After major staffing reductions under the Trump administration, the federal workforce is at a 15-year low. But now, some agencies are reversing course and talking again about expanding recruitment opportunities. That comes as administration officials are also pushing for hiring reforms, like technical assessments and pooled recruitment. For the latest on agency hiring prospects, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman sat down with vice president of government affairs at the Partnership for Public Service, Jenny Mattingley.

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Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

• The real challenge with AI and advanced computing is closing the gap between where the technology exists and who can actually use it
• Quantum computing is a national priority, but who’s actually in charge?
• A major environmental decision is now locked in, with lingering questions about the process behind it

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The federal government’s national strategy for quantum computing lays out broad goals, but a new GAO review finds gaps in coordination, accountability, and performance measurement across agencies. We’ll walk through what’s missing and what updating the strategy could change with Candace Wright, director for science, technology assessment, and analytics at the Government Accountability Office.

Read the report here: https://files.gao.gov/reports/GAO-26-107759/index.html?_gl=1*1u44tf*_ga*MTc1Mjk3OTI1MC4xNzQ2NjUwOTc0*_ga_V393SNS3SR*czE3NzQ2MjcyOTMkbzQ4JGcwJHQxNzc0NjI3MzAyJGo1MSRsMCRoMA..

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The National Nuclear Security Administration has finalized a site‑wide environmental impact statement for Los Alamos, shaping the lab’s path for years to come. Reviewers say the process raises important questions about how impacts were evaluated and what assumptions were made and how those choices may ripple through future oversight and planning. Joining me to explain where process missteps might affect future implementation is Dr. Dylan Spaulding, a senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

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Advanced computing and AI are reshaping nearly every sector, but access to those capabilities remains uneven. The National Science Foundation is launching a new effort aimed at broadening who can use advanced computing. Dr. Erwin Gianchandani joins me from the National Science Foundation.

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The challenge of delivering capabilities to warfighters at a faster rate is hardly a new problem for the Defense Department. But with the rise of artificial intelligence and cloud services, there may be no better opportunity to shift the timetable and accelerate delivery. For more on how at least the Marine Corps is cutting down the time it takes to deliver capabilities, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller talked to David Raley, the chief digital business officer of the Marine Corps Community Services, about a platform that is cutting down the time to delivery to as little as 15 minutes.

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For perhaps the first time since the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act became law in 1994, the Office of Management and Budget is holding agencies accountable for how they buy commercial items. What’s different now is that OMB wants agencies to prove they’re meeting the spirit and intent, not just the letter, of the law. For more on how OMB is raising the bar, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller joins me now.

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The Court of Federal Claims agreed that the Navy mishandled affiliate past performance in a major procurement, then rejected the protest on procedural grounds. The Noblis decision is a cautionary tale about record discipline, expert evidence and the limits of post‑hoc fixes. Here to walk us through the case is Zach Prince, partner at Haynes Boone.

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Periods immediately after an election are often defined less by new rules than by unanswered questions. For government contractors, that uncertainty can create real legal, contractual, and operational risk long before policies change. Joining me to talk about how contractors can prepare for political transitions without overcorrecting is partner at Jenner and Block, David Robbins.

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Looking at the president’s defense budget request, the story isn’t just how much money is there, but what the administration is asking the Pentagon to lean into. Meanwhile, shutdown‑related delays at DHS are testing contractor resilience in real time. Jim Carroll, CEO of the Professional Services Council, joins us to walk through the real world impacts.

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