Afleveringen
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Today we dive into the transformative potential of a new executive order that could finally shake up the federal acquisition system. Francis is joined by Stan Soloway, President and CEO of Celero Strategies and former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Reform, for an insightful conversation on what the executive order really meansâand why it could be a rare turning point after decades of inertia.
Soloway peels back the rhetoric surrounding the EO and homes in on its substantive goals: modernizing the bloated and outdated 2,000-page Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and re-centering government procurement around commercially available software. He explains how this could revive FAR Part 12âthe original commercial buying frameworkâand outlines why past reform attempts fizzled. Stan also highlights the critical role of investment in human capital and tech infrastructure, noting that meaningful change wonât happen without it.
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Today, the spotlight is on zero trustânot just as a cybersecurity strategy, but as a cultural and operational shift across government. With the Department of Defense aiming to fully operationalize its zero trust strategy by 2027, the pressure is on agencies to go beyond checklists and truly embed zero trust principles into their missions. Joining Francis is Ryan Zacha, Solution Architect at Booz Allen, who shares deep insights into what it takes to make zero trust workâbeyond the buzzwords.
Ryan highlights successful government-industry partnerships like the Thunderdome program, which provides a scalable model for delivering cutting-edge security capabilities across the Department of Defense. He emphasizes the need for collaborative engagement where industry partners help federal teams analyze their current environments, identify capability gaps, and chart strategic implementation roadmaps.
One of the biggest challenges, Ryan notes, is culturalânot technological. Many agencies have the tools and architectures they need, but fear and uncertainty around data classification and access control often stall progress. He urges agencies not to wait for perfect standards or top-down direction but to begin now with foundational data analysis and strategic planning.
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Todayâs conversation turns to one of the most pressing and controversial issues facing the Department of Defense: a sweeping mandate for workforce reduction. Former Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Dov Zakheim joins the show to unpack the urgent memo issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which gives military services and agencies just two weeks to analyze and recommend personnel cuts.
Zakheim warns that while the intention behind the workforce realignmentâboosting efficiency and modernizing operationsâis commendable, the rushed timeline may lead to damaging and shortsighted decisions. Drawing on his experience and a recent piece he authored for The Hill, Zakheim outlines why the process must extend all the way down the chain of command and allow new leaders time to find their footing.
For a link to Zakheimâs article and the official memo, visit the show page at fedgovtoday.com. Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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We dive deep into the future of the Defense Departmentâs cyber and technology workforce with retired Lieutenant General Susan Lawrence, former Army CIO/G-6 and current President and CEO of AFCEA International. As one of the key leaders at the recent 2025 Cyber Workforce Summit, General Lawrence shares exclusive insights into the eventâs genesis, its explosive growth, and the collaborative efforts between government and industry to address the critical cyber talent gap.
General Lawrence also reveals how todayâs evolving threat landscapeâwhat she calls âthe speed of the threatâârequires rapid innovation and an all-hands-on-deck approach that includes civilian partners. She previews TechNet Cyber, AFCEAâs flagship event, which will feature the largest number of stages ever, showcasing thought leadership from DISA, OSD, Cyber Command, academia, and industry alike.
Learn more about TechNet Cyber and register at fedgovtoday.com/events, and catch Fed Gov Today TV every Sunday on ABC 7 and YouTube for more exclusive insights from federal leaders.
Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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Francis welcomes Dawn Simpson, Director of Financial Management and Assurance at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), to discuss the IRS's notable improvements in internal controls and the reliability of its financial data.
Dawn outlines how the IRS addressed 21 prior-year deficiencies in information systems, leading to the removal of a previously reported significant deficiency. She explains the key areas of progress â particularly in access controls and configuration management â and why these enhancements matter not only for accurate year-end financial statements but also for real-time confidence in financial data throughout the fiscal year.
She also offers insights into the ongoing nature of GAOâs audit work â highlighting how itâs common to resolve past issues while uncovering new ones â and stresses the critical role of manual monitoring in tandem with automated controls. One standout recommendation: agencies must ensure the data they extract from financial systems truly reflects their intended policies, such as depreciation calculations.
