The White House has made the Challenge.gov platform a centerpiece to how it wants agencies to think differently to solve problems. Agencies have responded with more than 300 competitions, which have awarded millions of dollars in prizes. For its success, the Challenge.gov platform yesterday received the prestigious Harvard Innovations in American Government award from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Federal News Radio’s executive editor Jason Miller tells us why Challenge.gov became the first federal winner in almost a decade.

Your colleague’s experience with retirement planning may not help you out one little bit. Tammy Flanagan, senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning, compares retirement plans for two different feds. She says not to sound the alarm when your thrift saving plan balance looks a lot different than someone else’s.

The Army’s top officer says he can’t afford the Army he has, so it’s time to cut back on not just people, but platforms. Federal News Radio’s Jared Serbu has more on the service’s plans to cut back on major acquisition programs.

The winter weather this week is bringing out the worst in some of your colleagues this week. And the reputation of people inside the Beltway among people outside the Beltway isn’t helping. Federal News Radio Senior Correspondent Mike Causey is writing about the Polar Vortex and its impact on you in his column today.