public-private partnerships

Chris Townsend, vice president, Sales and Operations, Federal at Symantec, joins host John Gilroy on this week’s Federal Tech Talk to discuss a wide variety of cybersecurity issues including how to improve information sharing among agencies, and tips on who to map out a cyber strategy to agency needs. November 12, 2018.

OMB’s Margaret Weichert said the administration will provide a few million dollars in seed money to get the Government Effectiveness Advanced Research Center off the ground.

The Office of Management and Budget releases a request for information for how to create the Government Effectiveness Advanced Research (GEAR) Center.

Largely under the radar, the Commerce Department has been building a network of public-private partnerships to boost U.S. manufacturing. It’s working under a law from 2014 known as the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act. The Government Accountability Office found that Commerce needs to do more to encompass participation by other federal agencies who contribute people and money. John Neumann, GAO’s director of natural resources and environment issues, shares more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Outsourcing could make a big comeback under the Trump administration. But would it be a good idea? Not in the opinion of Donald Cohen, the founder and executive director of California think tank In the Public Interest. It looked at several privatization efforts at the state and local level, from Iowa Medicaid to school district bus services and found they worsen inequality. Cohen shares more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Haiyan Song, a senior vice president of security markets for Splunk, makes the case that the only way the government will survive the continuous onslaught of cyber attacks is by working more closely with industry.

The Army Reserve wants to make sure its soldiers aren’t relegated to the military’s B-team – called on only in case of emergency. But to do that, it needs to make sure its servicemembers are constantly training in their specialties, something that’s increasingly difficult under constrained budgets. As Federal News Radio’s Jared Serbu reports, the Reserve is looking to dramatically lower its training costs through public-private partnerships.

Congress has approved $8 billion for 26 inland waterway improvement projects. But, many of those projects won’t be completed for another 50 to 60 years. The Army Corps of Engineers is looking to speed up the process through public private partnerships.

The Army Reserve has kicked off a program where it will partner with the private sector to help fund its large-scale training exercises. Lt. Gen. Jeff Talley, the chief of the Army Reserve, said the initiative capitalizes on what he sees as one of the Reserve’s strengths: its members’ connection to private employers.

Public policy specialist Michael Kubayanda said the Postal Service would improve its partnerships with the private sector by creating a central office. USPS has a number of partnerships in different areas, including merchandise and real estate.