Federal Drive with Tom Temin

The Defense Department has been under investing in facility upkeep for years, and its maintenance backlog keeps getting bigger. DoD says it’s now rolling out new tools that won’t necessarily solve the problem, but will at least help officials make better decisions on exactly how they’re spending their maintenance dollars. According to the Government Accountability Office, the department has a deferred maintenance backlog of at least $137 billion. But that figure is almost certainly a major underestimate, for several reasons. For one, it’s based on 2020 data. It also doesn’t account for the facilities that are already past their useful lifespans — and nearly a third of DoD’s facilities meet that criteria. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: That new federal regulatory agenda has generated opposition. HUD's inspector general takes on two of the worst public housing problems. People, process and innovation drive Homeland Security procurement in 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Office of Inspector General at Housing and Urban Development is boosting efforts to end sexual abuse and unsanitary conditions in HUD-backed housing. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. PSA on Sexual Harassment PSA on Environmental Justice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration recently declared a new approach to federal regulation it said would modernize and streamline it. The new framework has drawn opposition from business. For one point of view, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Chad Whiteman, the Vice President of Environment and Regulatory Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The IRS, after wrapping up this year’s filing season with significantly improved service, compared to recent years, is planning to bring the agency’s long-term hiring needs into focus. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday that the agency will, in the coming weeks, shed more light on the agency’s hiring plans over the next decade. The IRS Strategic Operating Plan released earlier this month only includes proposed hiring through the end of fiscal 2024. Under the plan, the IRS is looking to hire more than 10,000 employees before the end of this fiscal year, and approximately another 10,000 employees in fiscal 2024. Most of the hiring is focused on taxpayer services and enforcement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Agencies made more improvements than usual with federal programs and governmentwide challenges, the Government Accountability Office said in its high risk list. But more long-standing problems are miring further progress. GAO’s 2023 high risk list, a biennial report that the agency published Thursday, details a broad range of troubled federal programs that are vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement. Congressional committees use GAO’s high risk list to help create their own oversight agenda. Overall, 16 of the 37 items on the high risk list improved for 2023, including health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as the Postal Service, GAO said in its report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Space Systems Command is turning government-industry collaboration on its head. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Got thoughts on how to manage in the government? There's a contest for that. New plans to categorize Americans leave out one important group. Even with the ups and downs, the Thrift Savings Plan is looking solid again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investments can change seemingly as fast as the weather, a fact to which anyone with a Thrift Savings Plan account can testify. Federal Drive host Tom Temin knows he can't forecast the investment weather, but along with his guest, certified financial planner Art Stein, this interview takes a look at recent trends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For 25 years, IT giant IBM has operated a government focused think tank. It's called the IBM Center for the Business of Government. To commemorate the Silver Anniversary, the center is holding an essay contest. It'll take the form of a challenge grant, and seeks essays on the future of government. For details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the Center's Executive Director Dan Chenok. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration has proposed new ways to classify people for the 2030 census, with more racial groups than ever. But this podcast guest tells Federal Drive host Tom Temin that the changes could still end up misrepresenting Native Americans. Robert Maxim is a senior research associate at Brookings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a move that seemed a little like the boa constrictor swallowing an elephant in “The Little Prince,” IBM Consulting made a deal for its biggest acquisition ever with the purchase of federal government digital services provider Octo Consulting. The $1.25 billion transaction included moving 1,500 Octo employees into IBM’s consulting business and it enhanced Big Blue’s place in the firmament of the government consulting and technology services landscape. For Octo, the move created an opportunity for future expansion, and by acquiring Octo, IBM increased its foothold in the business of federal government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Commerce Department pushes for greater utility in the 5-G spectrum. How Homeland Security is marking emergency communications month. The CIO of Veterans Affairs, is the authority simply symbolic? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Steps agencies could take to improve and broaden the acquisition process. Why the Pentagon wants germs to be part of the factories of the future. The Pentagon takes the pulse of companies it does business with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Veterans Affairs Chief Information Officer is often on the sidelines of major IT acquisitions. The CIO, by law, is suppose to be involved in all of the major acquisitions. But maybe it's not. That's what the Government Accountability Office found. For more, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with Carol Harris, GAO's Director of Information Technology Acquisition Management. Full GAO Report IT Management: VA Needs to Improve CIO Oversight of Procurements https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105719 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices