Federal Drive with Tom Temin

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: Everybody expected this fraud train wreck. But that doesn't make it any prettier How Homeland Security determines whether a screening technology can actually work The debt limit causes persistent, low-level anxiety for a lot of feds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As part of the Federal Drive's continuing expansion of coverage of pay, benefits and working conditions for federal employees, Federal Drive host introduces a new voice, who listeners will hear from in monthly interviews. John Hatton is Staff Vice President for Policy and Programs at NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. He joined Tom Temin in studio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic relief fraud numbers keep piling up. A billion here, a billion there. Was anybody watching? For an overview of what we know now, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke to the Director of Forensic Audits at the Government Accountability Office, Rebecca Shea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luggage and passenger screening is a complicated applied science. An idea has to be verified before it can be built into prototype equipment for testing and eventual production. For instance, in an airport. Determining whether the basic technology can reliably detect what it is supposed to, such as a dangerous chemical, is the function of the Independent Test and Evaluation Division of the Transportation Security Laboratory or TSL. The lab is operated by the Science and Technology Directorate of the Homeland Security Department. In the second of this week's series of four interviews on location at TSL in Atlantic City, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with the Test and Evaluation Director Lee Spanier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency is reducing background investigations rates for the third year in a row, as investigations continue to get faster and cheaper amid a shift to “continuous vetting.” DCSA is cutting the prices it charges agencies for background investigations by 18% in fiscal 2024, the agency announced in a recent notice. DCSA Director Bill Lietzau credited the ongoing reforms under Trusted Workforce 2.0 and the shift to replace periodic re-investigations with continuous vetting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal employees got a clearer vision of the legislative priorities for union leaders, and some lawmakers, over the next couple of years. Pushing to give the federal workforce an 8.7% average pay raise in 2024, for one, is top of mind for the American Federation of Government Employees, according to union leaders at the annual AFGE legislative conference on Feb. 13. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a shame when the only way to get an agency’s attention on an acquisition problem is through a lawsuit. Unfortunately, it’s an all too common occurrence with draft solicitations, final solicitations and post-award debriefings. The latest example from the National Industries for the Blind, the Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment and the National Association for the Employment of People who are Blind against the General Services Administration epitomizes this problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: It's easy to log into Interior Department systems. Too easy. Why airport screening today is nothing like the days after 9/11. Contractors eye a report about contract management by the GSA IG. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The General Services Administration's inspector general has found that the agency's Federal Acquisition Service does not follow its own policies. Some contractors say they've sensed that for a while now. For some analysis, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with Federal Sales and Marketing Consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Easy passwords like "Password 1 2 3 4." Multiple people with the same password. Inactive user accounts not closed. One-factor authentication. No password expiration. Sounds like the average agency cybersecurity posture of, say, 1989. But no, that's the Interior Department right now. To get the disturbing details, Federal Drive host talked with Interior Inspector General Mark Lee Greenblatt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a plain-looking warehouse at the out-of-the-way Atlantic City Airport, you'll find one of the nation's most important research labs. It's operated by the Homeland Security Department's Science and Technology Directorate. It's purpose is to test, validate and even help develop the screening technology for keeping air travel safe. Federal Drive host Tom Temin recently spent a day at the Transportation Security Laboratory or TSL. This interview is Temin's first in a series of four with TSL leadership, starting with the Lab Director, Dr. Christopher Smith. Among other things, Dr. Smith explained why screening is part of the Science and Technology Directorate and not the Transportation Security Administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Conflict Observatory brings together teams and technology to track the conflict in Ukraine. The project sprung out of evidence-based policymaking efforts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's episode of The Federal Drive with Tom Temin: The Small Business Administration has a big agenda. We'll hear from the boss. The 118th Congress, slow to get started, has moved into high gear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new Congress might have been a bit slow getting started, but now it's making up for lost time. A whole tray of bills having to do with the federal workforce and retirees has popped up in recent days. To get the details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between follow-up to the pandemic, DoD's need to expand the defense industrial base, and the administration's desire to foster new businesses, it's a busy time for the Small Business Administration. For an update, Federal Drive host Tom Temin spoke with SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices