Government Matters

Kim Weaver, director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, discusses the TSP initiatives outlined at the board’s monthly meeting, and details how selections will be made for new fund managers.

Ari Schwartz, managing director of cybersecurity services at Venable, discusses a bill in Congress that would make the State Department run a “bug bounty” program, and why civilian agencies have been slow to adopt the security strategy.

Jessica Klement, staff vice president at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, discusses what the omnibus spending bill has in store for federal employees.

Kim Weaver, director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, discusses the TSP initiatives outlined at the board’s monthly meeting, and details how selections will be made for new fund managers.

Ari Schwartz, managing director of cybersecurity services at Venable, discusses a bill in Congress that would make the State Department run a “bug bounty” program, and why civilian agencies have been slow to adopt the security strategy.

Jessica Klement, staff vice president at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, discusses what the omnibus spending bill has in store for federal employees.

Ben FitzGerald, director of the Office of Strategy & Design at the Department of Defense, discusses the reorganization efforts at the DoD, and writing guidance on the proper use of Other Transaction Authority.

Jose Arrieta, associate deputy assistant secretary for acquisition at the Department of Health and Human Services, discusses how blockchain can be used to streamline the acquisition process.

James Guerts, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, outlines the themes of the Navy’s new acquisition strategies, and how he plans to approach the reorganization.

Ben FitzGerald, director of the Office of Strategy & Design at the Department of Defense, discusses the reorganization efforts at the DoD, and writing guidance on the proper use of Other Transaction Authority.

Jose Arrieta, associate deputy assistant secretary for acquisition at the Department of Health and Human Services, discusses how blockchain can be used to streamline the acquisition process.

James Guerts, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, outlines the themes of the Navy’s new acquisition strategies, and how he plans to approach the reorganization.

Ben FitzGerald, director of the Office of Strategy & Design at the Department of Defense, discusses the reorganization efforts at the DoD, and writing guidance on the proper use of Other Transaction Authority.

Jose Arrieta, associate deputy assistant secretary for acquisition at the Department of Health and Human Services, discusses how blockchain can be used to streamline the acquisition process.

James Guerts, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, outlines the themes of the Navy’s new acquisition strategies, and how he plans to approach the reorganization.

Nikki Wentling, Veterans reporter at Stars & Stripes, talks about Secretary Shulkin’s dismissal from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and why this firing was inevitable.

NASA is looking to gain more industry partners. The agency’s Space Communications and Navigation directorate recently put out a request for information, indicating that the agency is looking to purchase off-the-shelf hardware for their next generation of satellites. Government Matters’ Colby Hochmuth has the full report.

Joyce Hunter, former deputy CIO for Policy & Planning at USDA, discusses where I.T. modernization fits into the President’s Management Agenda, and how it can help to fulfill agency missions.

Eric Crusius, partner at Holland & Knight, discusses GSA’s e-Commerce plan, and how industry would like a fair platform for selling to the government.

Nikki Wentling, Veterans reporter at Stars & Stripes, talks about Secretary Shulkin’s dismissal from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and why this firing was inevitable.

NASA is looking to gain more industry partners. The agency’s Space Communications and Navigation directorate recently put out a request for information, indicating that the agency is looking to purchase off-the-shelf hardware for their next generation of satellites. Government Matters’ Colby Hochmuth has the full report.

Joyce Hunter, former deputy CIO for Policy & Planning at USDA, discusses where I.T. modernization fits into the President’s Management Agenda, and how it can help to fulfill agency missions.

Eric Crusius, partner at Holland & Knight, discusses GSA’s e-Commerce plan, and how industry would like a fair platform for selling to the government.

Jerry Hendrix, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, discusses some issues with the Navy’s plan for a 355-ship fleet, and how focusing less on "capital ships" could help.

Mara Karlin, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy & Force Development and associate director of the Strategic Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University, talks about how looking at America’s past endeavors on the Korean peninsula could inform future policy on the region.

Oriana Pawlyk, reporter for Military.com and Jacqueline Klimas, defense reporter at Politico, discuss the latest news from the Department of Defense. Topics on this edition of the Pentagon Beat include the White House’s ban on transgender troops, issues with rolling out the KC-46 aerial refueling platform and a new program to mend the A-10’s broken wings.

Jerry Hendrix, senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, discusses some issues with the Navy’s plan for a 355-ship fleet, and how focusing less on "capital ships" could help.

Mara Karlin, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy & Force Development and associate director of the Strategic Studies Program at Johns Hopkins University, talks about how looking at America’s past endeavors on the Korean peninsula could inform future policy on the region.

Oriana Pawlyk, reporter for Military.com and Jacqueline Klimas, defense reporter at Politico, discuss the latest news from the Department of Defense. Topics on this edition of the Pentagon Beat include the White House’s ban on transgender troops, issues with rolling out the KC-46 aerial refueling platform and a new program to mend the A-10’s broken wings.

Rebecca Gambler, Director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues at the Government Accountability Office discusses her testimony on the Department of Homeland Security’s management issues on the southern border, and what DHS is doing to fix them

Robert Shea, principal at Grant Thornton Public Sector, discusses the President’s Management Agenda, and how the recently passed omnibus spending bill might mean some extra steps for agencies looking to reorganize.

FCW Staff Writer Derek Johnson and Joseph Marks, Cybersecurity Correspondent at NextGov, discuss the latest cybersecurity stories out of Congress, such as the passing of the CLOUD Act, and a proposed State Department “bug bounty.”