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TSP

TSP returns bounce back in November

After 3 months of mostly negative returns, Thrift Savings Plan funds bounced back with positive returns in November.

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Social Security

As SSA IT modernization hits its stride, leadership launches a reorg of the CIO’s office

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At NASA, ‘data fuels everything we do’ – like a return to the moon

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Commerce is in better shape to understand cost, benefits of moving to the cloud

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‘Telework is not one-size-fits-all’: Agencies defend hybrid work for feds in front of House lawmakers

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VA tapping into special pay authorities to make more in-demand hires

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Federal Protective Service offering retention incentives to ward off vacancies

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Editor's Pick

Open Season Exchange 2023: Kevin Moss of Consumers’ Checkbook on what you need to know about FEHB plans in 2024

Don’t just roll over your plan, says Kevin Moss, who researches FEHB plans for Consumers’ Checkbook. “It’s quite possible that you’re overpaying versus some less expensive options that could provide just as good or … even better coverage for a lower price.”

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In Japan, civilian feds say health care crisis still isn't fixed

Our readers in Japan respond to a recent Federal News Network interview with the director of the Defense Health Agency -- telling us the civilian employee health care crisis in that country is far from resolved.

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Now on demand: Federal News Network’s 2024 Open Season Exchange

Did you miss Federal News Network’s 2024 Open Season Exchange? Not to worry! Get tips about what to consider when making your FEHB selections by watching or reading about the day’s sessions on demand now.

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Federal News Network's New Hire Guide

New to civil service? We created this guide to provide insights and pointers to first-time feds. Be inspired by careerists and also get pointers to make the transition to your new job as smooth as possible. (Pssst: It includes health and life insurance cheat sheets too!)

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Telecommunication, planet Earth from space, business communication worldwide, original image furnished by NASA - https://images-assets.nasa.gov/image/iss040e090540/iss040e090540%7eorig.jpg

Big breakthrough for beyond-line-of-sight communications in the U.S. Military

here has been a significant achievement for DoD’s Space Development Agency. Last month, SDA demonstrated it could use a communication system called Link 16 between ground stations and its new network of low-earth orbiting satellites. It is the first time the ubiquitous military communication protocol has ever been used in space. For more on why that matters and what it means, Federal News Network Deputy Editor Jared Serbu talked with Jennifer Elzea, SDA’s Director of Strategic Engagement on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

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Bank Collapse

IG to launch investigation into FDIC’s leadership climate, harassment allegations

House and Senate lawmakers sent letters to the FDIC demanding documents and answers to questions about settlements and investigations into sexual harassment allegations against the agency’s leadership.

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TSA plans to bring new 'data mesh' online by next summer

“Our goal is to allow for our users, our business users, across TSA to be able to better access their data and have it readily available,” Deputy CIO Kristin Ruiz said.

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Parochial views of risk leave agencies and companies vulnerable

Federal agencies and contractors alike face increasing cybersecurity, fraud, sanctions and supply chain risks stimulated by geopolitical events. Experts at Guidehouse say an important strategy to mitigate risk is to simply have knowledge of the dynamics of geopolitical issues and effects they throw off.

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Air Force working to transform with new 10 x 10 vision

The Department of the Air Force needs to work on several areas to meet its modernization and transformation goals, including improving data quality and accessibility, complying with set DoD standards, retiring legacy systems and thinking about how it can improve to meet its future needs.

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Naval Intelligence adopting cloud services to sort signal from noise

The National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office coordinates maritime awareness intelligence from a plethora of stakeholders, both domestic and international, and employs cloud services and automation tools to make sense of it all.

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Still a lot of work to do to gain the trust of VA whistleblowers

The VA’s Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection (OAWP) – set up in the aftermath of the department’s secret wait-list scandal – got off to a very rocky start. It had scandals of its own. According to the government watchdog Project on Government Oversight (POGO), VA has reformed OAWP in ways that have made real progress toward building whistleblower confidence. But there is still a whole lot of work to do. Joe Spielberger is policy counsel at POGO. A few weeks ago, he testified before the House Veterans Affairs Committee about what is needed at OAWP. He speaks here with Federal News Network Deputy Editor Jared Serbu.

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With a lot to chase in 2024, fewer federal contractors are chasing an increasing number of federal dollars

For the big federal contracts on the horizon in 2024, not a whole lot is changing when it comes to what the government plans to buy. But there are still a lot of opportunities for contractors, as agencies re-compete some of their biggest buying vehicles. Those are some of the takeaways from Deltek’s annual list of top contracting opportunities. Ashley Sanderson is a senior research manager at Deltek. She joined Federal Drive Deputy Editor Jared Serbu to talk more about the 2024 edition.

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Defense News

Naval Intelligence adopting cloud services to sort signal from noise

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Navy continues to address submarine workforce challenges

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Pay & Benefits

VA tapping into special pay authorities to make in-demand hires

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TSP

TSP end-of-the-year review of your investment decisions

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Technology

Commerce is in better shape to understand cost, benefits of moving to the cloud

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Social Security

As SSA IT modernization hits its stride, leadership launches a reorg of the CIO’s office

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Workforce

‘Telework is not one-size-fits-all’: Agencies defend hybrid work for feds in front of House lawmakers

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Updated with DOL: A running list of agencies’ return-to-office plans

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