All Episodes
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton — 1000 episodes
Cyber leaders remind organizations to focus on basics
DIU working to address bottlenecks in working with DoD
People who benefit from a government program often know things the people who designed it don't
Millions of people are doing exactly what policymakers say they should do: working. Many still qualify for public assistance.
Building more homes and building more affordable homes are not always the same thing.
The Federal Drive - - Wednesday, September 16, 2026
OPM details expectations for new RIF rules
The Pentagon may be rethinking CMMC, but cybersecurity isn't taking a pause
Congress doesn't seem ready to move quickly on AI, the technology may not wait
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, September 15, 2026
The Coast Guard is building new ways to turn operational data into usable information
One DoD leader says a sharper technology focus is changing how government works with industry
Artificial intelligence may help the Navy's financial managers someday, after untangling decades of systems
Some of the Pentagon's toughest technology challenges aren't technical at all
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, September 14, 2026
The Pentagon's restructuring of acquisition bureaucracies proves its worth
FBI cyber leader details bureau’s first unclassified cyber strategy
A new Army museum exhibit tells a lesser-known story from September 11: the work of rebuilding after the attacks
One national remembrance effort is built around a simple idea: the best way to honor service is through service of your own
Twenty-five years after 9/11, we'll examine what government learned from that day and whether it's keeping those lessons alive
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, September 11, 2026
LTG Simerly leaving DLA more agile, adaptative
Pentagon finds ID problems affecting 215,000 troops
An organization can have security offices, monitoring programs and compliance requirements everywhere, and still miss the whole risk picture
For years, the Pentagon has struggled to produce a clean audit, that push is now reshaping how it manages money and systems
The TSP's F Fund was supposed to offer a little more return in exchange for a little more risk
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, September 10, 2026
MSPB finalizes major shift in federal employee misconduct cases
DISA issues sources-sought notice for migration of combatant commands' common-use IT services
The Pentagon is collecting more information about the effects of blast exposure, GAO says it needs a clearer picture
A Medicare policy designed to encourage certain business arrangements produced unexpected results
Washington is making decisions now that could reshape competition and investment across government
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Pentagon turns to medical records to identify service members subject to administration's ban on transgender troops
Washington often focuses on what Congress passes. What lawmakers decide not to tackle can matter just as much
Turning 65 doesn't make the choice between Medicare and FEHB any less confusing
Government is very good at preventing mistakes, but what if that comes at the expense of actually solving problems?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Best of "The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton" - - Monday, September 7, 2026
House VA lawmakers to subpoena Oracle over EHR contract
As Washington races to build the next generation of national security technology, some cybersecurity experts are focused on the systems already in the field
It may be easier to calculate the cost of defending military bases from drones than to design defenses that can adapt as quickly as the drones do
Recent attacks on water utilities exposed a cybersecurity challenge that's national in scope but local in responsibility
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, September 4, 2026
Agencies are being forced to take prioritized approach to software patching
OPM’s overhauls to FEVS pose both opportunities and risks, workforce experts say
NASA's newest space telescope wasn't built to zoom in on a single mystery. It was built to show astronomers more of the universe at once
The federal government is asking universities and laboratories to make more decisions about biological research risks
The people earning STEM Ph.D.s aren't ending up where doctoral education was originally built to send them
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, September 3, 2026
OMB lays out two-year move to single sign-on using Login.gov
OPM calls for wider AI adoption in federal hiring process
SBA is redesigning its digital services around the people who use them, rather than the way the agency is organized
Opportunity Zones attracted billions in investment. Measuring what that investment achieved has been much harder
The CFPB's next director may inherit an agency that's already been fundamentally reshaped
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Treasury Dept efforts to secure federal payments takes root
Quantum security ‘drumbeat’ to grow louder in federal procurement
The Ukraine war is forcing militaries to rethink how quickly weapons and countermeasures evolve
For years, the defense industrial base was a future problem. Now it's a production problem
The government is changing some key rules that shape the federal contracting marketplace
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Three initiatives causing industry new concerns about DoD acquisition reforms
Trump officially plans for civilian federal pay freeze in 2027
Congress returns next week faces a mountain of legislation, and fewer easy options available
A new review of AI use finds the postal industry is still sorting out what works at scale
The Naval Postgraduate School has a new high performance AI computing system from NVIDIA
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, August 31, 2026
Cyber vulnerabilities posed by AI push agencies to do more to get out from under legacy technology debt
More troops reported sexual assaults last year as incidents fell
A Navy nurse is on a mission to improve trauma care across military medicine
The most important retirement conversation you can have with your spouse may be the one neither of you wants to have
Americans may disagree on politics, but they seem to have a clearer picture of what they want government to do than many leaders assume
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, August 28, 2026
Unions challenge Trump admin overhaul of suitability, performance rules
Army moving ahead to put nuclear microreactors on military bases
Getting help to disaster survivors takes more than good weather forecasts
Everyone agrees federal hiring and firing can take a long time, we look at what's actually causing the delay
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, August 27, 2026
TSA to replace ‘Gold+’ in privatization push
Losses keep piling up for Trump administration over handling of RTO mandate
A court can tell an agency it was wrong, getting employees the remedy they won can take much longer
Commercial aviation depends on a growing network of connected systems. GAO found gaps in cybersecurity
September could bring answers on several issues federal employees have been tracking for months
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, August 26, 2026
The SBA wants to give 114,000 more companies access to small business contracts
Air Force joins federal agencies planning to spend more than ever on construction and maintenance projects
SBA wants to give 114,000 more companies access to small business contracts
Special Operations Command wants to hear from companies that have never sold it anything
Expanding access isn't just about who qualifies for government programs, DARPA's ERIS marketplace may have a solution
The SBA wants to change who qualifies as a small business
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, August 25, 2026
DoD launches pilots to overhaul EEO processes, speed up complaint investigations
Golden Dome cost estimate draws Pentagon pushback
Congress may be out of town, but the institution never really shuts down
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is revisiting decades-old radiation protection standards, prompting debate
Military housing has been under scrutiny for years, but the challenge may be bigger than any one landlord
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, August 24, 2026
Medicare and Medicaid looks to move beyond risk-based cybersecurity
CMMC review: DoD’s inconsistent CUI marking continues to plague program
The government is taking a closer look at who is really performing work under small-business contracts
A surprising source is helping uncover compromised government websites
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, August 21, 2026
Lawsuit seeks to force OPM to update reservist differential pay guidance
AbilityOne program comes under new scrutiny
A growing number of court filings have something in common: they cite legal cases that don't actually exist
Autonomous? What's the difference between a machine that follows instructions and one that can handle something unexpected?
For years, cyber defenders have assumed they had time to react. What happens when AI shrinks that window?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton -- Thursday, August 20, 2026
DoD strategic hiring committees are still a mystery a year after their formation
Trump’s move to ‘unleash’ private sector hackers raises novel oversight, liability questions
The Postal Service has long delivered ballots. Increasingly, policymakers want it to play a larger role in how ballots are validated and counted
Some of the federal government's oldest obligations have long faced a gap between commitment and execution
One taxpayer's effort to solve an IRS problem led to a much larger question about how the agency is functioning today
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, August 19, 2026
The pace of AI adoption is accelerating the need to adopt a robust identity framework
DoD changes transitional health care eligibility for reservists following lawsuit
Rules about funding and cybersecurity can shape the defense market as surely as contracts do
Federal grants run on more than money; they run on predictable rules
OPM is building the federal government's next generation HR platform, ACT-IAC wanted to know what the marketplace around it looks like
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, August 18, 2026
DLA's five year IT modernization journey reaches major milestone
Troops can get up to $10,000 to freeze eggs under new pilot
Congress may be on recess, but the campaign for governing power is still underway
Some of the biggest retirement mistakes happen when decisions are made without understanding the consequences
Months after Foreign Service families evacuated parts of the Middle East, uncertainty continues
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, August 17, 2026
DoD seeks broad authority to sell military real estate
‘ICJobs:’ Intel community gets new classified jobs portal
Who says the federal government should own part of a private company? That's no longer a theoretical question
Tokenized finance is forcing governments to coordinate rules for markets that are still being built.
Government is taking a bigger role in shaping emerging technologies, now Congress has to rewrite some rules
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Friday, August 14, 2026
Pentagon wants to spend millions on Palantir with few details
After sweeping staffing reduction, agencies assemble "annual staffing plans"
As AI becomes more common at the VA, veterans want to know how decisions are made and who's accountable for them
Getting help starts with recognizing the real problem. For many veterans, that problem turns out to be a legal one
Military families don't get to choose when they move, ,that can make buying a home a tough financial decision
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, August 13, 2026
FBI investigating North Korean remote IT staffer working for US agency
What's new in the 8(a) business development program
OPM spent the past year helping reshape the federal workforce, a new GAO report looks inside OPM itself
Government asks for public input all the time, most people don't know what to do with that invitation
Clinical trials need participants, are the rules about compensation helping or hurting?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, August 12, 2026
OPM preparing to take over federal employee appeals
Army AI tool accused of hallucinating in bid process, what happens next?
Defense leaders aren't short on new technology. They're trying to figure out what it takes to field it
Contractors trying to comply with the Pentagon's Anthropic restrictions are running into an unexpected problem
Military commanders have access to more information than ever before, but can they make sense of it fast enough to matter?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Tuesday, August 11, 2026
NASA’s successful demonstration of laser communications marks a turning point
Army’s social media exit could hurt small contractors
The government can track an award from Washington to a state government. Following it is often where the trail goes cold
One legal scholar argues that a professional career workforce is more consistent with conservative principles than many people think
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, August 10, 2026
DoD pulls independent testing office’s public reports from its website
FEMA staffing cuts lacked strategy, hit regional staff hardest
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Friday, August 7, 2026
Some contractors got CMMC certified early, now the implementation is on hold at their expense
Remote connections that help operators monitor critical systems create opportunities for cyber attackers
Trump administration creates new commission on military spouses
OPM drops ‘disparate impact’ guidelines from federal hiring regulations
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, August 6, 2026
New reporting examines the non-combat deaths of Army women
ARPA-H is investing in new technology designed to give clinicians a clearer picture of how a baby is tolerating labor
Supporters of a bipartisan bill say America's biotechnology future depends on measurement science
Senate stopgap extends key cyber authorities, TMF
VA’s cloud security memo more mythbuster than new policy
Senate stopgap extents key cyber authorities, TMF
Some critics say one little-known EPA power means the approval process may never truly be over
One of the toughest jobs in government is paying today to avoid problems tomorrow
How much should homeowners have to pay upfront to get lower energy bills
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, August 5, 2026
OPM cements major shift in federal employee appeals, RIF processes
Army says its ready to scale NGC2 across the force
Many acquisition reform efforts focus on policies and regulations, DIU is betting on workforce changes
Contracting officers have broad authority to evaluate proposals, but they don't get to change the scoring system
When technology changes faster than acquisition cycles, government has a problem
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, August 4, 2026
New AI center works to bridge government and AI industry
Administration gives Congress 20 more ideas to reform acquisition
A strong market can make investors feel smarter than they really are, and make them forget how much risk they're carrying
Before governments commit billions of dollars to an infrastructure project, they have to decide how they'll measure success
The Senate is supposed to start its August recess, but will Senators make it out of town
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, August 3, 2026
Accenture wins $821M Pentagon AI data platform contract
DISA seeks industry input on combatant command migration after GDIT protest
Organizations are discovering the remote worker they hired might not be the one doing the work
AI is only as reliable as the information, some are learning this late
NIST’s Cyber AI Profile is designed to move agencies from abstract frameworks to real operational choices
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, July 31, 2026
Good intentions, incentives and legal protections only matter if employees know where to turn when they uncover a problem
Encouraging people to speak up is one challenge, protecting them afterward is another
The U.S. has protected whistleblowers since the Continental Congress, 250 years later insiders still matter the most
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, July 30, 2026
The House passed its version of the 2027 defense policy, it could mean changes for DoD's civilian workforce
David Markowitz, Army chief data officer gives an update on plans for the date operations center
Two recent Supreme Court decisions may have changed the rules for some of government's most independent institutions
An $11 billion price tag gets attention. Understanding what government lost in the process may take a lot longer
It takes a lot for public servants to speak out. More than 1,200 former DOJ officials decided they needed to
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, July 29, 2026
After a months-long pause, Space Development Agency launches new batch of satellites
Army initiative to reshape how soldiers prepare for future wars expands to National Guard
Military leaders are drawing new lessons from conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and beyond
DoD is looking for new ways to bring commercial innovation and manufacturing capacity into the national security arena
The debate over controlled unclassified information is revealing a larger struggle over how government buys technology
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Space Force doesn’t know how many personnel it needs, watchdog finds
Fired DHS, Interior probationary workers challenge MSPB ruling
Nuclear Regulatory Commission considers changes to radiation protection requirements
The Trump administration is championing deregulation, but agencies have thousands of regulatory actions waiting
Congress can pass legislation, but Government still has to implement it
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, July 27, 2026
Space Force Space Systems Command starts application of AI to mission areas
After Slaughter decision, MSPB no longer calling itself ‘independent’
What if military readiness starts at the kitchen table?
What's the right balance between holding employees accountable and helping them succeed?
As threats increase, Supreme Court justices make the case on Capitol Hill for security funding
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, July 24, 2026
Two airports opt into TSA’s new privatization model
Army overhauls civilian workforce, looking to speed up removals
Nobody likes talking about long-term care, but waiting may cost more
After years of digital transformation efforts, does government know what digital success looks like?
When is a dataset truly dead? On the Data Dish, we're checking the pulse of America's public data systems
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, July 23, 2026
General Dynamics protests DISA’s Enclave contract expansion
After returning to the office, federal employees report low productivity, morale
Federal agencies measure everything from staffing levels to performance goals, but can that predict mission accomplishment?
If accountability depends on honest assessments, are agencies using the tools from Congress to make those assessments?
Government measures compliance, but does accountability help programs succeed?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Space Force welcomes first part-time guardians
DLA rethinks how it does business as it pursues its first clean audit
Contractors face uncertainty with cybersecurity regs, AI rules and acquisition policies
As agencies rethink cybersecurity requirements, how will they manage AI risks
DoD pauses CMMC, but contractors still have obligations
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, July 21, 2026
DoD plans CMMC listening sessions as questions swirl around review
Senators call for independent audit of DoD TRICARE pharmacy program
As Congress sprints to August recess, major decisions on spending, nominations and a reconciliation package await
Artificial intelligence may be getting the attention, but AI is only as reliable as the data behind it
A new Commerce Dept policy pits privacy and transparency against access to information
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Monday, July 20, 2026
Judge tells DOJ to reinstate telework for two attorneys as their lawsuit proceeds
Military to screen older troops for low testosterone
As the U.S. ramps up infrastructure investment, imported cement raises national security concerns
An IG audit found the VA tool used to determine police staffing levels had serious gaps
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, July 17, 2026
SDA resumes satellite launches after months-long pause
Democrats demand transparency from White House on Schedule Policy/Career
Can the Pentagon's contracting system keep pace with the demands of today's battlefield
The Navy wants a larger fleet, but it's not clear that America's shipyards, suppliers and workforce can deliver it
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, July 17, 2026
A surge in publicly available data and AI tools is allowing adversaries to target federal missions
Pentagon suspends CMMC phase two requirements, launches review of program
Before policymakers can improve border security, they need confidence in how they're measuring it
You can't defend critical infrastructure from threats you can't detect
A recent DOJ operation showed what it takes to find online scam networks
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Trump admin reshaping federal employee discipline, firing rules
Air Force scrambling after employees experience computer lock-out
TZA's more active government role in innovation asks how to move faster with accountability
The government's role in innovation may be changing from customer to investor
The federal government is going beyond funding research
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, July 14, 2026
DoD class deviation leaves contractors with more questions than answers
Secret Service’s workforce planning gaps highlighted in new reports
Tens of billions of dollars of federal dollars are spent on university research every year, but taxpayers don't know how
Congress has a lot on its agenda, the harder question is whether everyone agrees on what belongs at the top of the list
The VA is reporting record-high rates for suicide risk screening and follow-up
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, July 13, 2026
GSA praised for initial changes to AI draft regs, but more work needed
CDC must ‘make hard decisions’ triaging work after elevating Ebola response
A new OPM rule will expand how federal agencies make workforce decisions
For pregnant Medicaid patients, finding care depends on information that's supposed to point them in the right direction
Military mission success depends on understanding what people can do
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, July 10, 2026
OPM finalizes performance review overhaul for federal employees
DoD watchdog urges more transparency in daycare abuse cases
Federal agencies are being asked to move faster, but speed starts with something more basic: a good business forecast.
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, July 9, 2026
VHA is modernizing, but the real test is whether veterans and providers get a better experience
DHS IG investigating reassignments of senior staff under Noem
Pentagon consistently failed to analyze the impacts of civilian workforce reductions
Some federal careers are built to end early, and that changes everything about how you plan the rest of your life
Many point to the policy issues with the proposed NDAs for federal employees, but what about the constitutional factors?
NIST's National Vulnerability Database has largely been a helpful resource, but needs some help to continue that
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, July 8, 2026
OPM seeks to decentralize, revise governmentwide federal employee survey
USDA expects ‘significant number’ of staff facing relocation to leave their jobs
The practice of project management isn’t static and neither is the exam
When an agency shuts down, the story usually focuses on policy and program impacts; this one looks at the people
For military families with special‑needs children, the Exceptional Family Member Program is essential, but not simple
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Three proposed changes to the process to remove federal employees
DoD issues guidance as ban on Chinese companies takes effect
Congress returns from recess with a lot of its plate
The administration’s new AI framework includes something the government hasn’t had before
If AI starts doing the work, can people trust the outcome?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Monday, July 6, 2026
The Best of "The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton"
Ratcliffe details ‘fundamental reshaping’ of CIA tech efforts
Trump administration expands options for firing federal employees deemed ‘unsuitable’
Loss of hearing is a problem today’s technology still hasn’t solved, researchers are now taking a different approach
The FAR rewrite is more than just updated rules
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - July 2, 2026
National security leaders gather to discuss the state of the defense-industrial base
OPM offers incentives for healthcare and insurance employees to leave before Open Season
A new proposed FAR rule is trying to fix one of the government’s most persistent data problems, figuring out exactly what needs to be protected.
The next test for the infrastructure investment and jobs act is whether it can deliver, not just distribute
When it comes to personal security, knowing something is happening isn’t the same as knowing what to do about it
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Agencies award $179B to small firms in 2025, down from 2024
Government leaders reflect on past and future of public service
The government is rewriting the rulebook for how it buys and the changes are coming fast
Two trends in the TSP don’t seem to line up, but they might actually be the same story
The "Father of the Nuclear Navy" is still influencing modern day leaders
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, June 30, 2026
The Pentagon is ramping up CMMC program, what does that mean for the Defense Industrial Base Cybersecurity Assessment Center
Food insecurity skyrockets among military families, MFAN survey finds
Congress seemed close to resolving several key issues until the White House stepped in, so what happens now?
The Postal Service has the authority to expand into government services, so why hasn’t it acted?
When there’s broad agreement on disaster response reform, why does action still stall?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, June 29, 2026
USPS staves off immediate cash crisis, but warns of continuing financial woes
Army Corps restructuring of value engineering program prompts backlash
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, June 26, 2026
There’s no perfect answer to when to claim Social Security, but there are real consequences to getting it wrong
Some of the biggest fiscal problems facing the government aren’t surprises, they’re warnings we’ve chosen to live with
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, a new book points back to one of the founders’ most important ideas, prevention
Trump’s pick for defense acquisition deputy lacks traditional resume
White House PQC order ‘lights a fire’ under post-quantum transition
Better decisions depend on data, but only if people can actually use it
Nuclear technology is moving fast, regulation has to keep up
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says it’s entering a new era
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, June 25, 2026
Federal wildland firefighters report increased burnout, low morale
More SEWP for contractors as NASA expands total awards
Electric aircraft are coming, the rules that will allow them to fly aren’t
As drones take on a bigger role in the airspace, the rules around them are getting more complicated
Commercial drones have been limited by how far operators can actually see them, that's changing
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Marine Corps eyes 5% force growth by 2032
Policymakers struggle to factor cybersecurity into federal funding programs
Security at major events now depends on how well government and contractors operate as one system
A lot of science policy doesn't fail, it just never makes it through the system
Scientific breakthroughs don’t run on short timelines, but federal funding is starting to
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, June 23, 2026
SASC moves to codify Trump’s EO targeting defense stock buybacks
The public’s opinion of civil servants continues to climb
A stretch of Capitol Hill work is shifting from debate to decisions
A new House task force is taking aim at everything from free speech to federal programs
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, June 22, 2026
The Best of "The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton" - - Friday, June 19, 2026
SBA kicks off new audit of economically disadvantaged contractors
CDC’s Ebola fight contends with staffing cuts and low employee morale
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, June 18, 2026
The Pentagon is spending billions on major weapons systems, but there are growing questions
For DHS contractors, the funding may be back, but turning that into actual work and payment is another story
It’s one thing to expand missile production capacity, it’s another to rebuild stockpiles fast enough to meet actual demand
OPM awards major HR IT modernization contract to Oracle
It’s being pitched as a simple way to build wealth early, but whether it works may depend on how it fits real life
Life insurance is one of those benefits people tend to carry, but not always understand
Suicide prevention training is meant to protect service members, but the Pentagon can’t fully track whether it’s helping.
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, June 17, 2026
DoD repositions the CDAO into the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering
USDA employees facing relocation weigh whether to stay or go. Some are eligible for incentives either way
Sovereign AI systems built by national governments are hard, expensive and absolutely necessary
Federal contracting is heading into a different kind of environment, more controlled, more structured and less forgiving
Everybody studies government contracting, can outsiders actually move it
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, June 16, 2026
House NDAA provision could derail Army data center projects
Federal workforce losses had steeper impact on probationary employees
Congress is at a pivot point on reconciliation and the defense bill
Agencies are doubling down on AI upskilling, but new research suggests they may be solving the wrong problem
When the rules change, people will change how they work
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, June 15,
AI directive focuses patching efforts on ‘highest risk’ vulnerabilities
White House polices hitting small business contractors hard, Senator says
The people who rely on Medicaid helped design a plan to curb fraud without putting their own care at risk
A lot of health AI isn’t where you think it is and it’s not overseen the way you might expect
ARPA‑H is testing a model to make research faster, more repeatable and less dependent on where or with whom you work
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Friday, June 12, 2026
GSA reexamining data that shows no building is meeting minimum occupancy target
HASC challenges Trump’s EO ending bargaining rights for DoD workers
What looks like stability in today’s workforce may actually be caution
Federal hiring problems may start with how the jobs are defined
Bringing more students into public service starts with giving them a way in and a reason to see themselves there
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, June 11, 2026
OPM details changes for federal employees in Schedule Policy/Career
Three highlights in latest DHS spending bill
The systems that keep water flowing are more connected than ever, and more exposed to cyber risks
A long-running federal river program delivers real returns, but now it’s on the chopping block
The government wants more of your seafood to come from U.S. waters
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Wednesday, June 10, 2026
OPM details the changes for federal employees in Schedule Policy/Career
First came telemedicine, now the Army medical logistics community is embracing telemaintenance for equipment
USPS axing its regulator is on the table, as it looks for ways to avoid running out of cash
Agencies are under pressure to move quickly and enforce the rules, they still have to document the process, SBA may have missed a case
Congress and multiple administrations keep coming back to the idea of fixed-price contracts, but it's more complicated than that
After a marathon markup, the House has shaped its version of the NDAA, but the final outcome is still very much in play
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Stanton is driving a new teamwork mindset at DISA
HASC advances right to repair proposal, industry pushes back
A proposed NDA for federal employees is drawing attention to how information moves inside government and who feels safe sharing it
There’s a new temporary selection to lead U.S. intelligence and it’s a good moment to look at what that job demands and how the process works
Congress makes headway on ICE and CBP funding, but not much else
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Monday, June 8, 2026
Forest Service offers separation incentives to employees ahead of relocations
CISA close to issuing new cyber AI directive
CMMC has moved from planning to enforcement and contractors are feeling it
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, June 5, 2026
When it comes to inflation, playing it safe isn’t always the safest investment move
AI executive order sets stage for new cybersecurity directives
Trump moves about 8,000 federal positions to Schedule Policy/Career
New research suggests some of the states most closely tied to the federal government may not be the ones you expect
Building more missile defense capability means rebuilding the industrial base behind it
Getting from a patent to a product is still where many ideas get stuck
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, June 4, 2026
An excerpt from "Your Federal Life," with Karen Lee, co-founder of FedsForward
OPM to crack down on ineligible health insurance enrollees
Two changes moving through the House would reshape how agencies buy, from who gets a shot to how fast decisions get made
Telehealth expanded quickly, oversight is still catching up
Helping disaster survivors recover is one of FEMA’s most visible missions, GAO reviews the results
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, June 3, 2026
NIH turns to AI to handle large data sets across disconnected systems
FEMA begins limited hiring campaign after wave of departures
Retirement changes the rules for your portfolio, but what worked while you were building savings can start to create real risk once you begin to withdraw
There’s more AI activity inside federal agencies than ever before, but the results aren’t always easy to see
A simpler way to file taxes ran into a complicated system around it
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, June 2, 2026
USDA relocation of food assistance employees will lead to major staffing losses, union warns
Regulations for grants management are getting their second major rewrite in two years
Fraud detection is getting more data‑driven and the Justice Department is raising expectations for how that work gets done
The Coast Guard has plenty of tools to assess waterway risk—the challenge is making them work together
The to-do list for Congress is filled with regular, and not so regular, order
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, June 1, 2026
House NDAA would set up protected disclosure program for AI incidents
Federal employees may see faster path to promotions
As AI reshapes work, a new program is showing what it takes to keep up
For military families, the pressure isn’t just external, it shows up at home
The same data that’s out there about you can also be used against you and now it is
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, May 29, 2026
VA’s EHR rollout gets bipartisan praise, as employee groups warn they’re still seeing issues
OMB revamps cyber event logging requirements
Federal financial management has always been a no‑fail mission, the past year has added new pressure
Even as agencies try to bring in new talent, a lot of current employees are making tough decisions about pay, retirement, and whether to stay
NASA is testing a faster way to recruit top engineering talent inside the federal hiring guardrails
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, May 28, 2026
"FedRAMP certified" vs. "FedRAMP authorized"
Trump administration pushes governmentwide NDA for federal employees
Some of the most important parts of disaster response happen long before anything goes wrong
DoD’s ability to protect classified information held by its contractors depends on a system under growing strain
Even as a legal challenge unfolds, a new DEI order for federal contractors is already being enforced
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, May 27, 2026
HHS shrinks cash awards for top performers, shifting funds to bonuses with less clear criteria
The GSA updates its Federal Acquisition Service organizational structure
A week that didn’t end the way Congress planned
Existing ethics laws weren’t written with prediction markets in mind
The federal watchdog system was built to be independent by design, a former inspector general tells us why that design still matters
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, May 26, 2026
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, May 25, 2026
Senate lawmakers renew military right to repair push
Trump administration’s RIF overhauls ‘troubling’ to former MSPB officials
Even as AI gets better at finding digital weak spots, it doesn’t eliminate the human role in cyber conflict
Cyber isn’t just about defense anymore, governments increasingly assume they’ll use offensive cyber tools as part of state power
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Friday, May 22, 2026
Three recent solicitations offer an interesting glimpse into the Trump administration’s influence on federal procurement
HHS sends RIF notices to dozens of staff it missed during office-wide layoffs last year
A PCS move can test a family’s finances, routines and support systems all at once
After a tough year for federal senior executives, new leadership at SEA is looking at what comes next
Having expertise doesn’t always mean the system knows what to do with it
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, May 21, 2026
Pentagon begins sweeping review of military legal system
4 benefits bills for federal employees, retirees to watch
Some of the biggest cyber risks to the military don’t start inside government networks
The administration is leaning on the Defense Production Act to shape supply chains through federal support, not mandates.
Getting the rules right early can shape both safety and growth of emerging technologies
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Naval Postgraduate School at the center of Navy's efforts to integrate AI into warfighting functions
State Dept directs managers to ‘revise and recalibrate’ scores for employee evaluations they’ve already submitted
Challenging a GAO protest stay override may be getting clearer—but not any easier
Federal contractors are doing more than delivering programs
Growth across federal contractors is showing up alongside new pressure on margins, controls and visibility.
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Federal agencies double the number of AI use cases
The military takes a closer look at the impact of Permanent Change of Station moves
The IRS’s service picture may be improving, but taxpayers are still running into real friction
Reorganization plans can look clean on paper and turn out far messier in real life
A tied vote, a stalled reconciliation package, and big questions about how laws actually get finished
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, May 18, 2026
Agriculture employees sue Rollins over ‘escalating’ religious messaging
GSA to add grants management systems to the schedules under a SIN
Some of the most important environmental policy work doesn’t happen in legislation, it shows up in how agencies act, spend, and measure results
Testing new technology is one thing, making it work in the field and getting people to trust and use it is another
Environmental change can turn rare risks into immediate problems, the Army Corps of Engineers is stepping in to manage the consequences
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, May 15, 2026
FEMA to create public assistance dashboard under new law
DoD proposes new rule expanding FOCI scrutiny
As federal missions grow more complex, technology transfer is getting a credential meant to sustain expertise and credibility over time
What happens to the human body when missions become longer, more demanding and harder to support from Earth?
The Army is testing whether rail networks can carry medical evacuation in modern warfare
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, May 14, 2026
USPS floats more financial aid from Congress as way to avoid running out of cash next year
House Republicans want more information about federal employee dispute settlements
Receiving federal funds now comes with a different kind of risk calculus for grantees
The size of the federal grants system is well known, how well it’s set up to manage that scale is another question
Managing disaster risk is about how risk is understood, priced, and communicated across the system
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, May 13, 2026
PRAC finds an ongoing mission in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act
FEMA Review Council backs off on staffing cuts in final report
Fixed‑price contracts assume stable requirements. Federal missions rarely cooperate, and the friction between the two is back in focus
Innovation has expanded choice in consumer finance, but it’s also exposed limits in how well regulation keeps up
If you feel unsure about retirement, you’re asking the right question
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Democrats urge OPM to continue ‘vital’ Combined Federal Campaign
Military spouses press Congress to expand small business opportunities
Congress is heading into a busy legislative stretch, even as larger questions hang over its future
Veterans have seen this story before and they’re paying close attention to what comes next
From the battlefield to the benefits system: how government decisions during war echo long after service ends
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, May 11, 2026
Most IRS staff involuntarily detailed to taxpayer services put on extended tour of duty
Native-American firms raise alarm bells over 8(a) program delays
You can buy better tools, but that alone won’t get you to perfect cyber security
What does the FCC have to do with cyber security?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, May 8, 2026
DoD strikes deals with major tech firms to deploy AI on classified networks
CISA tells critical organizations to prepare for cyber outages
Customer experience modernization sounds straightforward, until agencies try to execute it
A new executive order makes fixed‑price, performance‑based contracts the default across the federal government
Public Service Recognition Week often thanks people for what they do. This year, one national effort is asking how the country understands public service
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, May 7, 2026
OPM rolls out AI tool to develop position descriptions
Amid hiring push, State Dept finalizes hundreds layoffs initiated last summer
A conversation with a 2026 Sammies awardee whose federal research reshaped an entire industry
Public Service Recognition Week comes at an uneasy moment for the federal workforce, after cuts, restructuring and tighter performance rules
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Bureau of Consular Affairs rethinks customer service as passport applications surge
GAO would need to cut 1,000 employees under House bill
Public Service Recognition Week is about honoring federal work as it exists now, this year’s Sammies tell that story in a different way
For some new retirees, the paperwork may be done, but the money still hasn’t arrived
An IBM settlement is reshaping how contractors look at DEI compliance
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Space Force moves Air Force reservists into part-time Guardian roles
