Management
Vought calls for more OMB staff after spearheading governmentwide cuts
Architect of Trump’s government overhaul says he does not want to "traumatize" feds and some agencies have staff "doing incredible work."
Pay & Benefits
Should you stay or should you go? 10 tips for navigating your federal retirement decision
What to consider—financially and emotionally—before leaving government service.
Workforce
Trump is planning to slash 107,000 federal jobs next year. See where
New details in the president's budget detail some of the proposed workforce reductions, though the final cuts will likely be steeper.
Management
White House budget request includes $45 million in additional DOGE funding
The request would support an estimated 150 full time employees, 80% of whom would be paid out of agency reimbursements, rather than DOGE-specific funds.
Defense
Pentagon won’t say how many civilians have left since February
The department has used a mix of layoffs and voluntary resignations to cut workforce.
Management
For DOGE, it was all in the name
COMMENTARY | Elon Musk made a mockery of government reform.
Workforce
Fired GSA 18F employees appeal to have jobs reinstated
The Trump administration has endeavored to streamline the agency’s contracting and procurement processes while putting in mechanisms to shed its workforce.
Management
VA-based DOGE associate gets ‘the boot’ after publicly discussing his work
Sahil Lavingia detailed in a personal blog how the reality of hunting inefficiencies at the Department of Veterans Affairs was not what he had expected.
Defense
Pentagon orders civilian employees to submit money-saving ideas
It’s the last step in the "5 bullet points" weekly email exercise.
Management
Rewrite of market research rules aims to give agencies more flexibility
A new version of Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 10 removes prescriptive requirements and adds a "practitioner album" with the goal of streamlining research processes.
Management
New SSA chief praises DOGE for ‘making things better’
Frank Bisignano said he has no current plans to institute further reductions in force and hopes to use AI to make the historically sluggish Social Security disability determination processes move faster.
Workforce
More than 2,100 GSA employees have accepted deferred resignations
Combined with those employees that have been impacted by reductions in force, the losses amount to nearly a quarter of what the agency’s workforce totals were last fall.
Oversight
Government oversight employees detail fears of retaliation under Trump administration in new Senate report
President Donald Trump has, so far, fired 19 inspectors general, who are independent watchdogs that investigate waste, fraud and abuse in federal agencies.
Management
NIH director bemoans RIFs, mocks ‘5 things’ email and says agency shoulders blame for COVID outbreak in first address
New agency head also says some laid off employees may be recalled, including to help address supply shortages at labs and medical centers.
Management
Legislative watchdog rebuffs DOGE efforts to install on-site team
“DOGE’s attempted intrusion into an independent, nonpartisan legislative branch agency is a direct assault on our nation’s sacred separation of powers,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee.
Management
DOGE went looking for phone fraud at SSA — and found almost none
Since SSA installed new anti-fraud checks on claims made over the phone, only two claims out of over 110,000 were found to likely be fraudulent, according to internal documents obtained by Nextgov/FCW.
Oversight
Government watchdog reports that its unimplemented recommendations could save $100 billion
President Donald Trump has prioritized government efficiency, primarily through an effort led by Elon Musk.
Management
How William Howard Taft’s approach to government efficiency differed from Elon Musk’s slash-and-burn tactics
President Taft worked with Congress to launch his effort to streamline government, while Trump has taken a different route.
Workforce
Most major agencies must pause RIFs for at least two weeks, judge orders
Court finds the Trump administration has likely acted unlawfully in instituting widespread layoffs.
Defense