The General Services Administration is making a bold move to centralize procurement across the federal government, but not everyone is on board. In this episode of Fed Gov Today, former Pennsylvania Chief Procurement Officer, David Yarkin, joins Francis to discuss the challenges and opportunities of strategic sourcing. Yarkin shares insights from his time in Pennsylvania, where similar efforts led to significant cost savings—and the lessons learned along the way. He explains why agencies often push back against consolidation and how procurement leaders can navigate these challenges to deliver better results for taxpayers.

Later, Yarkin dives into the measurable impact of procurement reform and why data-driven decision-making is key to success. He also discusses the lessons learned from past procurement failures and why technology is now essential in tracking vendor performance. 

For more details and to read David’s piece, visit today’s show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.

We’re diving into a software problem that even DOGE would raise an eyebrow at. Federal agencies are sitting on a mountain of idle software licenses, sometimes with more subscriptions than employees to use them. Former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Chief Technology Officer, Bob Gourley, joins Francis to discuss how agencies can cut waste, streamline software procurement, and adopt smarter licensing models. 

Gourley breaks down staggering audit findings—like an agency with 13,000 employees owning 37,000 WinZip licenses—and explains why this inefficiency persists. He outlines how the government’s $6 billion software budget could be optimized through enterprise-wide agreements, usage-based pricing, and open-source solutions with enterprise support. While centralizing procurement through GSA could bring cost savings, agencies also need the flexibility to make mission-driven decisions at a local level.

For more details and to read Bob’s full analysis, visit today’s show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.

In a conversation with the Government Accountability Office’s Travis Masters, Director of Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, we’re tackling the biggest acquisition challenges at the Department of Homeland Security and how agencies can fix them. He breaks down a recent GAO report that highlights critical roadblocks in DHS acquisition, including overwhelming workloads, lengthy hiring timeframes, and a lack of comprehensive workforce data.

Travis explains how GAO selected four DHS components—Coast Guard, CBP, ICE, and TSA—for analysis, representing two-thirds of the department’s contract obligations in 2023. He shares insights from interviews with 55 acquisition professionals, revealing that heavy workload issues—caused by staffing shortages, role overlap, and inefficient processes—are a top concern. Additionally, hiring delays of up to 18 months, often due to security clearance bottlenecks, are making it harder to bring in needed talent.

Travis outlines GAO’s four recommendations to DHS, emphasizing the need for clear strategies to link mitigation efforts to real challenges. He also shares actionable advice for other agencies looking to get ahead of similar acquisition hurdles.

Don’t miss Fed Gov Today TV this Sunday at 10:30 AM on ABC 7 in Washington, featuring the Navy’s Acting Chief Technology Officer, Justin Fanelli, on the service’s digital modernization journey. You can also watch it live on YouTube or catch up anytime on FedGovToday.com.

The Internal Revenue Service will award a procurement worth up to $1.7 billion to modernize its Integrated Enterprise Portals platform. The agency says that platform “served over 11.4 billion page views to 660 million site visitors globally.” Richard Spires, principal at Richard A. Spires Consulting and former Chief Information Officer at the Department of Homeland Security and the Internal Revenue Service, tells you how the IRS can maximize the money it will spend on its modernization.

Richard’s first book: Success in the Technology Field
New book coming soon: Government Can Deliver

The National Treasury Employee Union will have a new leader soon. That transition will happen next month. Tony Reardon is the outgoing President of the National Treasury Employees Union. I asked him about the current state of the civil service and the employees that make it up, and what he sees ahead for his successor and other federal employee leaders.

Sexual harassment complaints are down 92% aboard research vessels the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration operates. NOAA’s Deputy Undersecretary for Operations, Benjamin Friedman, says that change required transforming “the whole operation and its culture.” Rear Admiral Nancy Hann, Director of NOAA’s Commissioned Corps and Director of the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, is a finalist for a Service to America Medal in the Management Excellence category. She told me how she and the NOAA team built a structure, and a culture, that’s cutting the harassment numbers, and serving employees better.

Photo: NOAA’s RADM Nancy Hann (Image credit: NOAA/Lt. Kevin Doreums)

This edition of Fed Gov Today is sponsored by Eleven09 and Carahsoft.

The Coast Guard is running into some problems with its new Offshore Patrol Cutter program. Those problems are stacking up on top of some issues with the ships the new program will replace. Marie Mak, Director of Contracting and National Security Acquisitions Issues at the Government Accountability Office, took a close look, and testified about it on Capitol Hill. She tells you where the Guard is going wrong, and how to recover.

The Defense Department says it’s on track to hit its 2027 goal to implement its zero trust strategy. The Federal zero trust strategy has hard deadlines and goals for every agency too. At Edge 23, Kyle White, co-founder and Managing Partner of Eleven 09, tells me what he sees agencies are still trying to figure out about zero trust.

Representatives of the Science and Technology Directorate and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at DHS are at the National Homeland Security Conference in Chicago this week. The leader of the S&T Directorate, Dimitri Kusnezov, writes on the S&T blog that he’ll speak about, and seek to learn about, Maritime Safety and Security; support for first responders; and artificial intelligence, among other topics. At Edge 23, I ask him how much of his job involves specific technologies, and how much involves the concepts around those technologies.

Photo: DHS’s Dimitri Kusnezov at Edge 23 in San Diego

This edition of Fed Gov Today, from the Edge23 Security Summit in San Diego, is sponsored by Hitachi Vantara Federal and Carahsoft.

The Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section at the Justice Department is more than halfway through its third decade fighting cyber crime. It’s taken down some of the biggest dark web and cyber crime organizations in the world. Mick Stawasz is Deputy Chief for Computer Crime at CCIPS. At Edge23, I asked him how the threat landscape is changing.

You heard Mick Stawasz talk about the evolution of cyber crime, and what he and his team are doing to stay competitive. The key element, though, may not be technological. Phil Fuster is Chief Revenue Officer at Hitachi Vantara Federal. At Edge 23, I asked him what agencies should do to defend against cyber crime better.

The Federal Government Zero Trust Strategy includes deadlines for goals agencies have to meet by next September. The goals come out of the Zero Trust Maturity Model from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. La Monte Yarborough is Chief Information Security Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services. At Edge23, I asked him about where HHS came from, and where it’s going, on its zero trust journey.

Photo: HHS CISO La Monte Yarborough at Edge 23 in San Diego

This edition of Fed Gov Today, from the Edge23 Security Summit in San Diego, is sponsored by Okta and Carahsoft.

The motto of Edge 23 is “Managing Risk in Turbulent Times.” Zero trust is the primary driver of cyber policy and action in government right now. At Edge 23, Barry West, Founder and CEO of West Wing Advisory Services, and former Chief Information Officer at FEMA and the Commerce Department, tells you where else cyber leaders in government should focus beside zero trust.

Those zero trust strategies Barry West discussed include specific steps that agencies must take. To take those steps, government leaders are asking industry what tools they need to get the job done. At Edge 23, Jim Lambert, Area Vice President for Civilian at Okta, tells me what pieces agencies need to execute their strategies.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Burden Reduction Initiative is saving time and hassle for people who interact with the department and its components. The initiative is part of a broader customer experience effort at the agency. At Edge 23, Beth Cappello, Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Department of Homeland Security tells me about a milestone DHS has hit with the initiative.

Photo: DHS Deputy CIO Beth Cappello at Edge 23 in San Diego

This edition of Fed Gov Today, from the Edge23 Security Summit in San Diego, is sponsored by Splunk and Carahsoft.

Civilian and military agencies across government are building systems to collaborate more closely with industry. One of the goals of most of these cells is to learn what’s possible from industry, instead of writing lists of requirements. Don Upson is Founder and Chairman of the Government Business Executive Forum, host of Edge 23. At the conference, I asked him if he thinks government leaders are hungry to learn about solutions from industry.

The White House’s Zero Trust Strategy is generating strategies at individual agencies. Some of the timelines in the White House strategy, and the agency strategies, mean those agencies are already in tactical mode on ZT. At Edge 23, I asked Bill Rowan, Vice President of Public Sector at Splunk, what tactical steps he sees agencies taking to deliver on those strategies.

A new list of artificial intelligence competencies from the Office of Personnel Management includes 44 general competencies and 14 technical competencies. OPM says agencies can “use the AI competencies to select, assess, and train AI talent as confirmed by a job analysis.” At Edge 23, I asked Jamie Holcombe, Chief Information Officer of the Patent and Trademark Office, what mature use of AI looks like in the federal government, and when he thinks that’s coming.

Photo: USPTO CIO Jamie Holcombe at Edge 23 in San Diego

The Office of Management and Budget’s new cyber investment priorities for fiscal 2025 match the National Cybersecurity Strategy. Those priorities align with the Federal Zero Trust Strategy too. Karen Evans, Partner at KE & T Partners, Managing Director of the Cyber Readiness Institute, and former E-Gov Administrator at OMB, explains what’s in the priorities list for the federal government enterprise, and individual agencies.

The Defense Department could get $1 billion to fund hedge capabilities. The House Appropriations Committee has approved the fund in its version of the fiscal 2024 spending bill. Michael Brown, partner at Shield Capital and former Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, helped develop the fund’s concept while at DIU. He tells you why he believes it’s more important now than ever.

The Army is moving closer to replacing one of its core platforms. Five vendors are developing concept designs for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle to replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Mona Sehgal, Acting Director for Contracting and National Security Acquisitions at the Government Accountability Office, reviews what her team found in an in-depth look at the OMFV planning process.

Photo: Bradley Fighting Vehicle M2A4, photo courtesy of U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center

The leader of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Jen Easterly, says her agency is “not tracking a significant impact against the civilian .gov enterprise” because of the MOVEit hack. But there is more CISA can do to help civilian agencies fight cyber attacks, according to Ron Sanders, the President and CEO of Publica Virtu; former Associate Director at OPM; and former Chief Human Capital Officer at the IRS, and the intelligence community. He’s writing about what CISA can do that it’s not in Gov Exec, and he tells you what steps he thinks CISA can - and should - take.

The revival of legislation that would bring back Schedule F has the spotlight on poor performers again. But some experts are leveraging that revival to talk about broader human capital management reform. Jenny Mattingley, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Partnership for Public Service and former Day 1 Impact Fellow at the Office of Management and Budget, reviews some possible points to watch for.

Three aviation crashes since 2015 have reshaped the way the U.S. military operates. One aircraft accident investigator has played a critical role in all three. Dave Clark, Air Safety Specialist and Aircraft Mishap Investigator for Naval Safety Command, and finalist for a Service to America medal from the Partnership for Public Service in the Career Achievement category, tells you about his office’s mission, and his work.

Photo: Dave Clark, courtesy of Partnership for Public Service

The Department of Veterans Affairs and the IRS are two agencies dealing with backlogs for citizen services. The VA has a claims backlog in the Veterans Benefits Administration; the IRS has a backlog of tax returns. Paul Lawrence, former Undersecretary for Benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs and his co-author Mark Abramson have a piece in Gov Exec titled “Helping Production Agencies Deliver.” They’re also co-authors of the book “Succeeding as a Political Executive: 50 Insights from Experience.” Paul explains how production agencies can get ahead of their workloads - and stay ahead.

Several Department of Homeland Security components are collaborating on vetting programs. One of the components involved is the Transportation Security Administration. Neal Latta, Assistant Administrator for Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs at TSA, discusses the technologies that are changing the vetting process, and how his agency is working with others inside DHS to deploy and maximize them.

Photo: Neal Latta, Assistant Administrator for Enrollment Services and Vetting Programs, TSA, testifies at a House Transportation and Maritime Security subcommittee hearing, May 10, 2023 (screengrab from committee web site)

The Department of Veterans Affairs is rolling out its new Workforce Dashboard. The agency has set a monthly update schedule for the dashboard. Tracey Therit, Chief Human Capital Officer at VA, tells you what the dashboard tracks, who its customers are, and what they can do with the information there. She also describes how the dashboard will continue to evolve over time.

Photo: Tracey Therit, Chief Human Capital Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs, at Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing “Strengthening Methods of Recruitment and Retention for VA’s Workforce”, March 22, 2023 (screengrab from committee web site)

The nominee to become the next Commandant of the Marine Corps says technology is integral to preparing his service for the future fight. The Senate Armed Services Committee questioned Gen. Eric Smith, the current Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, at his confirmation hearing Tuesday. In this highlight of the hearing, the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) asks Gen. Smith about the Marine Corps’s tech posture. Gen. Smith also answers questions from the committee’s ranking member, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS).

The Department of Homeland Security and its components are looking at 32 startup companies and the technology they can deliver in critical areas. Those companies demonstrated what they can do at the Silicon Valley Innovation Program Demo Week 2023. Melissa Oh, Managing Director of the SVIP at DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate, tells you what her office took away from Demo Week, and what it will do next.

WATCH: “Innovation in Government from GEOINT” on demand

Photo: Gen. Eric Smith testifies to the Senate Armed Services Committee, June 13, 2023 (screen grab from committee web site)

Federal Chief Data Officers are coming into their own. What was once an additional hat many CDOs wore is now evolving into a distinct and primary role in federal agencies. Kirsten Dalboe, Chief Data Officer at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Chair of the Chief Data Officers Council, shares insights into the health and future of the federal CDO community. Kirsten discusses the results of a recent CDO Council survey, which highlights how the role is maturing, with over half of small agency CDOs reporting that their role has existed for less than five years. She explains how the survey is helping the CDO Council better understand and address the challenges CDOs face, including upskilling needs, resource gaps, and the growing importance of cross-agency collaboration.

The conversation also touches on how CDOs are expanding into new areas like AI, privacy management, and geospatial data, reflecting the increasing influence of data strategies on overall agency objectives. Kirsten notes that the CDO role is gaining more authority in some agencies as leaders realize its critical role in mission delivery. She also highlights the council’s ongoing efforts to professionalize the CDO function and strengthen data culture across government.

You can find a link to the CDO Council survey on today’s show page at FedGovToday.com. Don’t forget to check out the new TV show Speed to Mission, presented by AWS Marketplace, to learn how agencies are accelerating AI adoption through smarter procurement. Speed to Mission is available now on-demand at FedGovToday.com and the Fed Gov Today YouTube channel.

The next Fed Gov Today podcast is coming next Wednesday. You can listen to every Fed Gov Today podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. 

This edition of Fed Gov Today, featuring the ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 2023, is sponsored by Red Hat and Carahsoft.

Innovation is coming fast for health care providers all across the federal government, according to speakers at the Health Innovation Summit. The people who run the support infrastructure will benefit from innovation too. Ryan Dempsey Argentieri is Deputy Director of the Office of Technology at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. At the Summit, I asked her if health innovation right now is mostly patient centric, or provider centric.

The work Ryan described is just some of the tactical work that’s going on at the agency level. Strategic opportunities will explode in health care IT in the coming years too. Ben Cushing, Chief Architect for Health and Life Sciences at Red Hat, and former Application Engineer at the National Institutes of Health, tells you what to look for in the coming months and years.

The Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Department of Health and Human Services is new to the agency, and to health IT, but she’s not new to the Federal government. Jennifer Wendel joined HHS recently from the FBI. At the Health Innovation Summit, she described her portfolio at HHS.

Photo: Speakers at the ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 2023 (L-R): Amanda Lienau, VA; Ryan Dempsey Argentieri, ONC; Col. Thomas Cantilina, DHA; Srini Iyer, Leidos (photo credit Ben Marglin via LinkedIn)

On the latest episode of the Innovation In Government television show from SOF Week, you learned about five pillars the Operator Relief Fund bases its help around for Special Operators. The pillars are sleep; alcohol; hormones; nutrients; and psychological. At SOF Week, I asked Derek Nadalini, Beneficiary Advocate for the Operator Relief Fund, how his group settled on those five pillars.

Defense department leaders say their supply chains are one of their most important priorities. A lot of the discussion focuses around the continuity of those supply chains, but capacity is becoming more important too, according to those leaders. Jerry McGinn, Executive Director of the Baroni Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University and former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base, writes about the DIB in Breaking Defense, and tells you more about his prescription for the supply chain.

The Chief Information Officer of the United States says she is “super optimistic” about the potential of artificial intelligence for citizen experience. She describes a numbers game that could deliver big impact for citizens. Pam Isom, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IsAdvice & Consulting, former Executive Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office, and former Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Energy Department, offers ideas to maximize that potential.

Photo: Francis Rose and Derek Nadalini at SOF Week, May 10, 2023

The intelligence community is moving to the cloud through its Commercial Cloud Enterprise. But one of the I-C’s leaders says the community doesn’t have a multi-cloud strategy. Bob Osborn, Chief Technology Officer for Global Governments for ServiceNow & former CIO of the National Nuclear Security Administration, describes what goes into a multi-cloud strategy, and how to make it work.

The United States has a “generational opportunity” to cooperate with partners. That opportunity exists in tech development and the defense industrial base, according to Bill Greenwalt, visiting senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; a founder of the Silicon Valley Defense Group; former deputy undersecretary of defense for industrial policy; and former senior staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He and his co-author Tom Corben write about the generational opportunity, and Bill tells you how to make the most of that opportunity.

Federal agencies would buy software very differently under a bill in Congress. The “Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act” is under consideration in both the House and Senate. Mary Davie, President of Mary Davie Consulting, former assistant commissioner of the Office of Integrated Technology Services at the Federal Acquisition Service, and former Deputy Associate Administrator for the Mission Support Directorate at NASA, advises agencies about what they’ll have to prepare for if the bill becomes law.

ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 23, Reston VA, June 8, 2023

Photo: Mary Davie (NASA)

The next evolution of FedRamp is here. A new blog post at FedRamp.gov is titled “Revision 5 Baselines Have Been Approved and Released.” Dave Wennergren, CEO of ACT-IAC & former Chief Information Officer of the Navy, former Deputy Defense Department CIO, and former assistant Deputy chief Management Officer at DOD, explains what the new guidelines mean, and what comes next for industry and agencies.

Agencies and other stakeholders have a new list of action items to make their digital modernization efforts work. David Powner, Executive Director of the Center for Data-Driven Policy at MITRE and former Director of IT Issues at the Government Accountability Office, writes about them with his colleague Nitin Naik, and he tells you what’s on the roadmap they’ve written, and how agencies can navigate it.

The Thrift Savings Plan is taking a page out of the President’s Management Agenda. It’s reshaping its customer experience organization to serve TSP participants better. Kim Weaver, Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, tells you why the FRTIB has unveiled its new Office of Participant Experience, and what it will do.

ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 23, Reston VA, June 8, 2023

Photo: David Powner testifies to the House Oversight and Reform subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, May 10, 2023 (screen grab from committee site)

This podcast was recorded at GEOINT Symposium 2023, hosted by the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, in St. Louis, MO, May 22-23, 2023.

Technology isn’t the aspect of the metaverse government leaders are strategizing for. Personal privacy and personal security are important considerations for government leaders too. Dan Opstal, Acting Director of the National Civil Applications Center at the U-S Geological Survey, hosted a panel about privacy and security in the metaverse at GEOINT 2023. After that panel, he told me about the intersection of the metaverse with his job.

The Chief Information Officer at NGA is new to the job, but he’s not new to the agency. Mark Chatelain has only been the CIO there since February, but he’s been at NGA since before it was NGA. At GEOINT 2023, I asked him how his tenure there informs the way he leads the technology shop.

ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 23, Reston VA, June 8, 2023

Photo (L-R): Francis Rose & Mark Chatelain at GEOINT 2023 (Fed Gov Today photo)

This podcast was recorded at GEOINT Symposium 2023, hosted by the US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, in St. Louis, MO, May 22-23, 2023.

The theme of this year’s event is “From Maps To Metaverse.” Many of the discussions here focused on the metaverse. Christy Monaco, Vice President of Programs at the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation and former Chief Ventures Officer at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, explains how the Foundation decided on that theme.

NGA is exploring what it calls non-linear career paths to solidify recruitment and retention. Ian Zearfaus, Director of the Human Capital Advanced Capabilities Office at NGA, discusses how non-linear career paths benefit employees and the agency.

One of the panels here about the metaverse addressed bringing it to the geoint field. One of the panelists was the Deputy Chief Technology Officer at NGA, Christopher Johnson. I asked him how the practitioners on this panel define the metaverse.

ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 23, Reston VA, June 8, 2023

Photo (L-R): Francis Rose & Christopher Johnson at GEOINT 2023 (Fed Gov Today photo)

Congress could find budget savings in federal agency software, according to a veteran of the Hill. He calls those contracts “software vampire squid.” Matt Cornelius, former Senior Professional Staff Member for the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and former Senior Technology and Cybersecurity Advisor at the Office of Management and Budget, writes about software licensing in FCW, and he tells you about legislation that could kill the squid.

Federal employees would all become at-will employees if two members of Congress get their way. The Public Service Reform Act would eliminate most of the ways federal employees have to appeal personnel decisions, too. Jeff Neal, former Chief Human Capital Officer at the Department of Homeland Security, explains the nuances of the bill and why he believes it would be bad for the federal workforce.

ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 23, Reston VA, June 8, 2023

Photo (L-R): Francis Rose, Jeff Neal on Government Matters

The debt limit debate on Capitol Hill could have some impact for operations at federal agencies. Those implications for agencies could be somewhat familiar and different at the same time. Janice Haith, industry strategic advisor at Oracle and former Deputy Chief Information Officer of the Navy, tells you why, and how to prepare for it.

Operators across the government are using the Team Awareness Kit for a variety of situational awareness uses. Its program center says TAK is the “core of a suite of georeferenced imagery and communications tools that allow for scaled operational planning, data sharing, visualized elevation data, and target management.” Ryan McLean, Director of the TAK Program Center, explains what TAK, how it works, and how it exists as a unique entity inside the DoD ecosystem.

ACT-IAC Health Innovation Summit 23, Reston VA, June 8, 2023

Photo: TAK logo, courtesy of TAK.gov

The Inspector General’s office at the General Services Administration has a new look at the Transactional Data Reporting pilot on the Multiple Award Schedule. That new look finds more problems on top of the problems the IG office found before. Larry Allen, President of Allen Federal Business Partners, doesn’t think the problems the IG found are problems, and he explains why.

U.S. Special Operations Command is running some innovative programs to get special operators the equipment they need. Those programs come from SOCOM’s Science and Technology Directorate. Lisa Sanders is Director of Science and Technology at SOCOM. At SOF Week 2023, she told me about her directorate’s mission.

Photo: Francis Rose and Lisa Sanders at SOF Week 2023

The Defense Logistics Agency says its supplier base shrunk 22% between 2016 and 2022. DLA leadership released supply chain data at the Supply Chain Alliance Conference and Exhibition in Richmond earlier this month. Tara Murphy Dougherty, Chief Executive Officer of Govini and former Chief of Staff for Global Strategic Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, describes how data can help the department shore up its supply chain.

The Air Force will follow the zero trust strategy the Defense Department released recently. That strategy is supposed to be fully operational by 2027. Wanda Jones-Heath is the Principal Cyber Advisor of the Air Force. In a highlight of my exclusive conversation with her on this week’s Fed Gov Today TV show, I asked her about the factors that drive the evolution of the threat landscape.

The Secretary of the Air Force says his service, and the rest of the military, needs timely appropriations to deliver effectively on its mission. Frank Kendall explained why on Fed Gov Today TV last week; you can watch that episode on demand at FedGovToday.com. Before the House Armed Services Committee, Secretary Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown, and Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman answered a question from Committee Chairman Congressman Mike Rogers about the impact of a continuing resolution on the priorities the services laid out in the FY24 budget request.

Photo: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman listen to opening comments while testifying before the House Armed Services Committee for the Department of the Air Force fiscal year 2024 budget request, Washington, D.C., April 27, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)

Federal employees and retirees are seeing lower fees and better service in their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Jim Kaplan, Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, joins the show to discuss how administrative cost reductions have led to lower fees for participants. With TSP expenses dropping over the past two years, participants are now paying just 3.6 basis points in administrative costs—down from 4.8 basis points in 2023. That translates to only 36 cents per $1,000 in retirement savings.

Kaplan also highlights improvements to the TSP’s record-keeping system, Converge, which has driven higher participant satisfaction across all service channels. More federal employees are now using the TSP mobile app, and call center response times have improved. A recent participant survey shows overall satisfaction is on the rise, with 87% of those withdrawing their funds reporting they were happy with the TSP service.

Looking ahead, Kaplan previews two major rollouts coming in 2025: in-plan Roth conversions, allowing participants to move funds within the TSP to a Roth account, and the launch of the L 2075 Fund, designed for younger employees targeting long-term retirement growth.

For more insights and resources, visit FedGovToday.com, and don’t miss Fed Gov Today TV, airing Sunday mornings at 10:30 on ABC7 in Washington and available on-demand on YouTube. Stay up to date with the latest federal technology and workforce trends by following the Fed Gov Today podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform.

Today is day three of Public Service Recognition Week. Part of the observation of that week each year is the release of the finalists for Service to America Medals. Max Stier, President and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, outlines what goes into choosing the finalists each year, and some of the great stories of the work this year’s finalists do.

The Defense Information Systems Agency says its big cybersecurity project is ready for prime time. The Director of DISA, Lieutenant General Robert Skinner, says his agency will scale Thunderdome after a successful prototyping phase. In this highlight of my exclusive conversation with General Skinner on this week’s Fed Gov Today TV show, he gave me an overview of Thunderdome.

The Defense Innovation Unit is spreading the word about what it can do - and can’t do - for the Defense Department and industry. It was doing just that at Tech Net Cyber last week. Johnson Wu, Cyber Commercial Executive for the Cyber Portfolio at DIU, explains why even though DIU has been around since 2015, there are still a lot of misconceptions about it.

Photo: Defense Innovation Unit headquarters; DIU photo.

The Chief Information Officer of Space Systems Command, Col. Jennifer Krolikowski, says she’s “cautiously optimistic” about generative artificial intelligence. DefenseScoop reports military services are just one part of the government deciding how they want to use the technology. CDR Juliana Vida (USN ret.), chief strategy advisor at Splunk and former Deputy Chief Information Officer of the Navy, reviews how generative AI snuck up on people, and how tech leaders can stay ahead of the curve.

The Internal Revenue Service will get what it calls a “historic opportunity” to modernize its operations through the Inflation Reduction Act. The agency’s IRA Strategic Plan details what, and who, it will spend the money on. Danny Werfel, Commissioner of the IRS, tells you how many people he can hire, what they’ll do, and what technology the agency can transform with the IRA money.

Photo: IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel on Fed Gov Today TV, April 30, 2023

The Office of Personnel Management’s new data strategy includes four goals. OPM says those four goals will push the agency toward becoming “the nation’s premier employer and provider of human capital data.” Robert Shea, Chief Executive Officer of Gov Navigators and former Associate Director at the Office of Management Budget, tells you what to look for as OPM works to deliver on the strategy.

A deep transformation is coming for the Space Force, according to the Secretary of the Air Force. That transformation is necessary because of China’s priority in space. On Sunday’s episode of Fed Gov Today TV, the 26th Secretary of the Air Force, Frank Kendall, explained why he focused on space transformation at the recent Space Symposium. He also detailed his request to Congress to allow his service to start work on programs before funding is in place.

AFCEA International TechNet Cyber, May 2-4, 2023

Photo: Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on Fed Gov Today TV, April 30, 2023

The National Cybersecurity Strategy is part of the Biden administration’s preparation for cyber attacks against the federal government and the private sector. Former Federal CIO Tony Scott, now CEO of Intrusion, calls them “cyber shocks” in a new presentation in collaboration with the IBM Center for the Business of Government and the National Academy of Public Administration. He joins me to talk about steps governments should take to prevent cyber shocks, and deal with them when they happen.

The Thrift Savings Plan has plans in place to analyze and treat potential risks to its operation and its participants. Kim Weaver, Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, discusses how the TSP formulates and executes those plans, and how it decides which risks need the most attention.

AFCEA International TechNet Cyber, May 2-4, 2023

Photo: Thrift Savings Plan logo, courtesy Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board

This edition of Fed Gov Today is sponsored by Interos and Carahsoft.

April is Supply Chain Integrity Month. The theme this year is “Supply Chain Risk Management: The Recipe for Resilience.” Devin Lynch, Director of Supply Chain and Technology Security in the Office of the National Cyber Director, wrote a blog post about the recipe, and joined me to dig deeper into it.

Federal agencies have a two-sided challenge with supply chain integrity. They’re working on internal-facing, and external-facing, supply chain issues. Jennifer Bisceglie, Chief Executive Officer of Interos, discussed how agencies can manage both at the same time.

Devin Lynch covered some of the ingredients in the “Recipe for Resilience” that forms the theme of Supply Chain Integrity Month. And he called out the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as one of ONCD’s partners in the effort. Jack Cable, senior technical advisor at CISA, helped me understand his agency’s role.

You’ve heard my guests talk about the role of the intelligence community in the integrity of the supply chain. Jeanette McMillian, Assistant Director of the Supply Chain and Cyber Directorate at the National Counterintelligence and Security Center in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, reviewed what the IC has to offer the supply chain integrity effort.

Photo: Supply Chain Integrity Month graphic courtesy of CISA.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee will review the new edition of the Government Accountability Office’s High Risk List Wednesday. GAO publishes an updated list every two years; the newest list came out last Thursday. Michelle Sager, Managing Director for Strategic Issues at GAO, reviews what’s new about this year’s list.

The Coast Guard is expanding its cyber work, and the size of its cyber workforce. It’s growing its offensive cyber capabilities and building new paths for people to do that work. Rear Admiral Jay Vann, commander of Coast Guard Cyber Command, describes how his service is approaching that workforce challenge, and dealing with the unique cyber position the Guard occupies.

AFCEA International TechNet Cyber, May 2-4, 2023

Photo: Rear Admiral John “Jay” Vann, courtesy U.S. Coast Guard.

The Air Force is on the hunt for a new Chief Information Officer. Lauren Knausenberger will leave that job June 2nd. She’s been in that post since August 2020. Lauren is my guest for the entire show today, to discuss zero trust, the cloud, and her other priorities and achievements as she prepares to wind down her service as Air Force CIO.

Photo: Lauren Knausenberger, Department of the Air Force chief information officer, holds a communications and cyber all-call during a visit to Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. 3, 2022. Knausenberger toured the installations’ cyber infrastructure and spoke with personnel from the 18th Communications Squadron about their mission, equipment, innovation and capabilities in the region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Savannah L. Waters)

This edition of Fed Gov Today is sponsored by SAIC.

The Air Force calls its Cloud One offering a multi-cloud, multi-vendor ecosystem. Cloud One hosts more than 100 applications. Maj. Andrew Beckman, Program Manager for Cloud One, introduces you to some of his team, and explains how Cloud One’s multi-cloud environment drives mission success for the Air Force. 

The Air Force’s multi-cloud environment is just one example of that approach in the federal government. More and more agencies are taking that approach for the reasons Major Beckman laid out. Bob Genter, president of the Defense and Civilian Sector of SAIC, says that approach works for several key reasons.

Most cloud practitioners refer to the cloud “journey” when they discuss the concept. Every agency is in a different place on that journey. Noell Rebellez, Federal lead for Cloud Services in the Office of the Chief Information Officer at the Department of Labor, updates you on where his agency is on its cloud journey, and where it’s going.

This edition of Fed Gov Today is sponsored by Carahsoft and Hitachi Vantara.

The Fleet C4I and Readiness Department at Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic is responsible for what it calls three thrust areas. The Department lists cybersecurity; innovative culture; and high velocity learning as those three thrusts. Greg Lancaster, head of the Fleet C4I and Readiness Department, tells me more about his department, and its mission.

The Navy will use data to help it make arguments to Congress about which ships to decommission. ADM Daryl Caudle, Commander of US Fleet Forces Command, tells Defense News having that data could make the decommissioning process easier. Phil Fuster, Chief Revenue Officer at Hitachi Vantara Federal, says one of the biggest challenges he heard about from military leaders at Sea-Air-Space is managing mission data.

The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star is headed to Phase III of its Service Life Extension Project. The Guard lists the Polar Star as one of its ships operating in the Pacific Area. VADM Andrew Tiongson, Commander of the Pacific Area and Commander of Defense Force West for the Coast Guard, discusses presence in his area of responsibility.

AFCEA International TechNet Cyber, May 2-4, 2023

Photo: VADM Andrew Tiongsen, USCG at Sea Air Space

Francis sits down with Jenny Mattingley, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Partnership for Public Service, to break down the latest executive orders impacting the federal workforce. These new policies cover key areas such as the return-to-office mandate, a 90-day hiring freeze, the reintroduction of Schedule F—now called Schedule PC—and changes to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policies. Jenny explains how these orders will affect federal employees, agency leaders, and the broader government landscape. She highlights the nuances of the return-to-office directive, which, while broadly stated, leaves room for agency discretion and legal considerations under the 2010 Telework Enhancement Act. She also discusses the implications of Schedule PC, which moves certain employees into a new employment category with fewer job protections, raising concerns about workforce politicization and retention.

The conversation also explores the DEIA executive order, which has already resulted in employees being placed on administrative leave while agencies determine their future roles. Jenny underscores the significance of the hiring freeze, noting its immediate and long-term effects, particularly on agencies like the IRS. She also emphasizes the importance of monitoring not just the executive orders themselves but also the guidance coming from OPM and agency leadership, as these will shape how policies are implemented in practice. Finally, she provides insights into what federal employees and agency leaders should be watching for in the coming months, including potential legislative actions that could further reshape the federal workforce.

Don’t miss our next episode on Tuesday, where Kirsten Dalboe, Chair of the Chief Data Officers Council, will discuss how agencies are leveraging data for smarter decision-making. Listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or On Demand at FedGovToday.com.

Francis sits down with Jonathan Mostowski, president of Agile Acquisitions and former US Digital Service strategist, to discuss ideas for improving federal acquisitions. Jonathan shares three key recommendations: turning expiring funds into opportunities for innovation, expanding access to Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) for more flexible acquisitions, and reforming the protest process to reduce delays and foster better collaboration between agencies and vendors. These proposals aim to address persistent challenges in government contracting, including bridging the “valley of death” in project funding and empowering agencies with greater acquisition agility.

Jonathan also reflects on the implications of the US Digital Service’s recent rebranding to the US "Doge" Service and emphasizes the importance of transparency in debriefs to improve outcomes for both agencies and contractors. He shares insights from his book, Leading Agile Acquisitions, offering actionable strategies to drive culture change in government contracting.

Additionally, Francis previews upcoming conversations from West 2025 in San Diego, featuring top sea service leaders like Navy Deputy CIO Barry Tanner and many more. Watch these interviews Sunday morning at 10:30 on ABC 7 in Washington or on the Fed Gov Today YouTube channel.

Find links to Jonathan’s book and LinkedIn post on today’s show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe to the Fed Gov Today podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or On Demand at FedGovToday.com.