Find links to Dawnâs work on IRS financial management and more details about upcoming events and episodes at FedGovToday.com.
Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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Former GSA Administrator, Emily Murphy, joins Francis to break down the implications of an executive order tasking GSA to once again become the governmentâs central buying authority. Murphy shares her insights on what it will take to successfully transition procurement functions from multiple agencies into GSA, including the structural, personnel, and cultural shifts required to make it work.
Francis and Emily explore the lessons learned from early pilots with SBA and OPM, the complexities of retraining 1102s, and how GSA must retain its hard-won customer-first culture to avoid the pitfalls of the past. She underscores the importance of speed, agility, and agency collaboration to meet mission needsâwarning that savings alone mean little if agencies canât get what they need, when they need it.
In addition, Emily shares candid reflections on GSAâs physical footprint, including the historical yet aging headquarters at 1800 F Street, and how the agency can remain operationally effective even if it relocates. She also discusses the ongoing federal property disposal process, the challenges of building decommissioning, and the future of the Public Building Service.
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Itâs business as usual at one key government agencyâeven as the federal workforce faces uncertainty. Jim Kaplan, Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, joins the show to talk about a major milestone: the G Fundâs 38th birthday. Kaplan reflects on the TSPâs growth from its humble beginnings to serving over 7.2 million participants with $900 billion in assets.
He breaks down why the G Fund remains a foundational piece of many retirement portfolios, especially as part of the increasingly popular lifecycle (L) funds. Kaplan also highlights record-high participation in matching contributionsâ88.5% for FERS and nearly 90% for the Blended Retirement Systemâcrediting successful auto-enrollment and personalized outreach strategies that nudge federal employees to maximize their benefits. Find more details about your TSP account and the G Fundâs birthday at FedGovToday.com.
Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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Retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy and current CEO of the Navy League, Mike Stevens, joins Francis to deliver a stark message: the nation owes it to its sea service members to give them the tools, funding, and support they needânot only to accomplish the mission but to come home safely.
Stevens dives deep into the persistent challenges the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard face, from budget uncertainty and the constraints of continuing resolutions to the critical weaknesses in the maritime industrial base. With global tensions rising and Navy carrier groups actively engaging threats, the conversation underscores the high stakes for readiness and sustainability. Stevens also shares a powerful perspective on the mental and emotional toll that long deployments and high-stress combat environments can take on enlisted service membersâeffects that often donât surface until years later.
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Big changes are on the horizon for the FedRAMP cloud security program â and the reasons behind them are more than just procedural. Former Acting FedRAMP Director, Brian Conrad, joins Francis to break down whatâs evolving, whatâs staying the same, and why the ultimate goal is about delivering real security outcomes for federal data. Brian shares insights into the most common pain points industry partners faced under the old model â from finding an agency sponsor to navigating complex continuous monitoring requirements â and why upcoming automation efforts and direct authorization pathways could be game changers.
He also dives into the potential for AI, the importance of industry-government collaboration, and the role emerging initiatives like GovRAMP could play in harmonizing requirements across all levels of government.
Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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The face of identity verification is changingâliterally. Arun Vemury, Senior Advisor for Biometric and Identity Technologies at the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, joins the show to break down the Remote Identity Validation Rally, an ambitious initiative tackling the growing challenge of verifying digital identities in an age of deepfakes, AI-generated fraud, and high-tech document forgeries.
Arun shares how DHS is partnering with TSA, Homeland Security Investigations, and NIST to rigorously test remote ID verification technologiesâtechnologies that surged in use during the pandemic and are now under the microscope. From testing selfies and document photos against advanced fraud tactics, to analyzing solutions in sequestered environments without relying on the public cloud, DHS is pushing to ensure that these tools are accurate, secure, and reliable.
Read more about the Remote Identity Validation Rally full todayâs show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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Weâre getting real about cloud strategy in government. If agencies are moving to the cloudâand most areâitâs time to stop treating it like a buzzword and start managing it like a business. Vijay DâSouza, Director of Information Technology and Cybersecurity at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), joins Francis to share insights from a brand-new guide that compiles 19 leading cloud practices from 18 private sector companies. Spoiler: itâs not just about tech. Itâs about leadership, workforce readiness, acquisition smarts, and visibility into costsâespecially through the emerging discipline of FinOps.
DâSouza talks about what the federal government can learn from industry leaders, why workforce challenges are universal, and how multi-cloud strategies offer both flexibility and complexity. He also emphasizes the importance of strong leadership in cloud success and explains how fragmented cost management in government is holding agencies back from realizing the full potential of their cloud investments.
Read Vijayâs full report on todayâs show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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The General Services Administration is making a bold move to centralize procurement across the federal government, but not everyone is on board. In this episode of Fed Gov Today, former Pennsylvania Chief Procurement Officer, David Yarkin, joins Francis to discuss the challenges and opportunities of strategic sourcing. Yarkin shares insights from his time in Pennsylvania, where similar efforts led to significant cost savingsâand the lessons learned along the way. He explains why agencies often push back against consolidation and how procurement leaders can navigate these challenges to deliver better results for taxpayers.
Later, Yarkin dives into the measurable impact of procurement reform and why data-driven decision-making is key to success. He also discusses the lessons learned from past procurement failures and why technology is now essential in tracking vendor performance.
For more details and to read Davidâs piece, visit todayâs show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.
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Weâre diving into a software problem that even DOGE would raise an eyebrow at. Federal agencies are sitting on a mountain of idle software licenses, sometimes with more subscriptions than employees to use them. Former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Chief Technology Officer, Bob Gourley, joins Francis to discuss how agencies can cut waste, streamline software procurement, and adopt smarter licensing models.
Gourley breaks down staggering audit findingsâlike an agency with 13,000 employees owning 37,000 WinZip licensesâand explains why this inefficiency persists. He outlines how the governmentâs $6 billion software budget could be optimized through enterprise-wide agreements, usage-based pricing, and open-source solutions with enterprise support. While centralizing procurement through GSA could bring cost savings, agencies also need the flexibility to make mission-driven decisions at a local level.
For more details and to read Bobâs full analysis, visit todayâs show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.
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The latest executive order on Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) leaves as much unsaid as it does statedâand that could have major implications for the future of federal HR leadership. Former DHS Chief Human Capital Officer, Jeff Neal, joins Francis to break down what the EO doesnât say about turning CHCOs into political appointees and why that matters. Jeff shares his own experience transitioning his role from a political appointment to a career SES position and explains how this change could influence agency leadership, decision-making, and the independence of HR leaders across government.
Neal shares the real-world challenges CHCOs face in balancing politics with policy, the potential chilling effect on career executives, and why some fights are worth pickingâand others arenât. Plus, the latest insights on federal workforce trends, including why the government struggles to attract young talent and how hiring decisions today could shape the future of federal HR.
For more details and to read Jeffâs full analysis, visit todayâs show page at FedGovToday.com. Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.
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Former DHS Chief Information Security Officer, Ken Bible, joins the show to discuss how agencies like DHS, FEMA, and CISA are navigating cyber workforce challenges under the Cyber Talent Management System (CTMS). He highlights the risks of attrition in an increasingly competitive cybersecurity landscape and explains why investing in and retaining cyber talent is crucial for securing operational technologies, industrial control systems, and the next wave of AI-driven security challenges.
Tune in to Fed Gov Today TV this Tuesday, March 18, at 8:30 PM ET on WJLA 24/7 News. If you miss the live broadcast, catch it anytime on FedGovToday.com or the Fed Gov Today YouTube channel.
Donât miss the next episode, where we explore a major shakeup in federal human capital policyâconverting every career agency Chief Human Capital Officer into a political appointee.
Subscribe and listen anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.
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The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com.
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