Suspended EPA employees allege retaliation, whistleblower violations
Why some of Congress’ biggest fights don’t really end when the gavel comes down
In government, offering your best professional advice doesn’t guarantee it will be taken or that it will be risk‑free
Congress already strips pensions for some crimes, a new bill would expand the list
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Monday, May 4, 2026
Navy sets date for all employees to incorporate AI tools
Federal job applicants can’t skip ‘loyalty question’ that OPM says is optional, court filings claim
How shared experience plays a role in helping people reset under sustained stress
Markets have felt shaky for months, but the returns tell a very different story
A court ruling protected the Institute for Museum and Library Services, but the fight isn’t over
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, May 1, 2026
Fraud doesn’t always slip through the cracks
Fraud doesn’t always slip through the cracks, it walks through the front door of a federal program
Army’s Project ARIA seeks to accelerate AI adoption across the force
GAO report on DOGE payments access ‘just the tip of the iceberg’
For families with loved ones behind bars, missing information often means carrying risks they can’t see or control
Cutting contracts can promise quick savings, the harder question is where the cost actually lands
Extreme weather is forcing federal agencies to rethink who bears the risk when long‑term cleanup work is overwhelmed
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, April 30, 2026
Over 100 obsolete or redundant federal job titles flagged for OPM consolidation effort
Treasury secretary: IRS hit a ‘home run’ on challenging filing season, but still needs staffing and budget cuts
Good policy still depends on numbers the public can trust and on systems built to sustain them
Some of the federal government’s most trusted public data tools aren’t being maintained the way they once were
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, April 29, 2026
New acquisition structure takes shape within the Army
Army launches ARIA initiative, to rapidly deliver AI to soldiers
Around the world, governments are adapting to sustained pressure and not waiting for stability to return
Modernizing preparedness law means asking whether long‑standing systems are built to last over time
Unpaid bills at DHS are testing how long critical homeland security missions can hold
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, April 28, 2026
House appropriators omit civilian federal pay raise from 2027 spending bill
DoD moves to end most collective bargaining agreements
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, April 24, 2026
Two administrative moves are getting the attention of federal employees and retirees
As pressure builds on the Postal Service, some of its highest‑stakes responsibilities may be getting harder to carry out
Is SBA moving the small business contracting goal posts?
TSA advances ‘GoldPlus’ privatization plan
Two Pentagon workforce decisions are raising new concerns about capacity and consent
The outcome of one lawsuit could shape how future FBI investigations are handled
A new strategic plan signals how the Office of Special Counsel sees its responsibilities evolving over the next five years
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, April 23, 2026
OPM and GSA embark on plans to consolidate headquarters
With the federal workforce at a 15-year low, some agencies are looking to hire
A major environmental decision is now locked in, with lingering questions about the process behind it
Quantum computing is a national priority, but who’s actually in charge?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The real challenge with AI and advanced computing is closing the gap between where the technology exists and who can actually use it
Marine Corps looks to AI and cloud services in effort to accelerate delivery to warfighters
OMB looks to hold agencies accountable for how they buy commercial items
Sometimes even a solid argument isn’t enough to save a bid protest
Political transitions test how disciplined contractors really are about risk, compliance and decision‑making
Budgets don’t just fund programs. They tell the workforce—and industry—what the government values most
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Forest Service plans to carry out major reorganization with or without approval from Congress
DHS officials warn about growing shutdown backlogs
The rising cost of security is reshaping who can run for office and how campaigns operate
Congress is often treated like an abstract institution, but it’s also a workplace, with real security pressures and family realities
Congress is building a path to resolution for DHS — even as it opens the next appropriations cycle
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, April 20, 2026
OPM adds cybersecurity jobs to Tech Force hiring program
DoD seeks to curb high military spouse unemployment with expanded hiring flexibilities
ARPA‑H’s “1 Cure” program is betting that smarter design can expand cancer care to more people, faster
A new digital catalog is changing how the public can engage with America’s overseas war memorials and records
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, April 17, 2026
CISA spikes CyberCorps internships amid shutdown
‘Less people and better results:’ IRS CEO says filing season goals met after 27% staffing cut
A big refund feels good, but getting more of your money throughout the year may feel better
A proposed federal personnel shift could chill whistleblowers long before anyone gets fired
Many former federal employees are navigating the job market for the first time in years and finding that networking looks different
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, April 16, 2026
House Democrats deepen investigation into federal retirement delays
OMB: ERM going from compliance exercise to management tool
GAO finds most of the Pentagon’s joint bases are falling short of facility sustainment goals, raising new questions about readiness and accountability
As the Department of Labor faces scrutiny over fraud and oversight, its new IG is bringing a law‑enforcement mindset to the job
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Navy takes big steps to reduce it sprawling IT networks
CDC eases telework restrictions for disabled employees, as HHS faces 9,000-request backlog
Big ideas and big missions still live or die on budgets and contracts, and this year’s request raises questions
As federal agencies rethink how data moves, they’re also rethinking how ideas move, especially from the lab to policymakers
New technology is changing how federal agencies use personal data and this week, new tools aim to show what responsible use should really look like
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, April 14, 2026
AI poses urgent challenges to how agencies handle CUI
The government paid $4.5 billion to feds who took the DRP, one estimate shows
Artificial intelligence may offer federal financial managers something they’ve long lacked: real visibility across programs and payments
Apportionments rarely make headlines, but they play a decisive role in how Congress’s funding decisions are actually carried out
After a two‑week recess, Congress is back in Washington with a crowded spring agenda and several unfinished fights waiting on the Hill
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, April 13, 2026
After a nearly a decade, GSA on track to fully implement TDR
White House seeks $17.5 billion for Golden Dome, but most funding hinges on reconciliation
Health‑coverage decisions in retirement can shape when and how federal retirees tap their money
The Washington DC metro region continues to stand out for regional job losses and new Brookings data shows the recovery still hasn’t materialized
Artemis II is showing how federal education and operational experience come together in space
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, April 10, 2026
TSA budget cuts jobs in privatization push
Political appointments surging, career SES workforce shrinking under Trump 2.0
Small businesses are navigating one of the most turbulent federal contracting environments in decades and the SBA Office of Advocacy is here to help
HUD’s first‑year reset on fair‑housing guidance is reshaping how landlords, owners, and local governments navigate federal housing rules
GSA spent a $100 million on building studies, but an IG audit found the agency lacked a consistent way to track whether that work informed decisions
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, April 9, 2026
DoD still failing to properly mark CUI data years after initial audit
After DOGE-era cuts, GSA resumes hiring, scrutinizes in-office attendance for employees
DOGE’s Medicaid data experiment adds a new player to healthcare fraud enforcement: the public
From AI to DEI to national security, congressional oversight is widening and more agencies are being asked to explain how decisions get made
Federal transparency has improved on paper—but GAO says key gaps still undermine accountability and program integrity
