Federal Drive Show Blog – September 19, 2013

On the Federal Drive show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories...

This is the Federal Drive show blog. Here you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.

Today’s Interviews:

Jason Miller
Executive Editor
Federal News Radio

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Agency inspectors general are not immune from budget, personnel and technology challenges. But a new survey finds IGs are innovating during these tight budget times. David Zavada is a partner with Kearney & Co. He directed the survey on behalf of the Association of Government Accountants. He speaks with Federal News Radio Executive Editor Jason Miller.

Tony Pipa
Deputy Assistant to the Administrator
USAID

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Federal agencies are trying to make it easier for the public to track how they spend. The U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department now are posting foreign aid spending data on an online dashboard. They’re trying to correct the middling rankings the United States receives when compared to other countries on foreign aid transparency. Tony Pipa is deputy assistant to the administrator for USAID’s Bureau of Policy, Planning and Learning.

Greg Rinckey
Managing Partner
Tully Rinckey

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Authorities say the Navy Yard shooter, Aaron Alexis, grappled with mental issues. He was paranoid. He told Rhode Island police he heard voices. He sought emergency help for insomnia from a VA health center. And yet he maintained his federal security clearance. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel now says there were a lot of red flags. For help understanding why someone like Alexis could get a security clearance, Tom and Emily talked to former Army Prosecutor Greg Rinckey, now the managing partner of Tully Rinckey.

Jared Serbu
DoD Reporter
Federal News Radio

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This week’s mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard bore a tragic resemblance to the 2009 rampage at Fort Hood, Texas. In both incidents, 13 people died when an insider with access to the base fired shots at colleagues. Nonetheless, defense officials say lessons learned from four years ago may have prevented an even worse outcome at the Navy Yard Monday. More from Federal News Radio’s DoD reporter, Jared Serbu.

Robert Shea
Principal
Grant Thornton

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Performance Improvement Officers have one of the toughest tasks in government. Trying to get bureaucracies large and small to focus on getting better outcomes. But we have evidence their good intentions may not be making it far enough down the ranks. The Partnership for Public Service teamed with Grant Thornton to study performance and how PIOs are doing. Robert Shea, a principal at Grant Thornton, has more.

Heard Tom and Emily talk about another story during the show, but don’t see it here? Check out our daily federal headlines for the latest news affecting the federal community.

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