Five federal managers have won this year’s Causey Awards. Named for Federal News Radio’s Senior Correspondent Mike Causey, the awards honor the unsung heroes of federal human resources. Mike Causey has more on the five winners.

The threat of sequestration early this year prompted a tussle between federal contractors and the government. Companies wanted to give their employees legally mandated notice of possible layoffs. The Labor Department told them not to, saying the WARN act didn’t apply. The White House added, contractors could be reimbursed if employees later sued. The GAO has mostly upheld that policy. Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president of the Professional Services Council, reacts.

Everybody complains about improper payments handed out by the federal government. A much smaller group of people actually tried to do something about them. One of those is Carol Eyermann. She is senior staff associate for internal quality control at the National Science Foundation.

Agencies soon will manage their spending like they protect their IT networks. The Office of Federal Financial Management says financial oversight should be based on risk and data, with policies updated more than every three years. The office is revising its A-123 guidance. Federal News Radio’s Executive Editor Jason Miller has details.

You really can’t do that much more with less. So before diving into a project, it makes sense to know how much trouble you could be getting into. Some agencies are applying that theory to their programs by incorporating risk assessment into their planning. Tom Salmon is assistant inspector general for audit services for the Health and Human Services Department.

The Air Force is moving to boost the oversight role of its chief information officer, giving him a bigger say in decisions about IT acquisition, planning and funding. The service says it’ll cut down on duplicative spending and pave the way for more commoditization. More from Federal News Radio’s DoD reporter Jared Serbu.

Congress is batting at a swarm of problems. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) talks about military base security in the aftermath of the Navy Yard killings. Also the Data Act he’s trying to push through, and the prospects for the end of the fiscal year. Virginia has the most military installations of any state. But Warner is saying Congress needs to listen first, not necessary legislate.