We talk a lot about contracts on this show, but the federal government awards even more money in grants — about a half trillion dollars in 2013. The Office of Management and Budget is trying to make it easier for agencies to manage that money. Norm Dong is the Interim Controller at OMB. He joins Tom and Emily to talk about the new guidelines.

The Special Operations Command is taking a cue from the Iron Man comics. It is developing body armor to rival that of the superhero. Imagine a suit that regulates body temperature, administers first aid and comes with computers to improve situational awareness.

You never know what will happen when a contract award protest hits the Government Accountability Office. Sometimes case reviewers dig into the nitty gritty of bids and specifications. That’s what happened in the case of Raytheon, the Navy and the electronic warfare pod. In this week’s Legal Loop, procurement lawyer Joe Petrillo explains why the case is important.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas the latest trends are on display. But don’t expect gadgets like virtual reality glasses to become part of your work attire just yet. Jamison Cush is chief editor of TechTarget’s Technology Guide. He joins Federal Drive live from Las Vegas with a glimpse of the newest tech toys and what feds can take away from CES this year.

It’s almost time to hit the streets and count the number of homeless veterans. The departments of Housing and Urban Development and Veteran Affairs do this census each January. They are measuring their progress towards the Obama Administration’s goal of ending veteran homelessness by next year. Mark Johnston is the acting assistant HUD secretary. He says that counting homeless veterans is not easy.

Trade association TechAmerica is re-emerging from a rough couple of months. Four executives left suddenly to start a public sector practice at a competing association. TechAmerica hired Mike Hettinger as its new senior vice president for the public sector. He’s been charged with ensuring federal contractors that TechAmerica is committed to their cause.