Federal Drive with Tom Temin

A majority of federal employees are entering their tenth month of remote work. With the start of a new year and a new administration, some are beginning to speculate whether the pandemic experience will bring some long-term changes to way federal employees work. Federal News Network surveyed two-thousand federal employees and contractors about their views and expectations for telework. We found that few employees seem to have any clear sense about when they might return to office. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined the Federal Drive with more of the results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The National Science Foundation is responsible for one in four federal grant dollars for basic research. To get a better handle on this spending, the agency’s new Payments and Analytics Branch has created an open-source predictive model to flag potential improper payments. Now NSF is looking to share the software. For more, Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman spoke with the branch chief Jesse Simons on Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Social Security Administration has developed a plan for modernizing its information technology, which is key to its ability to keep carrying out its mission. But the agency's advisory board authorized an outside panel of IT experts to look at the plan. The panel has found lots of ways Social Security could improve it. For more, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to the chair of the systems expert panel Alan Balutis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new year brings an ongoing challenge for federal agencies: How to get past their legacy information technology? There's only one way to modernize, and that's the old fashioned way - with more emphasis on people, skills, and using acquisition with a little more flair. Dave Powner lays it all out in a fresh statement for the incoming administration. He's director of strategic engagements and partnerships at the Mitre Corporation. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Department has hired the National Spectrum Consortium to help it develop 5G communications applications. The five year deal, worth up to $2.5 billion, was awarded under an other transaction agreement. For what they plan to do, Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke to the vice president and general manager of the Consortium Sal D'Itri. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2021 starts on a fast track for federal contractors. Soon that appropriated money will start flowing to agencies. And president-elect Biden has made a policy stand on, of all things, contract bundling. For what vendors ought to watch for, federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new year might have dawned, but relations between management and employees at the Social Security Administration remain tense. The relatively small group, SSA's administrative law judges, recently expressed no-confidence in the agency's leadership. For an update, the Federal Drive turned to the president of the Association of Administrative Law Judges, Melissa McIntosh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Navy is celebrating the 78th anniversary of Naval Air Force Atlantic. 78 happens to be the hull number of the Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford. Since its formation in the middle of World War II, Naval Air Force Atlantic has fought in every American conflict. Joining the Federal Drive with highlights of that rich history, its commander Rear Admiral John Meier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was down to the wire. But the president managed to squeeze in an executive order before 20-20 ended, giving federal employees a small pay bump for 2021. It's an across-the-board raise of 1%, with no locality pay adjustments. The Office of Personnel Management has new guidance describing the details of the 2021 pay raise. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joins me now to explain some of the nuances, and where things stand with that payroll tax deferral. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the final stretch until the Biden administration moves into the White House. While the drapes may change there, many of the Pentagon’s priorities will remain the same. One of the most important for military officials is staying ahead of China and Russia on technology. The Defense Department needs innovation to do that. Two defense experts have a few ideas on how the Biden administration can do that better. Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione spoke with partner at Founders Fund Trae Stephens and former Defense Business Board member Steve Blank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Congress has its highs and lows, and its peculiar personality. Those that live with it daily, like my next guest, and see it up close, get familiar with the ups and downs. For a brief review of the outgoing Congress and what we might expect from the next, the Federal Drive turned to WTOP capitol hill correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No doubt about it. The federal government has a big data loss problem and a reputational black eye from the recently-discovered Russian cybersecurity attack successes. A longtime federal cybersecurity executive, most recently at the Homeland Security Department, has a few ideas about what the government might be able to do next. Keith Trippie joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2020 was an eventful year for those in law enforcement. At the federal level, illegal border crossings, drug and gun running, smuggling, and counterfeiting, none of those disappeared. Yet those in law enforcement might understandably feel a little less than appreciated. For what federal officers are hoping for this year, the Federal Drive spoke to the president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, Larry Cosme. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Housing and Urban Development made a 180 degree turn in managing its finances. Over the last two years, HUD transformed its financial management systems, workforce and data. For how it all brought more value to the entire agency, Federal News Network's Jason Miller spoke to HUD's chief financial officer, Irv Dennis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pentagon has a vision to stitch together its weapons platforms and communications systems into one “internet of military things.” But the initial architecture behind that effort, called Joint All-Domain Command and Control, is going to be built by human beings. That could change soon if DARPA has anything to say about it. The agency is working on a concept called Mosaic Warfare that could build new systems of systems on-demand, depending on what a particular mission requirement called for. As Federal News Network’s Jared Serbu reports, the concept could be on the battlefield in as soon as five years. Hear more on Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices