The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

The number of contract awards to 8(a) small businesses are down across the government. But Native American, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian-owned companies are feeling the brunt of the downturn. The Small Business Administration also has slowed down the approval of new applications to the 8(a) program. SBA hasn’t processed an application since August. All of these concerns drove the Native Amer...

IRS employees temporarily reassigned to cover frontline work during this year’s filing season will stay on these assignments a while longer. The agency is asking IT and human resources staff to stay on temporary details for another 120 days. Most impacted staff have been in training and are now addressing a backlog of amended tax returns. Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman has more. See Privacy P...

Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton What does the FCC have to do with cyber security? You can buy better tools, but that alone won’t get you to perfect cyber security See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

From emergency alerts to disaster communications, the systems that keep the public informed depend on secure communications networks. Here to explain how the FCC is approaching cybersecurity through the lens of public safety and why preparedness matters as much as regulation is Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission, Zenji Nakazawa. See Privacy P...

Cyber spending often focuses on new platforms and advanced defenses. But experience shows those investments fall short when organizational practices, training and accountability don’t evolve alongside them. Here with a perspective on why people remain central to effective cyber security is Senior Director, Civilian Experience and Policy Research at ForsMarsh, Nicole Togno. Cyber spending often foc...

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is urging water, power and other critical infrastructure organizations to prepare to operate without internet and other technology services. That’s the overarching goal of a new initiative unveiled by CISA this week. The agency says organizations need to be prepared to operate through IT outages and other challenges during a geopolitical crisis....

The Defense Department has struck deals with some of the nation’s largest technology companies to deploy their advanced artificial intelligence capabilities on its classified networks. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis has more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Public Service Recognition Week often thanks people for what they do. This year, one national effort is asking something harder: how the country understands public service in the first place A new executive order makes fixed‑price, performance‑based contracts the default across the federal government Customer experience modernization sounds st...

At a moment when trust in government is closely tied to how work actually gets done, the National Academy of Public Administration is treating recognition as more than a ceremony. We’ll talk about why NAPA is making “Celebrating the American Public Servant” a year‑long effort and what they’re learning about durability, trust, and service across every level of government with James‑Christian Blockw...

A new executive order makes fixed‑price, performance‑based contracts the default across the federal government, requiring extra justification and senior approval when agencies want to do something else. That shift could reshape how contracting officers plan, justify and manage major programs, according to Senior Fellow at the George Mason University Baroni Center for Government Contracting, Emily...

Federal leaders are under growing pressure to improve how the public experiences government, even as they manage compliance, security and aging systems. We'll explore where agencies are encountering the most friction and what’s helping them move from intent to execution with general manager for U.S. federal government at Granicus, John Boerstler. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

The State Department has concluded its widespread reduction in force nearly a year after it began. The department is officially separating hundreds of Foreign Service officers who received reduction in force notices last summer. The department tried to part ways with these employees before, but has kept on paid administrative leave since July 2025. Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman has more.&nbs...

Federal hiring managers will soon have a new tech resource at their disposal. The Office of Personnel Management has just rolled out “USA Class.” It’s an AI tool that can generate federal position descriptions. With the new resource, OPM is hoping it can relieve some hiring burdens for HR staff. Here with more, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy a...

Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Public Service Recognition Week comes at an uneasy moment for the federal workforce after cuts, restructuring and tighter performance rules. So what does “recognition” actually mean right now? For a lot of employees, recognition isn’t about awards, it’s about trust, respect and whether their work still matters day to day A conversation with a...

Public Service Recognition Week is usually about gratitude. This year, it follows workforce reductions, sharper accountability rules, and renewed debates about capacity and morale. Scott Kupor says recognition, in this moment, is less about ceremony and more about how the government expects people to do their jobs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...

A Sammies award this year recognizes USDA research that improved animal health and food productivity through genetics. Dr. Paul VanRaden joins us to explain how long‑term public investment delivered results for the dairy industry and for the broader public. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Government Accountability Office is facing a budget cut from House appropriators for the second year in a row. GAO would need to cut roughly 1,000 jobs under a bill being advanced in the House Appropriations Committee. For more, Federal News Network’s Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sel...

At the State Department, a growing demand for passports has led the Bureau of Consular Affairs to rethink its customer experience strategy. In 2025, the bureau issued more than 27 million passport books and cards. That’s a one-year record. Matt Pierce is the deputy assistant secretary of State for passports. As he told Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman, the department is managing to hold process...

Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton An IBM settlement is reshaping how contractors look at DEI compliance For some new retirees, the paperwork may be done, but the money still hasn’t arrived Public Service Recognition Week is about honoring federal work as it exists now, this year’s Sammies tell that story in a different way See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Ca...

A recent settlement involving IBM has drawn broad attention across the federal contracting community, drawing attention well beyond the specifics of a single company. For many contractors, the case raises questions about how workplace initiatives intersect with long‑standing employment and contracting rules. Joining me with more details is Sheila Abron, Partner at Fisher Phillips and Chair of the...

Thousands of federal employees retired at the end of the last fiscal year expecting a smooth transition, only to find themselves waiting months for their first retirement payment. That delay can turn careful planning into real stress, especially when questions about savings, TSP withdrawals and Medicare decisions all come at once. Federal retirement expert Tammy Flanagan is here with wise advice o...

Public Service Recognition Week is often about celebration, but it also serves as a moment to reflect honestly on how federal work is actually being done. This year, the Partnership for Public Service narrowed the Sammies awards to just four recipients. Michelle Amante joins me to talk about why that matters and what these awardees represent about public service right now. See Privacy Policy at ht...

More than 100 Environmental Protection Agency employees were disciplined last year, after signing a “declaration of dissent.” Many of those employees are now pursuing formal legal remedies, alleging unlawful retaliation. Here with the latest, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-...

The Space Force is getting ready to bring part-timers into its force as it continues to build a personnel model radically different from other services. Federal News Network’s Anastasia Obis has more.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Coming up today on 'The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton' Congress already strips pensions for some crimes, a new bill would expand the list In government, offering your best professional advice doesn’t guarantee it will be taken or that it will be risk‑free A vote doesn’t always bring closure on Capitol Hill, why some of Congress’s biggest fights don’t really end when the gavel comes down See Priv...