrification upgrades. The Energy Department's Buildings Upgrade Prize, or Buildings UP, is asking teams to submit innovative concepts to increase building energy upgrades, with an nod toward equity or innovation. To learn more about the contest, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with the contest's prize administrator Holly Carr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration is setting a high bar to improve customer experience across government, but the VA’s National Cemetery Administration is already at the top of the charts, according to one scorecard. NCA ranks number one among all public and private organizations on the American Customer Satisfaction Index. It’s the seventh time NCA has won the top honor, but the latest ranking is the agency’s first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Matthew Quinn said in a recent interview with Federal News Network that NCA’s top marks from the ASCI, a scorecard released every three years, underscores the agency’s commitment to “own the moment” for veterans and their families. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many federal agencies, employee engagement and satisfaction scores continued to slip in the 2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings. In a preview of the 2022 Best Places to Work that the Partnership for Public Service and Boston Consulting Group published Wednesday, the organizations unveiled the top 10 agencies for large, midsize and small agencies, as well as agency subcomponents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The General Services Administration is facing a crisis of confidence. The third scathing IG report since 2016 once again reinforced how headquarters can’t make the Technology Transformation Service play by the government’s rules, in turn leading agency chief information officers and other technology executives to question whether GSA, as a whole, can be trusted. Interviews with five current federal technology executives, three former technology leaders and industry experts say the trust between TTS, and in some ways GSA, has, unfortunately, once again been broken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: There's a quick way to settle EEO disputes, but few agencies try it. USAID revamps the way it engages with overseas development partners. How contractors can develop a better nose for where the money is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With all those congressional hearings, it's noisy on Capitol Hill this week. But contractors who listen closely will hear the sounds of opportunity, as agencies discuss their spending plans for 2024. For more on how to sharpen your hunting skills, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Equal employment opportunity disputes still occur in federal agencies. People feel wrongly discriminated against or they really are discriminated against for the wrong reasons. Now the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has fresh advice on ways to settle EEO complaints without expensive and long litigation. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Virginia Andreu, the Assistant Director of the EEOC's office of federal operations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) does all of its work overseas. It engages with local grantees and contractors to do the work in a particular country. Now USAID is launching a new strategy for what it calls A-and-A, acquisition and assistance. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Paloma Adams-Allen, USAID's Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: What one longtime government watchdog group recommends for the 118th Congress. Veterans Affairs campuses are designed to be open. Maybe too open. At least the congressional budget hearings are following regular order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: We'll get a progress report on the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability. DISA fields a classified version of a very widely used cloud application. Rebuilding the Office of Personnel Management will take years longer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TikTok was not the only thing discussed on Capitol Hill last week. Good, old-fashioned budget hearings also broke out all over. They revealed a lot about hoped-for spending priorities in 2024. For a the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Jack Fitzpatrick, a congressional reporter with Bloomberg Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barely two months old, the 118th Congress is getting advice from all over. For decades, the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) has issued a list of 13 steps Congress could take to restore trust in government, improve program performance, and keep things honest. For the highlights, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, POGO's Government Affairs Manager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Veterans Affairs Department's big medical campuses are full of physical security gaps, the VA's office of Inspector General has found. Unlocked exterior doors, broken surveillance cameras and a shortage of VA police officers top the list. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Deputy Assistant Inspector General Leigh Ann Searight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At least one program of the EPA has had consistent support regardless of the administration or the makeup of Congress. It's called WaterSense and it's aimed at plugging household leaks thought to result in billions and billions of wasted gallons. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Beth Livingston, WaterSense Lead Environmental Specialist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Office of Personnel Management still has a lot of rebuilding to do. Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest in this interview, points out that OPM went eight years without a confirmed director. The Trump administration tried to roll its functions into the White House and GSA. American University professor Bob Tobias puts the recent OPM testimony into context. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since January, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) has been running a highly classified version of a very popular consumer platform. DISA completed functional testing of what it calls DOD-365-Sec, a secure version of Microsoft Office 365, a cloud-hosted suite of common products. With a progress report on user testing, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the program manager for DISA's Defense Enterprise Office Solution, Carissa Landymore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Environmental Protection Agency is asking Congress for a significant boost in funding for next year, in part to try to rectify the challenge of a shrinking workforce paired with a rapidly growing workload. The White House proposed a $12 billion budget for EPA for fiscal 2024. If enacted, the funding would be a 19% increase over the agency’s budget for fiscal 2023, and the largest budget ever for the agency. Among efforts to tackle climate change, protect public health and improve infrastructure, a top priority of the EPA budget request is rebuilding its workforce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Space Force continues to build its capabilities, it has to figure out how to train the growing number of guardians coming into its ranks. For now the solution remains a cobbled-together system of using its own training command and supplementing that with resources from the Air Force and the private sector. The technology-heavy new service relies on skilled operators to run and maintain its arsenal of satellites and sensors that make up U.S. presence in space. While the Space Force maintains Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) as its central training command for guardians, it must farm out a variety of skills training to other sources in order to quickly train its recruits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The future look and feel of your office space isn’t just going to be filled with movable furniture or whiz-bang technology. It likely will include federal employees from other agencies. The latest trend the General Services Administration is hearing from agencies is the desire to share buildings, conference space and training rooms as a part of reducing costs and improving the employee experience. Nina Albert, the commissioner of the Public Building Service at GSA, said federal office space will continue to evolve over the next few years, as more agencies get a better handle on their short- and long-term needs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Lots of new developments on the whistleblower front thanks to this year's budget bill. Cloud computing is great, until you can't connect. Then what? A veterans advocacy group updates its guidance for the Pact Act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act -- the Pact Act -- became law a few months ago. It brought an expansion of services available to veterans and drew more veterans into eligibility. For a review, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked to a director at the National Veterans Legal Services Program, Richard Spataro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The omnibus appropriations bill enacted last year, contains something called the Anti-Money Laundering Whistleblower Improvement Act. Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest on this podcast, calls it the most important transnational anti-corruption whistleblower law since the Dodd-Frank law in 2010. In fact, Stephen Kohn, a partner at the law firm Kohn, Kohn and Colapinto, helped get it passed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agencies got more details from the Office of Personnel Management on how to get started with an inter-agency program aiming to boost retention of federal cybersecurity professionals. The guidance from OPM came after President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last June, which established a federal rotational cyber workforce program. The program lets agencies offer up rotation assignments for federal employees currently working in IT, cyber or cyber-related positions. Eligible employees can apply for, and work at, a different federal agency for a limited time period, between six months and one year, before returning to their home agency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: In the post-pandemic era, the government is still perfecting its bio-responses. Inside the Defense Department's latest run at modernizing its business systems. This head of an obscure agency improves health care for millions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He runs a program most people never heard of, but it has got a $5 billion budget. He is the head of the Bureau of Primary Health Care, nested in the Health Resources and Services Administration, itself a component of the Health and Human Services Department. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with this senior executive and recent recipient of a Presidential Rank Award, James Macrae. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Given everything that happened in the pandemic of 2020, one would think the government would have learned a thing or two about bio responses. It has learned a lot, actually. But there is more work to do, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with Chris Currie, GAO's Director of Homeland Security and Justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Homeland Security is moving out on a department-wide customer experience initiative across multiple fronts, with DHS bringing in a former U.S. Digital Service official to lead a new CX office. DHS is establishing a permanent “CX Directorate” at headquarters this year. During a March 16 meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, DHS Chief Information Officer Eric Hysen said the permanent office is already attracting “key talent” to the department’s CX work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Commerce Department’s Commerce Acquisition for Transformational Technology Services (CATTS) multiple award contract is the perfect microcosm of all that’s wrong with federal procurement and small business. Despite the fact there are thousands of contracts that agencies award every day going off without a hitch — at least that’s the important reminder from former federal executive David Drabkin and many others over the years — the Commerce effort to create a high-dollar, long-term relationship with small businesses flies in the face of the government’s long-held goal to increase and support the small business industrial base. In fact, it’s easy to argue that CATTS, and really many other similar acquisitions efforts, are detrimental to that goal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Agriculture Department promotes new ways to manage and use a very old resource. Why federal employees are watching the political landscape more than ever.  For contractors, the 2024 budget request doesn't quite add up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal contractors don't see a lot of room for growth after inflation in fiscal 2024, with a few large agencies actually requesting a reduction in funding relative to what was enacted in 2023. For a few observations, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to Stephanie Kostro, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you wonder why federal employees worry, along with everyone else, consider: mini financial crises, a stubbornly bear stock market, no breakthroughs on Social Security solvency, and the debt-ceiling debate dragging out. For one point of view, Federal Drive host talked with John Hatton, Vice President for Policy at the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You would think everything wood can be used for has been thought of. But wood, considered a renewable resource, has a lot of life. The Agriculture Department is running a competitive grant program to come up with new ways to manage, promote and use wood. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Brian Brashaw, the Forest Service's Assistant Director for Wood Innovations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is looking to position a new “Cyber Analytics and Data System” at the center of national cyber defenses, as the agency’s post-EINSTEIN plans come into focus in its fiscal 2024 budget request. CISA is seeking $424.9 million in the 2024 budget for “CADS.” The program is envisioned as a “system of systems,” budget documents explain, that provides “a robust and scalable analytic environment capable of integrating mission visibility data sets and providing visualization tools and advanced analytic capabilities to CISA cyber operators.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Social Security establishes a new office just for native Americans. This tribal leader wants sovereignty restored she says the government erased 50 years ago. Congress takes up more of the budget this week, and a few repeals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An influential Defense advisory board has a harsh critique of the Defense Department’s strategies for recruiting talent into its civilian ranks: there isn’t much of a strategy at all. The new Defense Business Board (DBB) study also found the Pentagon, as a general matter, doesn’t have a discernible talent pipeline for civilians, and that little effort has been spent to market DoD as an attractive civilian employer. The board believes those and other factors put the department at a severe disadvantage to other employers, especially when it comes to mission-critical occupations with intense private sector competition, like nurses, software developers and logisticians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Budget hearings will take up much of Congress's time this week. The Department of Transportation (DOT) will be big, plus there is a vote on a nomination to a crucial DOT agency. To get the rundown on all of this, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Loren Duggan, Bloomberg Government's Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Among the longtime Native American tribes, consider the Muwekma Ohlone tribe. It once occupied land in what is now in California's Santa Clara and San Francisco counties. The Bureau of Indian Affairs recognizes nearly 600 indigenous tribes, but not the Muwekma Ohlone. To see if that might soon change, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Charlene Nijmeh, Chairwoman of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Social Security Administration recently established an office for helping Native Americans. The agency, in its words, wants to elevate and centralize efforts devoted to tribal members and Alaska Natives. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the Director of the Office Native American Partnerships, Richard Litsey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agencies are continuing to move toward a new era for the federal workforce, one that has become colloquially known as the “future of work.” To help them get there, agencies have new information from the Office of Personnel Management, which has outlined a vision for what that future of work should look like. “We endeavor to position the federal government as a model employer that empowers the workforce to solve our nation’s toughest challenges,” OPM Director Kiran Ahuja said in a March 7 memo to agency heads. “OPM is committed to supporting and strengthening agencies to ensure they are resilient for the future while continuing to achieve their respective missions in service of the people and communities they serve.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Department’s 2024 budget highlighted the Pentagons’ priorities for upgrading its technologies through a combination of research, development, technology and science. Although the topline numbers for the department show an all-time high of $842 billion, leaders say the increase of $26 billion over last year’s enacted but is basically flat due to inflation. The combined Navy and Marine Corps budget represented a 4.5% hike at $255.8 billion. The Army requested $185.5 billion, a 4.6% increase over the Army’s $178 billion budget last year. And the Air Force, including Space Force, wants $259 billion with $215 billion for the Air Force and $30 billion for the Space Force. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Meet the man who spent decades photographing the affairs of one large cabinet department. New guidance from the Commerce Department for anyone who deals with data. Union negotiations at Veterans Affairs are still stuck in a rut … for a decade so far Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows data is the essential element in improving government operations, understanding trends in the world, and solving big problems. Yet sometimes data can reveal too much, like people's personal information. That is why data sets have to undergo what is known as de-identification. Now the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated crucial guidance on how to do this. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with NIST Computer Scientist Simson Garfinkle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Still annoyed by the Trump administration's relocation of two Agriculture Department bureaus, a senator has introduced legislation to raise the bar for agency moves. It would require agencies to do some homework before they move. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked about the bill with Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 1990, Chris Smith has been photographing the doings of the Health and Human Services Department. That's six administrations and nine secretaries. Now he's put the lens cap on that career. Federal Drive host Tom Temin took a historic stroll down memory with Chris Smith. Temin & Smith were both in studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than two years into the Biden administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the largest federal employee union appear no closer to an agreement on a new labor contract. The VA and the American Federation of Government Employees have gone back to the negotiating table over the course of several administrations, but have yet to reach a deal to replace the current labor contract, which is more than a decade old. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: IRS managers have high hopes now that there's a new, confirmed commissioner. You've got whistleblower protection even before you apply for a federal job. Should government leave some problems for the non-profit sector to solve? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Numerous recent polls show a low level of public faith in government. At least in some minds, that raises the question of whether the government is trying to solve too many problems. Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with someone who suggests the non-profit sector might be better at applying market forces to help. Elise Westhoff is President & CEO of the right-of-center Philanthropy Roundtable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a recent decision, the Merit Systems Protection Board confirmed that people are covered by the Whistleblower Protection Act, even if they blew the whistle before applying for a federal job. The board disagreed with a federal court, but upheld the board's own precedent. For the significance of this case, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to attorneys Christine Kumar and James Eisenmann of the Alden Law Group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Managers at the IRS have definite hopes and expectations for the coming year, now that they have a confirmed commissioner and the expectation of extra money thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act. Just before the Senate confirmed Commissioner Danny Werfel, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke Chad Hooper, the President of the Professional Managers Association. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week marks a significant milestone for the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) — the five-year anniversary. The TMF, an innovative funding model for federal technology modernization projects, has grown and expanded significantly since its humble beginnings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Meet the federal executive whose career has involved the great outdoors. The Census Bureau gets a report card on how it learns its lessons. Potential Defense Department claims against contractors have a shelf life of infinity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even when a claim against a federal contractor is dismissed, it never dies. Like a zombie, it can rise forth and bite you. That's what a decade-plus dispute between Textron and the Defense Contract Management Agency shows. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with Zach Prince, a Partner at the law firm of Haynes Boone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Census Bureau is already applying lessons learned from the 2020 decennial count in preparing for 2030 and even 2040. For one thing, it learned how to lower costs through employee productivity, so 2020 came in nearly $2 billion under budget. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that the Census Bureau could tighten up its internal feedback loop even more. For more on that, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Yvonne Jones, GAO's Director of Strategic Issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Among last year's Presidential Rank Award recipients was a senior executive whose entire 25-year federal career has had to do with the outdoors. He started with the Fish and Wildlife Service and now he is the Nevada State Director for the Bureau of Land Management. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks with Jon Raby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One in four active duty military members has some level of food insecurity according to numbers reported by a recent RAND Corporation study. While it may not be a new problem, senior enlisted military leaders who testified on Capitol Hill last week said economic challenges over the past year have added to food insecurity. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin commissioned the RAND study after the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act directed the secretary to provide a report on food insecurity among members of the armed forces and their dependents. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The NSA has advice for protecting the smallest elements in the nation's critical infrastructure. What the government could do to mitigate identity theft. Why do so many contractors leave the federal market each year? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Inside the Commerce Department's plan for a string of new tech hubs. What to do in the unlikely event of a reduction in force at your agency. What's next for the Biden administration's up, up, up budget proposal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acquisition officials, especially in the Defense Department, worry about why the roster of would-be federal contractors seems to contract every year. Small companies in particular seem to be departing. If could be, the ever-expanding list of rules are driving them away. To get perspective, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with long-time federal sales and marketing consultant, Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite industry and government efforts, identity data theft still hits tens of millions of Americans every year. The last quarter of 2022, for example, the tally was something like 22 million. That's according to the latest breach dashboard compiled by data company TransUnion. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Jeff Huth, TransUnion Senior VP for the Public Sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You could think of integrated circuits (chips), as the smallest building blocks in the nation's critical infrastructure. Recently, the National Security Agency (NSA) issued detailed guidance on keeping what it called "adversarial influence" out of microelectronics used in Defense Department systems. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Neal Ziring, Technical Director of NSA's Capabilities Directorate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The release of a White House budget proposal resembles nothing so much as the drop of a hockey puck. Now comes the nasty scrambling. An enacted 2024 budget will take months, and probably occur after the fiscal year starts. For the latest, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is little chance the layoffs that have affected some industries will affect government. If anything, agencies are hiring. But reductions-in-force have occurred occasionally over the years. If that's the case -- or maybe you're just worried -- what exactly are your rights and options. For a review, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Tully Rinckey Managing Partner Michael Fallings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year's Chips and Science Act spawned new programs across the government. Among them is a $500 million Commerce Department initiative known as Tech Hubs. Now Commerce's Economic Development Administration is asking the public how the Tech Hubs program might work. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Alejandra Castillo, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Veterans Affairs is telling Congress a new multi-billion-dollar Electronic Health Record is the best way to provide care for its patients — despite a troubled rollout and House lawmakers threatening to pull the plug on the project. Whether or not the VA is able to get the rollout of its Oracle-Cerner EHR back on track this summer as planned, agency officials told members of the House VA Committee that the VA will need to rely on its legacy EHR, VistA, for another five-to-10 years, if not longer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a new national cyber strategy focused on the security of critical infrastructure, the Energy Department’s lead cyber directorate is working to set cybersecurity requirements for federal investments in clean energy technologies, while also overseeing a new review of digital threats to the electric distribution system. Meanwhile, DOE is finalizing an update to its own cyber strategy that will align with the recently released national plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Office of Personnel Management Director Kiran Ahuja faced a bombardment of tough questions from Congress about the agency’s operations and the future of the federal workforce. House Republicans on the Oversight and Accountability Committee pressed Ahuja for answers on improper payments in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, efforts on federal hiring reform, two management-level OPM employees’ cases of sexual harassment, a retirement case backlog and much more during a March 9 hearing. Among the broad array of topics on OPM’s operations, members continued circling back to one that has become quite familiar: telework. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: This agency got so much extra funding, it has to reorganize. A state demonstrates what you can do with block chain and data management, for customer experience. Federal buy-American strategies run into a labor shortage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House is proposing the largest pay raise for federal employees and military service members in more than 40 years. The fiscal 2024 budget request is asking Congress for a 5.2% federal pay raise. The pay raise request is one of several efforts the Biden administration is signaling for how it wants to support the federal workforce through the budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Without using the manufacturing capacity of allied nations, the United States probably cannot fill its own national security needs. One reason, according to a study by Bloomberg Government, is the apparent shortage of skilled manufacturing labor in the U.S. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Bloomberg Senior Data Analyst Paul Murphy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rhode Island officials have deployed a way to streamline identity management for businesses and individuals. It promises to make life easier for government and its constituents. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Elizabeth Tanner, Rhode Island's Secretary of Commerce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Science Foundation, as listeners of this podcast heard from director Sethuraman Panchanathan the other day, received a new billion dollars in funding from the Chips Act. To help deal with a record budget, NSF is adding a new office called the Office of Business Information Technology Services, or BITS. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with NSF Chief Operating Officer Doctor Karen Marrongelle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The trouble with online meetings, is online meetings. Why the District of Columbia wants the federal government to fish or cut bait. Washington D.C.'s commercial real estate industry is also wondering whether feds will return to work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ongoing question of whether federal employees with offices in the District of Columbia will return four or five days a week, is not just a matter of restaurants and retail stores. The commercial real estate industry, which houses all of these elements, is also looking at a cloudy crystal ball. To get that point of view, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Howard Traul, the Senior Managing Director of the commercial real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Critics of telework often point to its limitations on collaboration. Video meetings have replaced the conference table for millions of teleworkers, but they can be annoying. Earlier, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the D.C. Deputy Mayor, who outlined why the city wants federal employees to come back or have the government let go of some of its real estate. In this interview, Tom Temin turns to Frameable CEO Adam Riggs, who offers another angle on the virtues of virtual meetings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mayor of the District of Columbia recently urged the federal government to get its people back in their offices or give up millions of square feet. The city has ambitious economic goals that could, in its view, make better use of the space. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with John Falcicchio, D.C.'s Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service is looking to modernize the way the federal government does business — and giving agencies a status update on its goals through the end of the decade. Fiscal Service recently gave agency chief financial officers an update on progress made toward its financial management goals in fiscal 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A Navy financial maven takes over an office that looks around the world. The government's financial statements are out. They're not pretty. Another industry makes the case for help, like the semiconductor industry already got. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Semiconductor chips have gotten all of the attention and a $50 billion subsidy from the government. But without the more prosaic Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) underneath them, chips don't do anything. PCB manufacturing has mostly moved offshore, leading to a pending bill to help the industry, as the nation focuses on the supply chain. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke in-studio with David Schild, the Executive Director of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The government's latest consolidated financial statements would give a normal CFO hives. Material control weaknesses, significant uncertainties, serious financial management problems. Those are words from the Government Accountability Office to explain why it can't render an opinion on the whole thing. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Robert Dacey, GAO's Chief Accountant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Navy's International Programs Office (NIPO) is one of its lesser known components. It helps build maritime security and development partnerships. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with NIPO's new executive director, Karla Horn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Help yourself before helping others” — it’s a familiar adage, but it’s also advice the Government Accountability Office urges the federal government’s personnel shop to take. The Office of Personnel Management is at “significant risk” of being unable to help agencies address governmentwide skills gaps, if it can’t first do a better job of addressing its internal skills gaps, GAO said in a report published last week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services processing delays result in a lawsuit. The Thrift Savings Plan overseers make new progress on that web site. Why federal contractors are poring over the new national cyber strategy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immigration and citizenship laws are complicated, but advocates are upset about how long it takes USCIS to process unlawful presence waivers. So much so, the American Immigration Council recently filed suit against the Biden administration. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Kate Goettel, the Council's Legal Director of Litigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration's national cyber strategy, which came out last week, puts a lot of responsibility on industry. It has a hefty rule-making and legislative agenda to support that. For an early reaction from federal contractors, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with David Berteau, President & CEO of the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal employees continue to express frustration with the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) website, the portal through which millions access their accounts. At its recent monthly meeting, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) revisited its IT modernization project, which deployed in May of last year. For an update, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Kim Weaver, the FRTIB's Director of External Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Archives and Records Administration plans to eliminate by December a backlog of military service records requests that has delayed many veterans in accessing federal benefits. In a new plan issued Feb. 24, NARA laid out its projected timeline for eliminating the pandemic-era backlog, as well as its strategy to avoid similar scenarios in the future. The plan was required under the Access for Veterans to Records Act, passed as part of the Fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Call it a coming-of-age moment for U.S. Cyber Command. After 13 years in business, it is ready to expand its intelligence gathering capabilities to an independent center to collect and disseminate international cyber intelligence. The center will involve a joint effort between Cyber Command, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. While there are still a number of ambiguities over how the center will ultimately look, it took a step forward in February as it moved out of the sphere of DIA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A progress report from the Merit Systems Protection Board. The 2024 budget request comes out this week, kicking off a new Congressional season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A really busy and contentious time for Congress kicks off this week when the Biden Administration releases its 2024 budget request. But that's not all. To get the lastest on what is happening on Capitol Hill, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with Bloomberg Government Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been one year since the three-member Merit Systems Protection Board had a quorum, after several years without one. A big challenge for the board was clearing a five-year backlog of appeals cases. Now it looks like the pace of that clearance is accelerating. For an update, Federal Drive host Tom Temin was joined in-studio by Acting Chairman Cathy Harris. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a major update for the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), officials from Accenture Federal Services (AFS) cited significant progress and pledged more improvements coming soon for participants. Officials from AFS, the federal contractor that runs TSP’s new recordkeeping system, said many of the initially tumultuous problems during the transition last summer have subsided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: And old idea gets a fresh look, a nuclear-powered space ship. From 9/11 to Hurricane Sandy, she's been at the forefront of FEMA responses. Now that the Office of Personnel Management has a performance director, what should she do? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The idea of a nuclear-powered spacecraft goes back decades. Now it may become reality. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and NASA are teaming up on a demonstration project. They want to see if a nuclear rocket engine could power flight to Mars. To talk about the project, Federal Drive host Tom Temin was joined by Dr. Anthony Calomino, NASA' Materials and Structures Engineer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Drive with Tom Temin continues its week-long series of interviews with recent Presidential Rank Award winners. Temin's guest for this interview probably knows as much about disasters -- and federal responses to them -- as anyone. Her experience with the Federal Emergency Management Agency dates back to debris management after 9/11. Now she's the FEMA region 3 administrator. Enjoy Federal Drive host Tom Temin's interview with MaryAnn Tierney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House recently appointed Loren DeJong Schulman as Associate Director for Performance and Personnel Management at the Office of Management and Budget. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with Bob Tobias, who had a couple of ideas for what Ms. Schulman should set as her personal goals. Tobias is a professor in the Key Executive Leadership Program at American University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House has announced a new national cyber strategy, laying out a vision for shoring up the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure sectors through baseline security requirements and re-aligning more responsibility for cyber risks to big tech companies. the strategy also envisions using federal procurement as a major tool for improving accountability for cybersecurity in products and services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Census Bureau fine tunes almost everything it does...as it transforms into a self-described digital agency. Meet the civilian career employee who's operated at the highest levels of the national security apparatus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Drive host Tom Temin continues his series of interviews with the most recent class of Presidential Rank Award winners, chatting with someone who's been on his show before. Cara Abercrombie is the former Acting Deputy Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. She's now on detail at the National Security Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Census Bureau is still assessing what it learned from a national count conducted during a pandemic. It's also looking ahead to how it can best operate as a statistical agency, perhaps the premier statistical agency, 25 