Federal Drive

• Low recruiting, high retention, putting financial strain on military

  In today's Federal Newscast: Low recruiting, but high retention, are putting financial strain on the military. The Government Accountability Office estimates that 15% of COVID-19 unemployment relief money went to fraudsters. And feds can now donate unused time off to other feds impacted by Hurricane Idalia.

  Federal Newscast

  September 15, 2023
• So far, no FAR: A look inside one agency’s unique procurement shop

  Imagine a federal procurement shop where you use every technique, except the Federal Acquisition Regulation. And you don't do grants, either. And you've got congressional backing for your novel approach. That's the case for one of the government's newer agencies, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, known as ARPA-H. For a look on the inside, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with Diane Sidebottom, ARPA-H Director of Acquisition and Contracts.

  Acquisition

  September 14, 2023
• Stop worrying, college students are thrilled to work for the government

  Career fair at large state university shows keen interest graduates or soon-to-best have in working for the federal government

  Tom Temin Commentary

  September 14, 2023
• Does the Pentagon skip too many of its congressional reporting duties?

  The Defense Department is under statutory obligation to deliver a thousand reports to Congress each year. One analysis says the department consistently fails at this task and that Congress doesn't get the information it needs for proper oversight of military affairs. For more on all of that, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with Brennen Center counsel Katherine Yon Ebright.

  Defense

  September 14, 2023
• Contractors worry first about getting the contract and second, can they fulfill it

  People running federal contractors must forecast their annual business, no less than any other CEO. What makes the federal market unique is that the specific size is known year after year.

  Contracting

  September 14, 2023
• DoD adjusts childcare fees, gives military families financial boost

  In today's Federal Newscast: The Defense Department has adjusted childcare fees to give military families a financial boost. The Veterans Affairs Department is ready to spruce up its delivery of digital services. And the Energy Department allocates $39 million for nine new cyber projects at national labs.

  Federal Newscast

  September 14, 2023
• The regulations on federal contractors keep piling on

  The Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs, part of the Labor Department, has gotten White House go-ahead, for what one lawyer calls, "A significant expansion of data that contractors must report." It is all in a new schedule letter and itemized listing. To unravel it all, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with that attorney: Andrew Turnbull, a partner at Morrison Foerster.

  Contracting

  September 13, 2023
• Brace yourself for the return of federal long-term care insurance options

  Federal employees have not been able to purchase long-term care insurance for the past couple of months. That's because the Office of Personnel Management suspended the program, pending the new plans and prices that are expected from the carrier.

  Benefits

  September 13, 2023
• The premier accident investigator is urged to tighten up its management practices

  The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is often among the first to arrive on the scene, after an airplane or train crashes. Its expertise is renowned. But the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found the NTSB needs to tighten up its own performance planning, particularly by more effectively connecting its strategic goals with its mission of transportation safety.

  Agency Oversight

  September 13, 2023
• Warnings have begun about ramifications of government shutdown

  In today's Federal Newscast: The alarm bells are ringing almost everywhere about the negative impacts of a government shutdown. The Labor Department's spending on new technology has skyrocketed in recent years. And the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is leaning into efforts to secure widely used software code.

  Federal Newscast

  September 13, 2023
• The nation’s funder of legal aid services gets a new inspector general

  A seasoned overseer of federal grant-making has returned to government. After a stint at a large services contractor, he recently became the inspector general at the Legal Services Corporation, one of the more unusual federal structures.

  Workforce

  September 12, 2023
• Retirement is easy to think about, but more difficult to pull off

  In many ways, retirement after a federal career is all about the numbers. Do you have enough saved that, together with your annuity, you won't run out of money. In some ways, retirement is not about numbers at all. There's also the danger of being bored to death. To delve into the issue of non-monetary advice, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with federal retiree and AG Financial Services owner Abe Grungold.

  Retirement

  September 12, 2023
• GOP bills would ‘devastate the American people,’ OMB director says

  In today's Federal Newscast: OMB Director Shalanda Young said GOP budget proposals would "devastate the American people." A DoD IG report said 20% of sexual assaults are mishandled by the military health care system. And a Biden veto threat could mean a CR is inevitable.

  Federal Newscast

  September 12, 2023
• VA hospitals do pretty darn well in a national survey

  The Veterans Health Administration recently participated, for the first time ever, in an annual survey of hospital quality conducted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. VA did well. The survey is known as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). Starting off with the fact that this was not a VA survey, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the VA's top medical official.

  Veterans Affairs

  September 12, 2023