HealthCare.gov is processing applications far better today that it did on launch day Oct. 1. But the political and policy damage from the bad launch may affect the program for years. Bill Eggers, director of Public Sector Research for Deloitte, writes in Governing Magazine about a trap many people fall into when they launch projects.

A two decade update of how your agency analyzes its cost-savings is in place. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy issued the first update to Circular A-131 since 1993. OFFP says changes will make it easier for your agency to use value engineering practices.

More federal employees are on the job today than the Office of Personnel Management expected. OPM was prepared to take in almost 8,000 retirement applications in December, but they actually got less than 5,000. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says he thinks he knows why so few people quit last month.

Federal agencies across government use the Social Security Death Master File to check if benefits recipients have passed away. Some agencies have cited some success using that file to cut improper payments. But the Government Accountability Office finds some shortcomings with the Death Master File and the way SSA makes it available to your agency. Dan Bertoni, director of education, workforce, and income security issues at the GAO, explains what the Death Master File is, and where SSA gets the information in it.

The second session of the 113th Congress opens today. The Senate is back and voting on nominations and the House comes back tomorrow. Neither chamber will wait long for the heavy lifting to begin.