A Treasury Department watchdog is conducting an audit to see if IRS employees are reporting to the office as often as they claim. President Donald Trump ordered federal employees to return to the office full time soon after taking office himself, but some IRS employees say they're working in unsuitable conditions. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman has more on all of this.

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$1 contracts for access to leading edge artificial intelligence companies may be too good to be true. The General Services Administration's recent awards to Open AI and Anthropic are facing protests before the Government Accountability Office with details about the protests and why one vendor is crying foul, Federal News Network's Executive Editor Jason Miller joins me now.

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The IRS is facing another shake-up at the top, with the loss of its Senate-confirmed commissioner, a new acting Chief Counsel stepping in, and the Chief of Appeals heading for retirement. That’s on top of a 25% staff reduction and deep budget cut, all of which raise serious questions about how the agency will handle enforcement, taxpayer services, and policy implementation. Here to unpack what this leadership churn means for taxpayers and the future of tax administration, is partner at Fox Rothschild, Matthew Lee.

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Federal agencies are shifting their small business contracting goals, but not all small firms are seeing the benefits. While overall targets are going up, goals for disadvantaged businesses are being scaled back. Here to explain what’s changing, why it matters, and what it could mean for small contractors trying to compete is Attorney with Koprince McCall Pottroff, Stephanie Ellis.

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A new IG report reveals the IRS sent incorrect taxpayer data to the Department of Education—raising serious questions about how federal agencies exchange sensitive information. As the Department of Government Efficiency pushes for broader data consolidation across government and as the IRS continues to shed staff and funding, this slip-up shows how one error can ripple across systems and put personal privacy at risk. Here to unpack the findings and what they mean for future data-sharing efforts is the Director, System Operations, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Jena Whitley.

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

• A federal data mix-up could mean your personal info isn’t as safe as you think
• New contracting goals shift the playing field for small and disadvantaged businesses
• IRS leadership is in flux and taxpayers may feel the fallout

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Employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency are publicly pushing back against changes at FEMA under the Trump administration. More than 190 current and former FEMA staff signed the Katrina declaration, warning that staffing cuts and other changes are risking another crisis like Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago. For the latest on the letter and its impact Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me now. 

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The Office of Personnel Management is taking on some big changes this year, like trying to modernize the Federal Retirement System, improve health insurance programs for federal employees, and overhaul the hiring process. But as OPM undertakes those major efforts, the agency is on track to lose 1000 employees, a third of its total workforce by the end of the year. As part of our Workforce Reimagined event Federal News Network's Drew Friedman, got more from OPM Director Scott Kupor. Here's a segment of their conversation.

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The President’s latest executive order could change how federal grants are awarded—and who gets them. It puts senior political appointees in charge of reviewing funding opportunities and ties discretionary awards more closely to White House priorities. Here to walk us through what’s in the order and what it could mean for agencies, grantees, and the future of federal funding is partner at Haynes Boone, Dan Ramish.

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There’s no single formula for hiring success, but the Postal Service’s inspector general has rounded up some smart, field-tested ideas that other agencies might want to borrow. From welcome kits to walk-in interviews, it’s a reminder that small changes can make a big difference. David Garcia from the USPS OIG joined us to unpack the findings.

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