Good decision-making depends on good information. But that's easier-said than done for many federal managers. They still don't have answers about budgets for the year, and question marks still surround the outcome of those labor-management partnerships the administration has been pushing for.

"We have to be in a position to report to the President next April about (b)(1) bargaining, and the question is, are we going to have enough information and good enough information on which to base recommendations?" Carol Bonosaro, president of the Senior Executives Association told Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris on Tuesday.

Bonosaro was referring to the statute governing federal agency bargaining with labor unions, which includes a provision — (b)(1) — that gives agencies the ability to bargain over the numbers, types and grades of employees assigned to an organizational subdivision, work project or tour of duty, or the technology, methods and means of performing work. Therefore, these are known as "permissive" issues.

According to Bonosaro, few agencies have chosen to do so.