Federal Drive with Tom Temin

In cost-plus contracts, exactly how much of a contractor's records can the government see? And who in particular can see them? Those questions are at the heart of a recent dispute among the Energy Department, HCM Corporation, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency. To shed light on the dispute, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with Haynes Boone procurement attorney Dan Ramish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine an operation in which 10,000 law enforcement people worldwide arrested a thousand violent organized criminals. That is what happened in 2021, in an operation known as Trojan Shield. A Justice Department team led the effort. Team leaders have won this year's Service to America Medal for safety, security and international affairs. Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with one of them: Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Mellor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few people in government have more experience in federal labor relations and employee issues than Federal Drive Host Tom Temin's guest. For the past year, she's been chairman of the Federal Labor Relations Authority. For an update on the FLRA ( and other things): Susan Tsui Grundmann. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Why the Federal Labor Relations Authority may be headed toward furloughs or layoffs. This law enforcement sting operation netted a thousand arrests. A dispute over government audit rights in hybrid contracts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Veterans Affairs is looking at artificial intelligence tools to accelerate its work reducing burnout among its health care workforce. The VA, through an AI Tech Sprint it launched Tuesday on Challenge.gov, is calling on technologists to develop tools that will allow clinicians to spend less time with paperwork, and more time treating patients. The department is specifically looking at AI dictation tools that will help clinicians take notes during medical appointments, as well as AI tools that can help analyze and summarize patients’ medical records. Tech teams have until Jan. 5, 2024, to participate in the AI Tech Sprint. The VA will award a total of $1 million to winning teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The company HP, recently launched its first HP Work Relationship Index. It is a study that tracks and analyzes the relationship between people and their work. What it found was the relationship most employees have with their jobs is a bit on the rocks. To learn more about the study and what it could mean for future jobs, including in government, Federal Drive Executive Producer spoke with Todd Gustafson, the President of HP Federal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the tally of fraud and abuse in pandemic relief spending mounts, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has a reminder: Program managers have a list of leading practices for preventing fraud. The question some have for those managers is why they did not use that list. For more, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with GAO's Rebecca Shea, the Director of Forensic Audits. GAO Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a ceremony earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken presented five American companies, large and small, with the department's Award for Corporate Excellence. The awards recognize companies that reflect the administration's focus areas when it comes to corporate diplomacy. To learn more about this year's awards, Federal Drive Executive Producer spoke to Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs at the State Department, Sarah Morgenthau. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: A handful of companies get an atta-boy from the Secretary of State. Did agencies forget how to prevent fraud during pandemic relief? How employees can get more fulfillment out of their jobs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress once again has its sights set on making changes to federal benefits in more ways than one. Under one reintroduced bill, former temporary and seasonal federal employees would get a chance to make “catch-up” contributions in their retirement accounts. Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and David Valadao (R-Calif.) reintroduced the Federal Retirement Fairness Act last week. Even though many temporary feds eventually transition to permanent employment in the government, seasonal and temporary federal employees currently don’t have the opportunity to make retirement contributions during their time spent in their previous, temporary roles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether its the war in Ukraine, the war in Israel, the House speaker race or any of a zillion controversial topics, everyone has an opinion. As federal employees, can you express your opinions out loud and not get fired for it? For advice, Federal Drive Hose Tom Temin spoke with federal employment attorney John Mahoney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is now more cyber guidance than ever for the companies that do business with the government. You can also expect even more when it comes to other new technologies, like artificial intelligence. Congress seems to be back up and running, and there is business to attend to. To start with, reauthorizing a major component of the Homeland Security Department, and also funding the rest of the government. For analysis, Federal Drive Executive Eric White spoke with Stephanie Kostro, Executive Vice President at the Professional Services Council. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently, the Senior Executives Association announced the winners of its annual awards program. Among this year's winners was Avie Snow. Now retired, Snow spent several years as a financial manager for the Coast Guard, the Homeland Security Department, and ending at Veterans Affairs. Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White got the chance to speak with Avie to learn more about her career path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of the Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Some much-deserved recognition for a longtime fed in the financial management arena. When to express an opinion and when to zip it up, when on the job. New House Speaker. New cyber guidelines. What contractors can do to navigate it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices