The Lacey Lewis #Era has begun at GovNavigators. Our first employee joins the show to talk about her background and Texas roots, interest in public policy, and spills the tea about her internship at OMB. Don't miss this one!   

Show Notes
WashPost: ‘DOGE’ tweets illustrate an almost impossible budget-cutting agenda
OMB Releases Annual Data Showing Lowest Government-wide Improper Payment Rate Since 2014
O'Malley: SSA’s 2024 progress refutes government doubters

Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
ACT-IAC’s Fighting Fraud in Government (Virtual)
**GovExec: Trump and GovCon: Prepping for 2025 and Beyond (sign up for the GovNavigators weekly policy updates for an exclusive discount code for this event)

With the transition to the incoming Trump administration well under way (and somewhat behind schedule), Jim Cook, Strategic Engagement Executive and Chair of the Innovation Institute at ACT-IAC and Troy Schneider, Principal at TKS Strategies join the show to talk about the deep dive they are helping to lead at ACT-IAC on the presidential transition.

Show Notes

• OMB (OIRA) Memo: Supporting Usability Testing Through Paperwork Reduction Act Flexibilities 

• Washington Post: Supreme Court to examine power of Congress to delegate authority

• Wikipedia: List of Announced Political Appointments by President-elect Trump

Events on the GovNavigators's Radar
GovExec Outlook Event: Trump & GovCon: Prepping for 2025 and Beyond (December 16) 

The Program Integrity Alliance is a new nonprofit dedicated to strengthen integrity and data-driven fraud prevention in the U.S. for a more trustworthy, effective, and efficient government. Linda Miller and Gavin Ugale, co-founders of the PIA join the show to talk about why they created the "do-tank" and some of the big plans they have to help strengthen fraud prevention in government.

Show Notes

• CBS News: What to know about Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy

• Douglas Holz-Eakin in The Hill: Musk’s bold plans for ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ face roadblocks

• George Will in the Washington Post: The World's Richest Person is about to Receive a Free Public Education

• Contact Linda Miller (Linda.Miller@programintegrity.org) or Gavin Egale (Gavin.Ugale@programintegrity.org).   

Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
Data Foundation CDO Survey Report Release (11/19)
PSC Vision Federal Market Forecast Conference (11/19)
CDO Symposium (11/21)

In this special pop-up episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam recap an historic week with the release of an updated OMB Circular A-50 (and also the election again of Donald Trump).

But most important of all, this episode honors the commitment and sacrifice of our country's veterans and their families. Please make sure to thank a veteran the next chance you get and get involved to help the more than 18 million living veterans with the support they need.

Show Notes
OMB Circular A-50
Ways to Help Veterans

Events on the GovNavigators's Radar
ACT-IAC CX Summit
NAPA Fall Meeting

Amira Boland, Chief of Staff at the New Practice Lab, and former OMB lead for Customer Experience joins the GovNavigators Show to reflect on her time in government, her tips for re-architecting a bureaucracy (don't be afraid of the source document; taking risks is ok!), and her Sammies win!

Show Notes
Supreme Court ignites wave of lawsuits against federal regulations
Learn about the Service to America Medals 2024 Management Excellence Medal Winner: Amira Boland 

Events on GovNavigators's Radar
AGA's Technology Transformation Summit (November 6, 2024)

Terry Gerton, President and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration joins the GovNavigators Show to share groundbreaking research commissioned by NAPA about how to best communicate the value, results, and role of government to everyday Americans.

Show Notes
Open Government Federal Advisory Committee Holds First Public Meeting
GSA Release: Technology Modernization Fund announces investments upgrading customer experiences in housing and Social Security services
Council on Federal Financial Assistance

Events on GovNavigators' Radar
Data Foundation GovDATAx: Data to Results: Mapping the Future of Effective Government (October 30)
NAPA Fall Meeting (November 13-15)

Jenny Mattingley, Vice President for Government Affairs at the Partnership for Public Service and former Executive Director of the PIC (among many other amazing roles) joins the GovNavigators Show to share more about her efforts to bring people together to solve challenges facing the federal workforce.

Dave Wennergren, CEO at the American Council for Technology - Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) and the most cheerful gentleman we know joins the GovNavigators Show to give a preview of the upcoming Imagination ELC24 conference and talk about the latest trends and developments in government tech.

Show Notes
GSA's Login.gov announces certification of Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) compliance
OMB Publishes the Trust Reg
How a wonky, centrist catchphrase explains Harris’s platform
A Simple Plan to Solve All of America’s Problems

Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
GAIN 2024 (October 17, 2024)
Small Business Alliance - FY25 Government Wide IT Category Forum
ACT-IAC Imagination ELC24 (October 27-29, Hershey, PA)
ACT-IAC CX Summit (November 15, Crystal City, VA)

The FedRAMP program has been around for over a decade and has recently released a host of new policies and resources, including a new roadmap, a refreshed OMB policy memo, two different pilots, an emerging technology prioritization framework, an a request for public comment on new metrics. Zaree Singer, Agency Engagement Lead at the FedRAMP program at GSA joins the GovNavigators Show to talk about the new and refurbished FedRAMP program.

Show Notes
FedRAMP Roadmap
Emerging Technology Prioritization Framework
FedRAMP Agile Delivery Pilot
Refreshed OMB Policy Memo
FedRAMP Metrics for Public Comment

News Links
WSJ: Cheetos Turning Mice Translucent
OMB Issues Guidance to Advance the Responsible Acquisition of AI in Government
GAO: OMB Needs a Structure to Govern and a Plan to Develop a Comprehensive Inventory
Wash Post: After bungling financial aid process, Ed Dept. begins testing new FAFSA
Fed News Network: Rep. Mace questions GSA’s plan for replacing FedRAMP JAB

Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
PSC: 2024 Defense Conference (10/8/24)
ACT-IAC: Cybersecurity Summit and U.S. Cyber Challenge Awards Ceremony 2024 (10/9/24)
AFCEA Bethesda: Kickin' It with Energy: A Conversation With Leadership (10/10/24)

Reforming DOD's storied but cumbersome budget process is a work in progress. But it’s critical to strengthening the organization’s warfighting capability. Listen in to hear Russell Rumbaugh, the Navy's CFO and Assistant Secretary for Financial Management, share some of the progress the Navy and Marine Corps have made modernizing financial management and discuss PPBE reform and other policy changes with Andy Lucido, Managing Director and Practice Leader at Alvarez & Marsal Federal. 

Show Notes
Andy Lucido in FNN: Tailor DoD’s budget process to the national security imperatives the times demand
Department of the Navy's Audit Sizzle Reel

Congress passes bill to prevent government shutdown, add funds for Secret Service
FBI’s Carahsoft raid comes amid allegations of price-fixing
U.S. agencies publish plans to comply with White House AI memo 

Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
National Association of State CIOs Annual Conference (Sept 29 - Oct 2)
CX Day (Oct 1)
ATARC Zero Trust Summit (Oct 3)

The GovNavigators are joined by Andrea Sampanis, Acting Director of the Grants Quality Service Management Office (QSMO). Andrea talks about some of the challenges faced by the over 50 different grant making agencies and the work the Grants QSMO has undertaken to help improve the federal grant making process. And she shares some of the amazing work the QSMO did using human centered design to deliver real solutions that lessen the burdens on tribal grant recipients in rural and underserved areas.

Show Notes
Tribal Customer Experience Pilot for Post-Award Reporting
Federal Grants Systems Hub
GSA Announces Open Government Federal Advisory Committee
Washington Post "Who is Government" Series
Urgent Need for a Congressional Evidence Commission

Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
NASCIO Annual Conference (September 29 - October 2, New Orleans, LA)

This week the GovNavigators are joined by Margot Conrad, the Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of Personnel Management. Margot shares some of the details of a slew of exciting new policy initiatives at OPM and how the agency is working to create tools and flexibilities that support federal agencies human capital needs.

Show Notes
OMB Circular A-129 Update
OMB/OPM Memo: Improving the Federal Hiring Experience
2024 Service to America Medal Winners

Events on the GovNavigators' Radar
AGA Internal Control and Fraud Prevention Training (Sept. 19-20) 

Commerce Department Senior Advisor Shannon Arvizu rejoins the GovNavigators Show to share the latest on the development of the Department's new data strategy and talk about the release of its Equitable Data Playbook.

The GovNavigators take a respite to celebrate Labor Day and also the first GovNavigators wedding as Robert's middle daughter got married over the holiday weekend. And they'll need the rest - Congress returns this week to an overflowing slate of to dos, there are only a few weeks left in FY24 for agencies to spend end of year funds, and a presidential transition (or one kind or another) is imminent. 

Lauren Stocker, Acting Director of GSA's Office of Evaluation Sciences stops by to talk about her interesting career path at GSA, what the Office of Evaluation Sciences does to improve government programs and why we need more of it. Oh...and she drops the bomb that she's a Houstonian! 

FOGN Christina Ho joins the GovNavigators Show to talk about her role as a Board Member of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), the many nicknames she has been given, and how she has made principled stands on policy in her role on the PCAOB.

The GovNavigators consult with the Oracle of Congress - Managing Partner and Founder of Brumidi Group Charles Cooper. Charles reviews the (small) progress made in Congress so far this year and previews the host of work left to do when it returns from the August recess. Oh - and he gives an (unpaid) shout out about how much he likes the GovNavigators!

Washington Post report Liz Goodwin joins Robert and Adam to talk about her work shining a light on the U.S. Congress. Specifically Liz talks about her report opening up and analysing the data on a new House program allowing for reimbursement for living expenses while in Washington D.C. And she and Robert share their shared TX roots.

John Salamone, Chief Human Resources Officer of the House of Representatives joins the GovNavigators Show to talk about bringing structure and resources to the 435+ offices of the U.S. House of Representatives. John shares how he fell into working in human resources and some of the exciting new programs and supports he is helping to create in the House.

The GovNavigators are joined this week by Tim Brennan, Vice President of Government Relations at the Professional Services Council (PSC). Robert and Adam grill Tim about dressing for the job you want, the levels of calcification of the federal bureaucracy, and the wide range of policy issues he is leading the charge on for PSC.