Nextgov
Annual Government Spending Approaches Historic Territory
Driven heavily by the Defense Department, contract spending across government will exceed $600 billion in fiscal 2020.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Pandemic IG Publishes First Report; Fourth Military Service Member Dies of COVID-19
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Management
The Lack of Meaningful Human Capital Metrics Is Hurting Agencies
There’s no effective dashboard documenting the government’s efforts to solve its considerable workforce problems.
Oversight
Acting State Department IG Will Resign Effective Friday
Amb. Stephen Akard was installed after Trump’s controversial firing of IG Steve Linick in May.
Defense
US Missile Defenses Are About to Level Up
Laser-armed Strykers, new Eastern European batteries, and sea-based interceptors are all coming in the next two years, Pentagon officials say.
Defense
Trump: U.S. To Withdraw 4K Troops From Afghanistan By Election
“It’s already planned,” the president said in an interview with Axios.
Management
They Sounded the Alarm, Evacuated Americans and Started Working on a Vaccine
Behind-the-scenes stars of the federal government’s coronavirus response.
Employee Policy
OPM reorganizes HR data management teams
The new Human Capital Data Management and Modernization Directorate aims to advance use of data to improve decision-making, but the union sees the change as another attempt to merge the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration.
Employee Policy
Trump fires TVA chairman over foreign contractors
The federally owned power company is rethinking plans to fire its internal IT staff and shift to managed services in light of Trump's intervention and a new executive order on federal contracting.
Management
6 in 10 Likely Voters Support Voting by Mail
A new survey finds that 66% of likely voters support voting by mail for all Americans for the November election and just 22% oppose that idea.
Tech
GovExec Daily: The Upcoming Vaccine Logistics Questions
Dr. Julie Swann joins the podcast to examine how a vaccine will be distributed when it becomes available.
Management
OPM Is Reorganizing Employees to Get Around Ban on GSA Merger, Union Claims
Over the weekend, the Office of Personnel Management moved nearly two dozen employees into the agency’s HR Line of Business, which is being renamed with GSA support.
Nextgov
5 Ways the FITARA Scorecard May Evolve
Ten scorecards later, lawmakers and experts are looking for new ways to update the metrics on which agencies are graded.
Management
White House Orders Federal Contractors to Limit Their Use of Foreign Workers
President Trump signed an executive order that requires agencies to review internally their contracting practices, but experts say there are questions on how it will be implemented.
Route Fifty
Seven States Band Together to Purchase Rapid-Result Covid Tests
The compact, negotiated by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, aims to increase production of the tests, which can deliver results in less than a half hour.
Management
Immigration Judges Union Survives, For Now
Federal Labor Relations Authority regional director rejects arguments by the Justice Department that immigration judges are managers and therefore their union should be decertified.
Route Fifty
Census Bureau Says It Will Stop the Count A Month Early
Because of complications caused by the pandemic this spring, the Census Bureau had planned to keep counting people until Oct. 31.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: National Guard Deployments Extended With Funding Cuts; NIH Begins Antibody Clinical Trial
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Nextgov
NTIA to Host Proof-of-Concept Summit in Software Transparency Effort
More agencies are starting to ask suppliers for a software bill of materials in building a foundation for better, faster cybersecurity.
Employee Policy