The Federal Drive
Top News
- Hagel: Accountability breakdown a leading factor in sexual assaults
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- SES bonuses under fire at GSA, other agencies
- Next-gen Apple devices cleared to join Defense IT networks
- VA's Gould moves the needle on many of VA's toughest challenges
- ODNI's Liberty Crossing complex closed today
- Causey: Saintly media vs. government devils
- White House wants to root out copycat programs - starting with STEM
- Treasury officials told of IRS probe in June 2012
- Hagel makes 'difficult choice,' civilian furloughs to begin July 8
- Obama appoints Danny Werfel acting IRS head
- House bill protects homeland security budget
- Intelligence Community free from furloughs
- OMB fuels the passion, synergy between mobile, open data
Monday - Friday, 6-10 a.m.
Hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp bring you the latest news affecting the federal community each weekday morning. Be up-to-date before you step in the office.
In Army, sequestration will force about-face on acquisition reforms
Army says its implementation of DoD's Better Buying Power directives saved hundreds of millions of dollars last year, but this year's budget chaos will undo much of the progress.
OMB to test agency readiness to move to financial shared services
Danny Werfel, the OMB controller, will issue a new policy in the coming weeks that will mandate agencies simplify their requirements before upgrading their general ledger systems. The policy also will require agencies to strongly consider one of the four federal shared service providers. OMB said it has learned lessons from the previous attempts to move agencies into these common financial management infrastructures.
Sequester Q&A: For US, a new season of uncertainty
Here comes the sequester: big federal spending cuts and a new season of economic uncertainty for a nation still trying to shake off a recession.
Private US firms take major role vs. cyberattacks
China hacking reveals outsourcing to private US firms in international cyberwar
White House announces anti-theft trade strategy
New US effort launched to stem theft of trade secrets; concern about China leads to action
Navy mulls extending NMCI contract, increasing contract ceiling
The Department of the Navy has announced it may spend up to $1.2 billion more for support of its Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI). In a Feb. 20 FedBizOpps posting, the Navy issued sole-source justification, detailing a notice of intent to increase the price of Hewlett-Packard's continuity-of-service contract (CoSC). The notice also allows the Navy to extend the CoSC services from April 2014 through September 2014 to ensure the department can complete the transition to its Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN). However, that contract option would only be exercised if the NGEN transition is further delayed.
Union: EPA plans agencywide furlough days under sequestration
The Environmental Protection Agency is planning at least three agencywide mandatory furlough days through the end of the fiscal year if sequestration goes into effect, according to union officials who say they were briefed on agency plans. EPA also will implement employee furloughs in two phases, according to John J. O'Grady, the president of AFGE Local 704, which covers the Chicago region.
OPM eases burden to hire people with disabilities
The agency will publish a final rule Friday that will remove the need for people with disabilities to have a "certification of job readiness."
Pentagon notifies Congress of likely furloughs
Pentagon tells Congress that worker furloughs are likely if no budget deal reached by March 1
Federal Drive Interviews -- Feb. 21, 2013
The latest presidential executive order tries to boost information sharing about cybersecurity threats and sharing is to take place among government agencies and between the government and industry. To find out how, Federal Drive talks to Jim Fama, vice president for energy delivery at the Edison Electric Institute. And imagine the panic if there's a major health outbreak and just not enough medicine for everyone. The FDA wants the public's help as it drafts a new strategy to combat drug shortages. Capt. Valerie Jensen is associate director of the drug shortage program at FDA and she joins the Federal Drive.
Thursday morning federal headlines - Feb. 21, 2013
The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air. In today's news, the IRS is claiming success in a nationwide crackdown on suspected identity thieves and GSA wants to bolster security outside the the Commerce Department's headquarters.
Committee examining $500 million in IRS contracts
House committee investigating $500 million in contracts between IRS, computer company
NTEU:CBP furloughs could put nation at risk, create hardships for employees
The National Treasury Employees Union was informed by Customs and Border Protection that agency-wide furlough notices of up to 14 days will be issued in mid-March as a result of sequestration. CBP told NTEU that it will have to make $754 million in cuts from March 1 through Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year.
EEOC becoming one by meeting strategic goals
A year into its 16-point strategic plan, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is making solid progress against most of its milestones. The strategy includes using technology to improve its services and creating a federal sector plan to better address specific issues.
Pentagon starts 45-day countdown to civilian furloughs
The Pentagon says furloughs for nearly all of its 780,000 civilian employees would begin in April if sequestration goes into effect. DoD would grant limited exceptions for civilians in combat zones or those who are critical to preserving life and safety. Political appointees would also be exempt. The Pentagon also released a list of states where furloughs would have the most effect.
CACI replaces CEO with former Lockheed exec
CACI appointed Kenneth Asbury as the company's president and chief executive officer on Wednesday. Asbury comes to CACI after 27 years of leading systems and services expansion as well as program delivery for Lockheed Martin.
OSHA finds VA at fault for Calif. researcher death
Federal officials on Wednesday blamed unsafe working conditions and poor training for the death of a young Veterans Affairs medical center researcher in San Francisco who died after handling bacteria that causes meningitis.
After Navy role, Work to head CNAS think tank
Undersecretary of the Navy Robert Work will become the CEO of the Center for a New American Security, a prestigious defense think tank with close ties to the Obama administration. Work will start at CNAS April 22.
DoD details states hit hardest by sequestration
The Pentagon's budget chief, Robert Hale, told reporters that the economic impact of sequestration would be felt nationwide. The biggest potential losses, in term of total civilian payroll dollars, would be in Virginia, California, Maryland, Texas and Georgia, he said. Hale said the unpaid leaves for civilian workers would begin in late April and would save $4 billion to $5 billion if extended through the end of the budget year, Sept. 30.
Postal Service fashion coming to a store near you?
The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service announced Feb. 19 it has inked a deal with the Cleveland-based Wahconah Group to launch an all-weather line of clothing. The clothing and accessories, to be branded with USPS trademarks, will be available at department and specialty stores beginning in 2014.
