GSA News 
Top News
- OMB reworking financial systems to focus on outcomes, not inputs
- Lew taps government retiree pension fund to avoid default
- OMB taps VanRoekel to lead management team
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Hagel: Accountability breakdown was leading factor in sexual assaults
- Former IRS commissioner faces questions about Tea Party
- SBA starting new lending program for veterans
- New Apple devices cleared to join DoD IT networks
- Army prioritizes access to data in fight over intelligence IT system
- DoD upends slow approval process for mobile devices
- Senior execs' bonuses under fire at agencies
- Gould moves the needle on many of VA's toughest challenges
- Tuesday federal headlines - May 21, 2013
A tale of two agencies
The very different "scandals" at two polar-opposite federal agencies are still large on the radar, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. But how big a deal are they? What's likely to be the outcome, and how long will these two stories continue to have legs?
Embattled regional commissioner Jeff Neely no longer at GSA
Jeff Neely, the regional General Services Administration commissioner accused of creating a culture of lavish spending at the agency, is no longer employed by GSA.
Senators call for GSA chief to look at PBS structure
In a letter to Acting Administrator Dan Tangherlini, a bipartisan group of senators called for an evaluation of the structure of GSA's Public Buildings Service, tying it to the wasteful spending of the Las Vegas scandal.
Senators digging into GSA conferences in all regions
Two high-ranking senators requested information about conference travel and spending in all GSA regions in a detailed letter on Friday.
Federal Drive interviews -- May 18
The Federal Drive talks to Susan Grundmann, the chairwoman of the Merit Systems Protection Board, about changes to federal employment cases. Plus, interviews with top officials from the Broadcasting Board of Governors and GSA's Public Buildings Service.
GSA Expo turns into a smaller, toned down affair
The Public Buildings Service Western Regions conference scandal is reverberating across government. A new Federal News Radio online survey found other agencies are feeling the effects of GSA's problems. More than half of all respondents said their agency canceled conferences or meetings.
Postal shakeup, pensions, GSA fallout
Host Mike Causey will talk postal reform and other issues with Sally Davidow of the American Postal Workers Union, and Steve Watkins and Sean Reilly of the Federal Times.
May 16, 2012
Federal Drive interviews - May 16
The Federal Drive talks to GSA's Bev Godwin about National Women's Health Week and NetApp's Mark Weber on big data.
FedRAMP names organizations to review vendors' cloud cybersecurity
Vendors wanting to provide cloud services to the government must first receive support from these nine organizations that they are meeting the cloud computing security controls.
Senators probe GSA financial controls after conference scandal
The leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee gave the acting GSA administrator 21 days to answer 41 multi-part questions about the agency's efforts to prevent waste, fraud and abuse following the now infamous Western Regions Conference. Senators also recommended the agency review all other recent GSA conferences for possible problems.
GSA hires IBM to run the smart building initiative
Under the one-year contract, Big Blue will develop a system to collect data for the Public Building Service to analyze to find areas to become more energy efficient.
OMB to agencies: Cut travel, conference spending
The Office of Management and Budget issued new guidance Friday, directing federal agencies to cut travel spending by 30 percent starting in October and prohibiting more than $500,000 to be spent on conferences. Acting OMB Director Jeffrey Zients called the latest move "another important step forward" in cutting inefficient federal spending.
GSA clarifies conference policy but industry concerns persist
A memo from acting administrator Dan Tangherlini details the steps agency employees must go through to receive approval for conferences and other travel. In wake of GSA Western Regions conference, other agencies also are reconsidering hosting conferences.
SURVEY: Has the GSA scandal affected other agency conferences?
In recent weeks, the General Services Administration has become synonymous with wasteful conference spending when the agency's inspector general revealed GSA had spent more than $800,000 on a Las Vegas conference. Federal News Radio wants to know if the GSA conference spending scandal has impacted your agency's conference plans.
Agency heads finding light at end of fed-bashing tunnel
Some departments are improving personnel practices around recruitment and knowledge management even in the face of pay freezes and criticisms of public servants. DHS created a higher education engagement group to bring in college students. GSA finds quality of applicants still strong. Senior leaders highlight successes during Public Service Recognition Week.
Uncle Sam: Eagle Scout or Charlie Sheen?
Are the recent GSA and Secret Service scandals the tip of the iceberg or just business as usual? Senior Correspondent Mike Causey asks. Is Uncle Sam, in reality, more like Charlie Sheen than an Eagle Scout?
GSA offered contractors tax breaks - at a price
A new General Services Administration policy is once again drawing fire. The focus now is on a GSA policy in which the agency offered tax breaks to companies to make federal buildings energy efficient as long as GSA received a "giveback." That policy, which has since been discontinued, is raising new questions about whether GSA was trying to raise money for its own budget without congressional authorization, whether that effort was legal and whether other agencies have tried anything similar.
Technology no longer a barrier to telework, experts say
Panelists at Wednesday's Telework Town Hall Meeting said the technology is there to make the federal workforce more mobile.
Q& A with Bill Gormley
Coalition for Government Procurement chairman Bill Gormley joins host Roger Waldron to talk about the coalition's recently completed spring conference.
May 1, 2012
62 percent of Americans have unfavorable view of federal government
Only one-third of Americans have a favorable opinion of the federal government — the lowest positive rating in 15 years, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