years into the 21st century. For an update, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Census Director Robert Santos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A more “challenging landscape” on Capitol Hill, now with a partisan divide between the White House and Congress, has propelled the National Treasury Employees Union, for one, to become even more vocal on its latest set of legislative priorities. At the top of the federal union’s list of concerns is securing a sizeable pay raise for federal employees next year. Although the 4.6% raise in 2023 was the largest in about 20 years, NTEU National President Tony Reardon said the boost didn’t align with the original expectation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Department says it’s just a few months away from starting to transition itself from firefighting substances that have contaminated groundwater with harmful chemicals at and around hundreds of current and former bases, and plans to switch completely to alternative foams that don’t pose health and environmental risks by the end of this fiscal year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Fraud tallies from pandemic spending just keep piling up. A long time procurement executive gets White House recognition. The Air Force presses its advantage in a controversial intellectual property dispute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Employee retention is a hot topic for many agencies. Agencies have made positive steps toward keeping people, but there are a few things they could still do. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talks about all of this (and more) with Financial coach and retired federal manager Abe Grungold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the Defense Department help itself to commercial intellectual property, even stuff not developed with federal dollars? Yes it can, as a matter of fact. At least judging from a recent case before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. It's a warning to contractors. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with Haynes Boone partner Dan Ramish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the General Services Administration (GSA) is at the heart of much of federal procurement, Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest for this interview is at the center of the GSA. Jeffrey Koses is GSA's Senior Procurement Executive and Chairman of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission. Most recently, Koses was recognized with a Presidential Rank Award. This interview is part of this week's series of Rank Award winners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal unemployment insurance program has been rife with fraud for decades. But Labor Department programs created for pandemic relief spawned so much fraud, the department is opening a hundred new investigative cases a week. For the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked to Seto Bagdoyan, the Director of the Forensic Audits and Investigative Service at the Government Accountability Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Social Security Administration is getting $23.3 million from the Technology Modernization Fund to implement multifactor authentication across its internal systems, part of a trio of recent TMF awards focused on cybersecurity and reliability. The TMF announced three new investments today for SSA, the Treasury Department and the U.S. Agency for Global Media. “With these new cybersecurity investments, TMF funding will increase the security of some of the nation’s most critical systems and sensitive data,” TMF Executive Director Raylene Yung said in a prepared statement. “The TMF is helping these agencies protect lives and livelihoods, safeguard intelligence and information integrity, and keep the programs the federal workforce relies on to serve the American public up and running.” The SSA award will accelerate the adoption of MFA to reduce the risk of employee credentials being stolen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The next nine months will prove crucial ones for federal contractors. Lots of acquisition regulations cooking … expansion of buy American .. and more White House emphasis on small *disadvantaged* business. For where it's all headed, the Federal Drive turned to federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Transportation Department maps out its next five years of research. This presidential rank award winner helps keep a lot of things running smoothly for the Air Force. Why contractors need to focus on the brass tacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Homeland Security is inching closer to make awards under its much-anticipated FirstSource III small business IT products and software contract. While the timeline is still a bit fluid, the goal is to finally get this almost two-year effort completed in 2023. Paul Courtney, the chief procurement officer at the Department of Homeland Security, said there are several reasons why awards under FirstSource III have taken so long, including the more than 600 proposals his office received and is reviewing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She's done about everything you can do as a civilian working for the Air Force: Installations, energy, housing, safety and health. Now she's the Director of Staff at Air Force HQ and oversees. A full plate. Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Jennifer Miller, a recent recipient of a Presidential Rank Award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has a lot of goals for its latest five-year R &D and technology plan, including a transportation system that is safer, greener and more resilient than the one we have now. For highlights, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked to Dr. Robert Hampshire, DOT's Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief Science Officer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Department of Homeland Security scientists think certain facial recognition systems can efficiently verify the identities of small groups of travelers while preserving the privacy of those who opt-out, as the Transportation Security Administration considers how technology could speed up security lines at airports. The results from the DHS Science and Technology Directorate’s “2022 Biometric Technology Rally" unveiled this week could inform the way forward for TSA and other government agencies as they increasingly adopt facial recognition systems, despite concerns from some lawmakers and civil liberties groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The latest legislative attempt to get a better Social Security deal for certain. The government's secrets apparatus could collapse under its own weight. Congress returns to work as the White House prepares to release the 2024 budget Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The continuous showdown continues on Capitol Hill this week. Congress returns to session, just days before the expected White House release of its 2024 budget request. For the outlook, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked to WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former President Donald Trump, former vice president Mike Pence, and President Joe Biden don't have much in common. But all three got caught with classified documents that they took home. The incidents show a lot of things, including how cumbersome the classification system is. Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with someone who spends a lot explaining this challenging issue: Yale law professor Oona Hathaway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Social Security provisions have long rankled federal employees and others in public service. One is called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The other is the Government Pension Offset (GPO). They were established decades ago on the idea that for a portion of their careers, people with certain jobs were not covered by Social Security. Now a bipartisan House bill would revoke WEP and GPO. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), one of the bill's co-sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Navy’s Office of Small Business Programs fell short of its small disadvantaged business (SDB) goals in fiscal 2022, it made a decision to aggressively reach out to potential companies. With the numbers in for the first half of 2023, the agency said it still has some work to do. “We missed the small disadvantaged business goal by a little over 1% [in fiscal 2022]. The Department of the Navy had a goal of 8.3%. And I believe we came in about 7%, a little over 7%. We missed the goal just slightly in bringing in 8(a) firms," said Arveice Washington, deputy director of the Navy’s Office of Small Business Programs in an interview with Federal News Network after she spoke at the National Defense Industrial Association’s Expeditionary Warfare Conference on Feb. 23. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: How the National Science Foundation is dealing with a big budget increase Enterprise risk management is soaking deeper into most federal agencies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Contractors assess the Defense Department's latest small business strategy The SBA moves to resolve a vexing wrinkle in the rule-of-two Now in its 35th year, the Thrift Savings Plan offers a lot of investment lessons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to last year's legislation to help the semiconductor industry, the National Science Foundation was given $9.9 billion in its record budget for fiscal 2023. Already the NSF has widened its collaboration with the Energy Department, established partnerships with four big semiconductor companies, and even launched a new artificial intelligence institute devoted to speech pathology. To get the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with NSF director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanatha. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressional Democrats renewed their push to prevent any future version of the Trump administration’s Schedule F executive order. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) introduced the Saving the Civil Service Act on Tuesday. The legislation aims to block presidential administrations from ordering agencies to reclassify federal positions outside merit system principles, unless given Congressional approval. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have been investing in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) for its entire 35 years, you have likely got a pretty good nest egg. Consistency and patience is part of what we have learned from the TSP over the decades. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with certified financial planner Art Stein. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Contracting officers are supposed to use small business set-aside contracts if they think at least two small businesses are likely to bid on a request. It is called the Rule of Two. There is a dispute over whether the Rule of Two applies to task orders under indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity contracts. Now the Small Business Administration is moving to resolve this question. For analysis, Federal Drive host Tom Temin turned to Rogers Joseph O'Donnell attorney Stephen Bacon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's department issued a new small-business strategy a couple of weeks ago. It comes as more dollars are going to fewer smaller businesses. The contracting world is pondering why the small business industrial base is shrinking. For analysis of the strategy, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with attorney Alan Chvotkin, a partner at Nichols Liu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amid rising workloads and understaffing, employees at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urged senior leaders and Congress to make some significant changes for the agency’s workforce. In light of growing workforce challenges, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the federal union representing more than 7,700 EPA employees under AFGE Council 238, held a rally outside the agency’s D.C. headquarters. “We are facing a staffing crisis,” AFGE Council 238 President Marie Owens Powell told Federal News Network at the Feb. 15 rally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agencies are bolstering the Biden administration’s environmental justice push with mapping initiatives that help users understand complex data, as the White House also directs agencies to use a new tool to guide their “Justice40” investments. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last August, released the Environmental Justice Index (EJI), a tool featuring an interactive map designed to measure the cumulative impacts of environmental burdens on communities throughout the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The government's satisfaction index is up, but still not what it should be. Stop us if you've heard this before. The IRS has modernizing problems. The contractor carbon emissions reporting rule, is it setting companies up for failure? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Data is a strategic asset. Transforming the Department of Defense (DoD) to a datacentric organization is critical to improving performance and creating decision advantage at all echelons from the battlespace to the board room, ensuring U.S. competitive advantage. To accelerate the department’s efforts, leaders must ensure all DoD data is visible, accessible, understandable, linked, trustworthy, interoperable and secure.”So begins Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks' May 2021 memo to create a data advantage across the Pentagon. Despite this simple, but complex concept that every part of the military is focused on, the Department of the Navy’s commitment to moving toward this approach now is in question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices