Monday federal headlines – December 7, 2015

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

• Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James is introducing more stringent security measures to reduce the possibility of violent acts directed toward airmen on and off installations. This is in response to the Defense secretary’s call to improve the security and force protection of defense personnel after the tragic events in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The new measures include increasing the number of armed security forces on base, enhancing force protection measures at off-installation facilities, and working on long-term mass notification systems. (Air Force)

• Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford said all of the military will aid in the implementation of Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s plan to fully integrate women. Each of the military departments will provide the secretary with their implementation plans by Jan. 1. Dunford said he wants to make sure they do it in a way that maintains combat effectiveness, maintains well-being of the troops, and takes advantage of the talent of all men and women in uniform. (Defense Department)

• A new rule published by the government requires federal contractors responding to solicitations to disclose recent felony convictions and unpaid taxes. The interim rule is scheduled to take effect Feb. 26, contractors must affirm as part of their applications whether they have any felony convictions in the last two years and whether they have unpaid federal tax liability that has been assessed and is not being paid in a timely manner. (Federal Register)

• The State Department is trying to overcome email challenges by seeking insights from industry. State issued a request for information asking for vendor support for managing records. The RFI asks contractors to provide details on how they would use a commercial system for storage, search, auditing, extraction, disposition, legal holds, de-duping, secure back-up, and related requirements for email records management. State has to comply with the NARA mandate to electronically manage email records by Dec. 2016. (FBO)

• The American Federation of Government Employees says it’s been given until Wednesday to agree to 50 percent of the terms of a new contract. Otherwise, it said management will terminate the existing one. That deadline comes that thanks to a new rule put in place by the former administrator, John Pistole. AFGE said the stalemate threatens the holiday travel season. They’re negotiating to replace a contract from 2012. (AFGE)

• The Office of Personnel Management processed 82 percent of retirement claims in 60 days or less in November. OPM made little progress on the backlog last month. It stands at about 12,562 claims, slightly down from 12,642 claims the month before. Applications that OPM processed in 60 days or less, did so in an average of 37 days. OPM received just more than 6,000 claims in November. (Federal New Radio)

• Federal employees will soon have new guidance for accepting gifts. The Office of Government Ethics proposed new gift acceptance policies for the first time since 1992. The proposed rule says federal employees cannot accept a gift worth more than $20. It also encourages federal employees to think about whether someone might question their integrity if they accept a gift and the circumstances don’t violate any rules. Comments are open until Jan. 26. (Federal News Radio)

• Top defense officials are bolstering their call for funds to modernize the nuclear triad. Defense Department Under Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Frank Kendall and DoD Comptroller Mike McCord both said last week that Congress needs to start planning for the 2020s. The nuclear triad modernization is expected to cost about $1 trillion over the next 30 years. (Federal News Radio)

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