Federal contract spending experiences six-year decline

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on the Federal Drive.

• The White House has laid out an extensive explanation for why it will veto the Senate’s version of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. Among the issues,  it said it does not support the changes to military health care and acquisition policy and personnel, and the personnel caps on the National Security Council the bill calls for. Last month the White House said it would also veto the House’s version because of the way that bill uses war funds to pay for base budget programs. (Federal News Radio)

• A White House advisory council says research and development for national security-related technology is in need of an upgrade. The National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on Homeland and National Security released a report saying national security R&D is stuck in the previous century, and will have to adapt to new, changing threats. (The White House)

• Total federal contract spending declined for the sixth consecutive year, but Bloomberg Government analysts say it should increase in 2016. It released its BGOV 200 study which ranks the top federal contractors and provides overall analysis of the industry. Among the top three, only Lockheed Martin saw an increase in total contract dollars.  One of the biggest gains was made by the Harris Corporation, who moved up 15 spots. (Federal News Radio)

• Three supervisors with U.S. Fish and Wildlife have received punishments for whistleblower retaliation. The Office of Special Counsel said a maintenance worker at a wildlife refuge in Oklahoma was fired for reporting that his supervisor used government owned sandbags to fortify his own house against flooding. The three all received suspensions without pay. (Office of Special Counsel)

• The IRS web app that let users get electronic access to past tax returns is back online, a year after a major breach forced the agency to disable it. Get Transcript now has a new two-factor authentication process for all new and returning users. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said it will take longer to use, but it’s worth it. Hackers stole personal information from taxpayers and used it to get inside IRS systems last year. Roughly 334,000 people were affected. (Federal News Radio)

• The search begins for a new chief privacy officer for the Merit Systems Protection Board. MSPB said it’s looking for someone who can craft and implement privacy programs while also directing its information services team. A notice on USAJobs said the agency will accept applications through June 15. (USAJobs)

• Congress isn’t done with the Veterans Affairs Department. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) plans to introduce a bill to convert the Veterans Health Administration into a federally chartered, non-profit corporation. It would be dubbed an accountable care organization. That term is used by Health and Human Services to designate networks of Medicare providers paid for outcomes, not fee-for-service. Rodgers’ bill would put Medicare and Tricare payments ahead of those from VA for non-service related illnesses. (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers)

• Federal CIOs continue to struggle with recognizing their risky projects.  Federal chief information officers are improving how they measure the risk of their technology projects. But the Government Accountability Office said there is still a long way to go. GAO’s recent report finds of the 17 agencies reviewed, all incorporated at least two of OMB’s factors into their risk rating process. GAO said nine agencies used all of OMB’s metrics. But GAO also found agencies interpreted the factors differently, causing inconsistencies in the ratings. In all, GAO’s own assessments of the agency’s IT projects showed more risk than what the CIOs’ determined. (Government Accountability Office)

• The Navy names a new leader to head its cyber command. Rear Adm. Michael Gilday’s nomination is still subject to Senate confirmation, but assuming the Senate gives the go ahead, he will replace Vice Adm. Jan Tighe as the commander of the Navy’s Fleet Cyber Command. Tighe already has a new job waiting. The Senate has already confirmed her as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, a post she’ll take as soon as she’s relieved by Gilday. Tighe, in turn, will replace Vice Adm. Ted Branch, who served in the job formerly called Chief of Information Dominance since 2013. (Navy)

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