Fed Gov Today

On this episode of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, retired Major General Arnold Punaro joins Francis to unpack what could be the most sweeping overhaul of the defense acquisition system in decades. Following Secretary Pete Hegseth’s newly announced Acquisition Transformation Strategy, Punaro argues that achieving real results will require nothing short of retraining the entire acquisition workforce—military and civilian alike. He breaks down how the Department of Defense, Congress, and industry—the three sides of the “iron triangle”—are finally aligning to reform a system that has resisted change for years.

You’ll learn why Punaro is more optimistic than ever, emphasizing leadership from all three fronts: the Pentagon’s push for speed and risk-taking, industry’s willingness to innovate, and Congress’s readiness to support multi-year funding and streamlined contracting. But he’s also candid about the challenges ahead—from taming a massive bureaucracy to overcoming a risk-averse culture that punishes innovation.

In a moving close, Punaro reflects on the meaning of Veterans Day and honors the heroism of Corporal Roy Hammonds, who gave his life saving Punaro’s during the Vietnam War.

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On this edition of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, former Department of Labor CIO Gundeep Ahluwalia, now Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at NuAxis Innovations, shares how the recent government shutdown—while disruptive—could actually serve as a rare opportunity for transformation. As agencies prepare to restart contracting and program delivery, Ahluwalia urges federal leaders to pause, take stock, and ask a critical question: Are your project outputs truly driving the outcomes you want?

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.

Former DoD official Jerry McGinn, now Director of the Center for the Industrial Base at CSIS, joins Francis to unpack how the Department of Defense can better “separate the wheat from the chaff” in its innovation efforts. McGinn explains why authorities like the Defense Production Act (DPA) and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program are vital to maintaining a competitive industrial base — and what challenges lie ahead after both programs expired at the end of FY2025.

McGinn discusses the delicate balance between encouraging experimentation and demanding accountability — highlighting that true innovation requires tolerance for failure. He explores why DoD still struggles to transition successful prototypes into production and how better data could help measure what’s working, without stifling creativity.

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Agencies have been in a holding pattern, waiting to roll out long-delayed initiatives and catch up on weeks of missed work. Former GSA Administrator Emily Murphy, now CEO of Government Procurement Strategies, joins Francis to unpack what happens when the lights come back on in government offices—and what leaders must do to re-engage a workforce stretched to the limit.

Murphy shares firsthand lessons from the 2019 shutdown, highlighting how essential workers faced burnout, unpaid labor, and emotional fatigue, while furloughed employees struggled with financial strain and uncertainty. She discusses the critical importance of management acknowledgment, empathy, and clear communication during the post-shutdown recovery.

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Richard Breakiron, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Commvault, joins the show to reveal how AI can move cyber defense from reactive to proactive—and why the smartest agencies are integrating security into every step of modernization rather than bolting it on at the end. You'll learn how Fortune 100 companies are adopting the FedRAMP High framework voluntarily, recognizing that robust, architectural-level security isn’t just a compliance requirement—it’s a competitive advantage.

You’ll also learn how agencies can operationalize zero trust, build dynamic architectures, and use AI to detect threats before they materialize—all while driving efficiency and cultural change. 

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The Department of Defense faces a new cloud challenge that could reshape how the federal government buys technology. Former Pentagon Deputy CIO Rob Carey joins Francis to unpack why the traditional contracting process is slowing innovation — and why the government can’t afford to spend “years and years and years” buying future-looking tech through outdated procurement models.

Carey dives into the Pentagon’s five-phase cybersecurity risk management construct, explaining how artificial intelligence is both a promise and a problem in defending government systems. He discusses the balance between security and affordability, the role of human oversight in cyber operations, and the ever-evolving cost-benefit equation of protecting sensitive data.

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Former Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, Margaret Weichert, joins Francis to break down what happens after a government shutdown — and why the hardest days may come once the doors reopen. With federal employees preparing to return to work, Weichert warns that the road back to “normal” is anything but smooth.

Weichert shares lessons learned from the 2019 shutdown, including how critical early coordination between operating functions was in speeding recovery — and why those lessons need to be applied right now. She explains how furloughs ripple through service delivery, from SNAP benefits to IRS operations, and how delayed or missed deadlines can create long-term programmatic strain.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.

In this episode of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, the gears of government are grinding to a halt — and the aftershocks are just beginning. As agencies brace for and recover from a federal shutdown, former Federal CIO Suzette Kent, now CEO of Kent Advisory Services, joins Francis to break down the three critical concepts every leader must master to get government back on track: people, risk, and what’s “on the clock.” Kent reveals how to prioritize the citizens and federal employees most affected, assess hidden vulnerabilities that emerge when offices go dark, and manage the time-sensitive tasks that can make or break mission success once operations resume. Drawing on her firsthand experience navigating the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Kent shares real-world lessons on cross-agency dependencies, payroll chaos, contractor disruptions, and cybersecurity blind spots that can spiral out of control if not addressed immediately.

Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.