Federal Drive with Tom Temin

The Census Bureau is phasing back in its 2020 field operations that were put on hold because of the pandemic. Starting this week, Census workers in 13 states will resume dropping off decennial census packets in areas where households don’t receive mail at their home. This comes about a month before the bureau says it’ll be safe to resume 2020 fieldwork nationwide. For more on these Census developments, Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Research labs across the government, industry and academia are working on one piece of the coronavirus puzzle or another. Looking deep into the germ itself are two parts of the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology directorate. One is the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center; the other is the Hazard Awareness and Characterization Technology Center. That center's lede biologist, Lloyd Hough, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes services contracts require hardware to support them. Sometimes hardware buys require related services. That where companies get into what are known as order level materials (OLM). They're important, but sometimes they're confusing. The General Services Administration even held a recent webinar for industry about OLM. For the short version, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to Steve Sizemore, a GSA Federal Acquisition Service program manage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You might be preparing to put some burgers on the grill this May weekend, maybe steaks. When you do, pause for a moment to think of the 6,500 federal food safety inspectors working in meatpacking plants ordered by the White House to stay open. More than 130 of them have already contracted the coronavirus. For what's going on from the inspectors' standpoint, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to the acting president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 45, Paula Schelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The good new for contractors is that the government is operating at full pace. Spending on contracts is up a little. The bad news is that the government is operating at full pace. Since the end of March, agencies have pumped out dozens of new rules. For a roundup and the effect it's all having, the executive president and counsel at the Professional Services Council, Alan Chvotkin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twenty seven career federal employees are finalists in this year's Service to America Medals. Some have been on the job for decades. Some are barely out of graduate school. But they've all made significant contributions to the betterment of their agencies' missions, and to the life of the nation. For more on this year's program, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin turn to the president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, Max Stier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inspectors at the EPA spend a lot of time in the field, looking into cleanup sites, underground tanks, oil spills, you name it. Now it has given regional managers new flexibility to reduce field work in light of the coronavirus. For how the agency developed this policy and what it's telling the regions, we turn to the Assistant Administrator for the office of Land and Emergency Management, Peter Wright. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who says the Pentagon can't move fast? It's boosted accelerated contract payments to the tune of more than $1 billion so far. And it's pumped millions in rapid funding into small businesses during the pandemic. For these and other recent developments in the Defense end of government, we turn to DOD reporters Jared Serbu and Scott Maucione. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the nearly seven years since the Homeland Security Department launched the signature initiative to raise all cybersecurity boats, it's focused mainly on the 24 CFO Act civilian agencies. Well, it’s the little guys turn now. In his weekly feature, the Reporter's Notebook, executive editor Jason Miller writes about how DHS will use its continuous diagnostics and mitigation program to address cybersecurity gaps among 75 small and micro agencies. Jason joins me with more.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At least one Congressman doesn't like the smell of the administration's guidance for reopening federal offices. This, as Congress starts thinking about the next coronavirus relief package, with lots of possible provisions relating to federal employees. For what's ahead we turn to WTOP capitol hill correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week we aired an interview with the executive vice president of the union representing air traffic controllers. Controllers support the entire aviation system of the United States. There's another group, perhaps less well-known, that keeps the air traffic controllers going. They're the technical operations people who maintain the immensely complex electronic infrastructure. They're also members of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, whose president Mike Perrone joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's called the Conservative Framework for Recovery, Accountability, and Prosperity. The Republican Study Committee's proposals include a section on how to improve efficiency and accountability of the government, and its response to the coronavirus. For how the committee would change things for the federal workforce, we turn to the chairman, Louisiana's Mike Johnson (R-LA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent survey of Federal News Network listeners and readers found, many of you are enjoying telework quite a bit. Most respondents say they're more productive at home. And their colleagues seem to be equally productive at home too. There are some drawbacks to the current telework situation, especially those of you with little kiddies running around. Now everyone is wondering, will agencies embrace telework with open arms after all this? Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin with more of what you told us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Military families' lives seemed to stabilize after the initial jolt of the stop move order from Pentagon brass. But now the extension of the order is causing more problems. Blue Star Families weekly pain points survey revealed a spike in problems with service members’ finances and quality of life. Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione spoke with Blue Star Families senior evaluation manager, Jenny Akin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Business activity might be nearly choked off, but this is a busy country. People are still thinking, creating, Congress is still doing its thing. That means the U.S. Copyright Office is still on the job. For what’s going on inside, Federal Drive with Tom Temin. turned to the acting register of copyrights Maria Strong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices