Like so many people with new jobs, this year's crop of summer government interns can't go work in the regular sense. Not with pandemic having mostly cleared out federal offices. To get a sense of what the intern experience is like, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke to two of them. Sarah Stevens and Joshua Vooge are working at the State and Transportation Departments this summer under the auspices of The Fund for American Studies.

Federal Drive with Tom Temin

Interning virtually with the federal government

Contractors unhappy with an award decision can protest directly to the agency that made the award. But more often they skip the agency level protest, and go either to the Government Accountability office or the Court of Federal Claims. That's usually because they figure, what's the use of protesting to the contracting officer who made the decision. Joining the Federal Drive to discuss some proposed changes to the agency level protest process, Berenzweig Leonard partner Terry O'Connor.

Improving agency level protests

The Census Bureau's big show has been beset with politics, the visiccitudes of technological innovation, and now the pandemic. It has only weeks to wind up the data gathering for the 2020 count. Will it come out right? Will everyone trust the results? Big questions. With some perspective, and a call for action, former Census Bureau Director John Thompson discussed it with the Federal Drive.

Many unknowns with the 2020 Census

It's possible there's never been as much debate or discussion about the word “use” as we've heard over the last month. That's because “use” is the key word in the Section 889 provision's lexicon. Do contractors “use” now prohibited Chinese-made telecommunications products and services? If so, Section 889 says they've got to remove those products or services, if they want any more contracts from federal agencies. Executive editor Jason Miller joined the Federal Drive with why this simple word is causing so much concern.

Ban on Chinese products starts today despite confusion over acquisition rule

Small businesses have a big stake in the federal marketplace, you might have heard. The Small Business Administration sets a high bar for the rest of government to do business with the little guys. Agencies last year awarded more than $130 billion in small-business prime contracts, and exceeded a women-owned small business contracting goal for the second time since SBA set that benchmark. For more on where agencies where met or exceeded goals, Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman spoke with SBA’s Associate Administrator for Government Contracting and Business Development, Frank Spampinato.

Agencies exceed SBA’s women-owned small business contracting goal after years of falling short

The State Department is no lone ranger when trying to promote American interests abroad. In fact it operates partnerships with hundreds of companies and nonprofits around the world to amplify the diplomatic mission. This work falls under the Office of Global Partnerships. Its managing director is a finalist in this year's Service to America Medals program. Thomas Debass joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to talk more.

Sammies finalist spreads diplomacy through global partnerships

Thursday brings the statutory deadline for federal contractors to certify they comply with the law banning telecommunications equipment from certain Chinese companies from their network. Lots of companies were hoping Congress would delay the Aug. 13 deadline. One reason is because even the government has only a vague idea of the cost and how to interpret this rule. Holland & Knight partner Eric Crusius had more insight on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Deadline to cut federal ties with Chinese telecom companies fast approaching

Congress appropriated a couple of trillion dollars in the federal response to the pandemic. A surprisingly small fraction of that money went to contracts awarded by agencies. Still, billions aren't nothing, and the Government Accountability Office has been tracking the contracts and the agencies issuing. For the size and scope of pandemic contracting, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to the GAO's director of contracting and national security acquisition issues, Marie Mak.

GAO tracking size, scope of federal pandemic contracts

The General Services Administration has been interested in managing facilities at the Office of Personnel Management for a year now. It may not seem like such a big deal. GSA has manages facilities for other agencies for decades. But it may cost OPM millions of dollars more if GSA takes over OPM's buildings. The agency's inspector general said the building management moves are fiscally irresponsible and squeeze OPM financially. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to walk us through the latest with these two agencies.

GSA management over OPM building would cost the agency millions, IG says

The Space Force took a deep look, not in space but in the mirror this week and released its first ever doctrine. The document lays out the philosophical reasoning for a Space Force and describes what space warfare will look like in the future. Federal News Network’s Scott Maucione had the latest on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

Space Force plants a flag with a philosophical look at itself in new doctrine

You can forgive federal contractors for a little confusion. There's a new White House executive order on use of immigrant labor. From Congress there's uncertainty over whether relief for them will continue as government offices remain closed. For more, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin turned to the president and CEO of the Professional Services Council, David Berteau.

Uncertainty all around for federal contractors

Data is one of government's strategic assets. That sounds nice, but it's also enshrined in statute and regulation. But big data can get too big, and now data leaders, at least in the military, have been talking about data downsizing. Joining the Federal Drive with more, the CEO of the Data Foundation, Dr. Nick Hart. And the vice president of federal at Active Navigation, Jesse Rauch.

When big data gets too big

Some of the leading thinkers in the field of data, and how to use it, have proffered the idea of a national data service. The Data Foundation says such a service would support the goal of evidence-based decision making. Joining the Federal Drive with how a data service would be organized and what it would do, the former chief statistician of the United States and Data Foundation member, Dr. Nancy Potok.

Could a national data service help leaders make better decisions?

The Office of Personnel Management is out with two new regulatory policies that could have a serious impact on your leave and benefits. First there's paid parental leave. New OPM regulations detail how the program will work and how agencies will implement it on October 1st. The second policy is an attempt to help essential federal employees working through the pandemic hold on to those vacation hours they'd otherwise have to forfeit at the end of the year. Federal News Network's Nicole Ogrysko joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to explain.

The race is on to implement federal paid parental leave

As agencies finalize their fiscal 2022 budgets, which are traditionally due to OMB by mid-September, they are getting a few last minute tools to help them. The CIO Council and GSA are reawakening the use of Technology Business Management, or TBM, standards to help connect IT costs with outcomes. In his weekly feature, the Reporter's notebook, executive editor Jason Miller tells the Federal Drive with Tom Temin why the TBM guide comes at a good time for many agencies.

CIO Council reawakens push to use Technology Business Management standards

When he's not tooling around the National Capital region on his motorcycle, Tom Temin interviews federal executives and government contractors who provide analysis and insight on the many critical issues facing the Executive branch. The Federal Drive is found at FederalNewsNetwork.com and 1500 AM in the Washington D.C. region.

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Federal Drive with Tom Temin

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