Federal Drive with Tom Temin

Congress has been on a spending spree for three years: Appropriations, the American Rescue Plan, the Chips Act, the Infrastructure Bill, the inflation bill. It all means federal agencies have to hire somewhere between 80,000 and 100,000 people. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with someone who thinks one department might offer clues to how to it effectively: Bob Tobias, professor in the key executive leadership program at American University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The State Department promotes America’s diplomatic mission overseas, but the men and women of the Foreign Service — and the families they bring with them — put a face to that mission through off-the-clock acts of kindness. The department this year, in partnership with Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW), awarded the 32nd annual Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad to eligible family members for volunteer work that supported the war in Ukraine, the resettlement of Afghan refugees and ongoing COVID-19 lockdowns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Agriculture Department recently lost a contract award protest. It was attempting to purchase commercial style services for evictions and foreclosures for homes behind in their loan payments. It all hinged on what the department meant by "commercial services." Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked about all this with Smith Pachter McWhorter procurement attorney Joe Petrillo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Customs and Border Protection has a diversity goal. The agency wants 30% of its workforce to be women by 2030. Federal Drive host Tom Temin took a look at he so-called, "30-by-30 initiative," with CBP's assistant commissioner for the office of human resources management, Andrea Bright. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the top goals of the climate crowd is development of a new jet fuel. Now a group of federal department and agencies has launched a public challenge to develop such a fuel and the infrastructure to support it. It's called the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked about all this with Zia Haq, Energy Department chemical engineer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the top goals of the climate crowd is development of a new jet fuel. Now a group of federal department and agencies has launched a public challenge to develop such a fuel and the infrastructure to support it. It's called the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked about all this with Zia Haq, Energy Department chemical engineer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Those looking to enroll in the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) will soon have to wait a couple of years before applying. The Office of Personnel Management said it will suspend all new applications to the program starting on Dec. 19. The suspension will last for the next two years, but those who apply ahead of the start date may still see their applications go through. During that time, current FLTCIP enrollees cannot apply to increase their coverage. The suspension will otherwise not affect the coverage of current enrollees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sachin Pavithran, the executive director of the U.S. Access Board, said ever since the Biden administration placed a heavier emphasis on accessibility, the interest for training and help among agencies has spiked. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Veterans Health Administration is hiding the fact that veterans, under Mission Act programs, can go to private sector health care providers, if they choose. Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked about this with whistleblower Paula Pedene, a former VHA employee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can robots teach themselves new tricks? In theory they can, according to researchers at the U. S. Naval Research Laboratory. In a new white paper, they lay out how robots, like people, can learn by using a curriculum and a learning agenda. To learn how they will test that theory, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with research scientists Laura Hiatt and Mark Roberts from the U. S. Naval Research Laboratory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From zero trust roadmaps to carbon reduction, federal agencies are moving under a lot of agendas. They all end up being contractors' concerns, too. To get some details on those agendas, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Stephanie Kostro, Executive Vice President for Policy at the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like most of the public, federal employees stand by and watch as presidential administrations come and go. Every president is flawed, but they have varying degrees of success in office. Success is highly influenced by how carefully presidents prepare for their transitions to office. This interview by Federal Drive host Tom Temin is with the co-author of what might be the first definitive study of modern transitions, which includes interviews with transition planners themselves. That co-author is David Marchick, currently the Dean of the Kogod School of Business at American University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recruiting challenges for the Army and Air Force mean they have trouble meeting end-strength goals. But what about the Coast Guard? It has also been having trouble meeting yearly goals. To find out how the Coast Guard is responding, Federal Drive host Tom Temin checked in the Commander of the Coast Guard Recruiting Command, Capt. Richter Tipton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a range of viewpoints on how the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency should craft forthcoming cyber incident reporting regulations. But one common refrain amid the debates over who should be required to report and what exactly constitutes a reportable incident: CISA should develop a simple mechanism that makes it easy for organizations across 16 critical infrastructure sectors to report cyber incidents within the 72-hour window required under the law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawmakers have until Dec. 16, when the current continuing resolution expires, to pass the rest of the appropriations bills and fund the government next year, but it’s not the only item on the congressional to-do list with big implications for the federal workforce. Many of those additional items are included as amendments under the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2023. There are more than 1,000 amendments to the NDAA, and at least a handful of them have the potential to change the federal hiring process, federal benefits, retirement and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices