Job satisfaction is down across the federal government this year, according to the Partnership for Public Service. But there are success stories at some agencies. And for one agency, every year the satisfaction scores keep going up. Dr. Richard Gilbrech, the director of the NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, joins In Depth to discuss his agency’s secret to high satisfaction.

‘Best Place to Work?’ — Not so much (related story)

Some members of Congress are eyeing pay freezes and benefit reductions as one way to reduce the federal deficit. But the Federal Workers Alliance says enough is enough.

Bill Dougan, the chairman of the alliance and president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, joins In Depth to discuss why the group organized a “Federal Employees Day of Action.”

Buzzwords like “more with less” and about a thousand other technology terms are all over government. Sometimes they can get in the way of actually getting the mission accomplished. Bob Woods has worked both sides of the streets — he is founder and president of Topside Consulting Group and former commissioner of GSA’s Federal Technology Service. He discusses the dangers of consultant-speak.

The dangers of consultant-speak related link)

In case you haven’t noticed, the fiscal cliff negotiations are still going on. But new wrinkles in the dialogue are starting to emerge. Tom Shoop, editor-in-chief of Government Executive, joins In Depth to discuss the latest developments, including the President’s proposal to limit Social Security cost-of-living adjustments.

Fed groups pounce on Obama’s COLA-cutting proposal (related story)

While Congress debates the fiscal cliff, the Supreme Court is changing some of your agency’s contracting policies. And those changes may be just in time to help weather any potential sequestration cuts.

Steve Ramaley, an associate attorney for the Centre Law Group, joins In Depth to discuss the details of the Firstline Tranportation Security vs. the United States case.

Court allows agency small business subcontracting goals to ride on the back of primes (requires subscription)