The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

Today on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Federal Acquisition Council has awoken to the need to revise organizational conflict of interest rules for federal contractors. Congress mandated the change in 2022. Fifteen years have passed since the last revision. Haynes Boone procurement attorney Zach Prince has been following this rule and he joins me now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Later today, the National Lab Research SLAM will bring 17 early career scientists from the Department of Energy’s national laboratories to present their cutting-edge research in a fast-paced, engaging competition. The event is sponsored by the House Science & National Labs Caucus and the Senate National Labs Caucus, and gives federal science agencies to showcase their role in advancing innovation and developing the next generation of STEM leaders. To learn more about the event, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Christine Zachow, Manager of the Academic Engagement Office & Science Education Operations at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, as well as Meg Rodriguez, Director of the Career Pathways office at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who you'll hear from first.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Navy has invested billions in its shipbuilding industrial base. But the results haven't come in. Ships take to long to build. And often too long to repair. Navy officials can't say for certain how well their investments are paying off, that's according to the latest look-see by the Government Accountability Office. For details, we turn to the GAO's director for contracting and national security acquisition, Shelby Oakley.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Veterans Affairs Department is canceling 585 contracts that are deemed nonessential or duplicative. The VA effort is part of a government wide initiative led by the General Services Administration recall we reported last week, GSA is telling agencies to target 10 major vendors who receive the most money through consulting contracts. Federal News Network's executive editor Jason Miller, has been digging deeper into the data about consulting contracts. He joins us now to tell us what he found.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory houses some of the world's most advanced

supercomputers. Now it's home to the very fastest called El Capitan. El Capitan is 16 times more powerful than Sierra its predecessor. Both machines support the National Nuclear Security Administration's stockpile stewardship. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis got more from the labs director of artificial intelligence innovation, Brian Spears, and from computational science leader, Judy Hill.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The General Services Administration is often one of the go-to agencies for new administrations that want to get things done. That includes the first and second Trump administrations. For a review of recent developments, we turn to someone who will be a regular guest here on the Federal Drive. She was the administrator of the GSA for Trump 45, now a senior fellow at the George Mason University Baroni Center for Government Contracting.. Emily Murphy joins me now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If modern warfare depends on drones, the Marine Corps aims to be at the front of the fight. The Marines have established a competitive drone team under the auspices of the training command and Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory. The team will compete in something called the Military Drone Crucible Championship. For details, we turn to the president of the U.S. National Drone Association, Nathan Ecelbarger.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Three dozen odd critical government functions face special risk of waste, fraud and abuse. That's according to the latest version of the Government Accountability Office's High Risk List. GAO says more than half the challenges come from gaps in workforce skills. Agencies either don't have the people with the right skills or they don't have enough people in the first place. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman has more.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.