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, April 8, 2026
White House asks for record $75.7B for civilian agency IT
Trump’s 2027 budget request doubles down on agency reorganizations panned by Congress
The administration’s new cyber strategy bets that coordination, not regulation drives better security outcomes
The CAS Board is carrying out a congressional mandate with comments now open
OMB’s latest IT memo echoes years of policy, but signals some important shifts agencies can’t ignore
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, April 7, 2026
White House budget proposal silent on civilian federal pay raise
White House seeks 5%–7% military pay raise in 2027 budget request
Federal government shutdowns have become routine, but their impact on public safety is anything but routine
Year after year, the same financial weaknesses keep showing up in the government’s books
The President’s budget landed on Capitol Hill last week, but left plenty of unanswered questions
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, April 6, 2026
Trump administration recruiting project managers across agencies
CyberCorps grads consider private sector as fed hiring challenges persist
A new ARPA‑H effort aims to change how doctors understand and treat critical illness in real time
Rubin Observatory just turned the night sky into a live feed and the universe is far busier than anyone imagined
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, April 3, 2026
TSA agents see partial paychecks
What Army civilians should consider before accepting VERA or VSIP
A military family’s decades‑long journey with autism is now helping other families navigate a system that often feels impossible to manage
A large TSP balance is a success story, until Required Minimum Distributions turn it into a tax problem
Shutdowns don’t just disrupt agencies, they disrupt household finances, and the data shows it almost immediately
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, April 2, 2026
Treasury prepares RIF for office created to avoid financial crisis, IRS IT resumes hiring after mass reassignments
Harsher penalties for contractors who violate new DEI EO
During COVID, SBA moved fast to deliver disaster loans, but GAO says limited access to IRS tax data made oversight harder and increased program risk
U.S. Strategic Command has awarded a $500 million IDIQ contract to accelerate delivery of warfighter‑ready solutions as defense needs evolve
As uncertainty clouds federal research budgets, a new analysis shows how NIH funding ripples through state and local economies nationwide
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, April 1, 2026
The Army's concept of a single IT network moves closer to reality
Army ‘rebalancing’ effort forces civilians to accept reassignments to avoid layoffs
Contractors are playing a bigger role in TSA screening and national security AI, but that raises new questions about accountability and execution
The administration says new Medicaid work rules will save money, but first, states will spend a lot figuring out how to make them work
A new approach to the Pentagon’s long‑troubled audit effort is taking shape as fresh leadership resets expectations
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, March 31, 2026
‘Significant’ staff cuts drive rising FOIA backlogs
‘Stressful, chaotic, never-ending:’ DoD employees face mounting strain as Middle East conflict widens
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, March 30, 2026
They’re on recess, but DHS funding, voting rules and overseas troop support are all waiting when Congress comes back
Billions are flowing into munitions production, but there are limits to how quickly the U.S. can replenish its stockpiles
Both the U.S. and the EU are quietly narrowing chances for the public to weigh in on new rules and one expert says it’s time to pay attention
VA restores AFGE labor contract, but isn’t implementing it, court documents show
OPM’s Kupor would be ‘perfectly happy’ hiring more feds if contractors are cut
As the country approaches its 250th anniversary, a new guide asks Americans to think differently about their role in democracy
After last year’s deadly mid‑air collision, Reagan National’s tower is finally getting modern tools built to cut workload and reduce risk on the ground
A flagship government and industry leadership program is getting a fresh start with a new class and a new vision for 2026
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Friday, March 27, 2026
Navy’s turning small ‘bets’ into enterprise services
TSA employees at ‘breaking point’
War headlines and market volatility might rattle TSP investors, but history offers some important perspective
Fixing the talent pipeline doesn’t require a single sweeping reform, but it does require coordination
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, March 26, 2026
After losing more than 350,000, an in-depth look at the state of the federal workforce
State Dept evaluations could push out more diplomats, after mass layoffs last year
A new center wants to turn regulatory “big ideas” into results that actually work on the ground
As U.S. Marines move offshore near Iran, Washington is expanding its military options without committing to boots on the ground
As climate pressures intensify, a new strategy argues the U.S. needs a water reset now, not years from now
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, March 25, 2026
OPM’s Kupor on administration's merit hiring plan
Under Trump 2.0, federal employees disengaged, dissatisfied, survey shows
As GSA prepares its next Schedule refresh, contractors are weighing how AI fits into rules that weren’t built for it
The U.S. is pushing back on foreign data‑sovereignty rules and it could reshape how global companies handle their information
GSA has issued its first-ever acquisition clause aimed squarely at AI, contractors are already warning it could be a game changer
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Mullin to revoke Noem’s $100K review policy
The Trump administration's AI message is sending mixed messages
Practical politics and some strategic horse trading may be returning to Congress
With travel season ramping up, the CDC just hit a record number of volunteers to help monitor any viruses on the move
A strategic alliance between the Federal Laboratories Consortium and FedTech is looking to speed up real‑world technology
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, March 23, 2026
USPS cutting delivery days ‘on the table,’ as agency runs out of cash, postmaster general tells lawmakers
As Golden Dome’s price tag rises, some say new estimate is no more credible
A mixed‑reality rollout from the Army National Guard is giving students a firsthand look at the skills and careers behind disaster response
A new “drone killer” cartridge aims to give Marines a simple, low‑cost way to stop small drones with the rifles they already carry
With drones now touching everything from security to agriculture, The University of Texas at El Paso is gearing up to build the technology
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, March 20, 2026
Defense secretary launches "ruthless review" of military's legal offices
Agencies are starting to take action on the new national cyber strategy
So many personnel policies are shifting at the same time that even seasoned federal workers are struggling to follow
The message from Maryland, losing a federal job doesn’t have to mean leaving the region
What happened inside government last year explains many of today’s gaps in capacity and accountability
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, March 19, 2026
OPM launches new HR shared service center for agencies
Trump brings ‘war on fraud’ into focus with task force of benefits-paying agencies
GAO finds persistent gaps and data problems in OMB’s federal program inventory, limiting its value for oversight and decision‑making
A major reboot of the government’s small‑innovation programs is finally moving after months of uncertainty
New limits on executive pay and dividends are changing expectations across the defense sector
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, March 18, 2026
As the Navy pushes to embed 5th generation wireless technologies across its system, we get an update
Navy creating new contract center for excellence for SBIR, STTR
From the Strait of Hormuz to the factory floor, today’s Middle East operations are reshaping what the Pentagon asks of its contractors
A military widow who turned her deepest loss into a decade of service is being honored with one of TAPS’ highest awards
CBO's latest assessment shows a federal outlook defined by rising costs, structural imbalances and tough choices ahead
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, March 17, 2026
GSA to be designated as QSMO for acquisition
Lawmakers question DoD’s growing use of equity investments to strengthen DIB
Escalating conflict abroad is now driving debates over war powers, energy prices and the fate of key funding bill
AI is now a competitive edge in federal capture and small firms need to adjust fast
As HHS looks to speed up AI in clinical care, the big questions are burden, trust and what comes next.
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, March 16, 2026
IRS phase-out of paper checks leaves some taxpayers waiting months for refunds
OPM’s Kupor defends Schedule Policy/Career, as finalization nears
Applications are open for a program that helps Navy and Marine Corps families pay for school through grants and interest‑free loans
A smaller IRS staff could mean a longer wait for returns
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, March 13, 2026
CMS’s two-pronged approach to crushing fraud, waste, abuse
CISA delays cyber incident reporting town halls due to shutdown
Questions about pay, leave payouts and retirement rules can catch a lot of federal employees off guard
Americans seeking a way out of the Middle East are once again turning to Congressional caseworkers
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, March 12, 2026
DPAA’s family updates remain the heart of a mission that still spans the globe in search of answers
‘Radical reduction’ of GSA-owned buildings needed to address growing maintenance backlog, panel finds
Army to use alternative promotion authority to give officers more flexibility in their careers
Amid mounting warnings that Iran or its proxies could strike back, GAO says HHS isn’t fully aligned on public‑health preparedness
The Army is about to open its first operational makerspace in Europe
A sudden change to how VA evaluates disabilities triggered immediate backlash from veterans and their advocates
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Trump administration is out with a new national cyber strategy
Key data on political appointees missing from 'PLUM' book
What does the IRS do if someone is kidnapped and not able to pay taxes?
The Pentagon’s “supply‑chain risk” label for Anthropic now forces a legal and operational reckoning across the defense industrial base
As debates sharpen over military use of AI, the Aerospace Industries Association is outlining a path for agentic systems in defense
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Federal cybersecurity leaders look to AI to thwart cyber adversaries using the same AI technology
Army overhauls direct commissioning process to bring in civilian tech experts faster
A stalled DHS funding fight at home and rising tensions abroad are pushing Congress into another week of high‑stakes maneuvering
NIH sets up camp near one of the worst environmental disasters ever
U.S. organizations should prepare for potential retaliation in the cyber domain as tensions with Iran escalate
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Monday, March 9, 2026
How NAVWAR is keeping the small business light burning
OPM wants agencies to prioritize employees’ performance, not tenure, during RIFs
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, March 6, 2026
This year’s tax rules introduce new benefits and new confusion for federal workers and the military
The Schedule Policy/Career rule raises alarms about the independence of federal science
New rules implementing the Administrative False Claims Act could expand how federal agencies pursue smaller fraud cases
Noem, top DHS officials to be deposed in FEMA staffing cut lawsuit
Navy launches departmentwide organizational review that could reshape civilian workforce
With CFPB weakened, states are fighting to regain the data and support they need to protect consumers
AI systems are only as safe as the environments where they’re trained and tested, a point now hitting home across DoD and the federal government
A massive reinvestment push is reshaping military housing, aiming to fix the hazards families have lived with for years
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, March 5, 2026
OPM’s HR IT consolidation effort hit with new obstacles
GSA's updated contractor cybersecurity requirement is causing some industry stress
GAO says the Space Development Agency’s timeline for missile-warning satellites may be outpacing reality
The administration’s biggest defense request yet may depend on a budget maneuver to survive the next Congress
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Two December cases show DOJ is shifting its cyber enforcement into higher gear
A look at how federal agencies are using artificial intelligence
Former USAID employees mark one year since major agency cuts
DoD’s move against Anthropic and its plan to deploy all FY 2026 funding at once could reset the market for federal contractors
A once‑gutted government tech program is coming back to life as OPM prepares to hire its first TechForce cohort
From poll‑worker shortages to new federal proposals, 2026 could test election systems
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Pentagon takes on the task of tracking natural disaster costs at military installations
CISA leadership shakeup comes amid ‘pressure’ moment for cyber agency
Congress is as busy as ever, and DHS is still not funded
New data may change what we know about staffing, stability, and capacity on Capitol Hill
EPA’s State Revolving Funds move billions into water infrastructure; an internal audit says the agency isn’t accurately tracking how that money is spent
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, March 2, 2026
USDA to sell part of headquarters complex amid broader plan to relocate DC-based employees
Marine Corps looks to Navy to meet its readiness goals
Could there be a way to make economic sanctions more mission oriented?
A year after the midair collision near Reagan National, the NTSB's findings raise fresh questions about the safety gaps that allowed it to happen
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, February 27, 2026
OPM to tighten reins on federal employees’ performance reviews
Military services can enforce stricter enlistment standards than those set by the Defense Department
How to make sure your nest egg is thriving
A record‑shattering year for False Claims Act recoveries is forcing a sharper look at where the money flows
As AI transforms the workforce, a new report finds veterans may have an edge
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, February 26, 2026
Education Dept moves more work to other agencies, but hasn’t reassigned more employees yet
Pentagon eyes 2028 to deliver much-delayed background investigation system
Tribes are gaining long‑term roles in managing natural and cultural resources, but GAO says those agreements could be more effective
What to expect in the first months of your retirement
A check-in with the office in charge of running the Capitol building
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Can NASA refocus and invigorate its workforce?
With shutdown threats mostly behind them, contractors focus on eventful opportunities
If you think an old tax issue is behind you, the IRS may be about to prove otherwise
For victims, a quick stop at an ATM or gas station can turn into wiped‑out accounts and days of financial chaos after a skimmer steals their card data
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Tuesday, February 24, 2026
House Democrats pressure Bureau of Prisons leadership on staffing ‘crisis’
NIH expands AI pilots amid staffing reductions
A new Supreme Court ruling has upended the President’s global tariff plan just as Congress faces fresh pressure to avert a partial shutdown at DHS
Congress.gov is gearing up for another round of user research after a revealing set of interviews late last year
The BIOSECURE Act is coming, and no contractor is as “biotech‑free” as they think
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, February 23, 2026
DoD memo’s use cases clarify mission impact of new policies on PKI credentials, expanded authentication
For DOT, 6-month sprints demonstrating aptitude for modernization
A new Executive Order aims to rethink how the nation tackles addiction, shifting from treatment alone to a broader, community‑anchored approach to recovery
The government’s first $1 million antitrust whistleblower award could reshape how companies think about risk, and about their own employees
The White House has scrapped the one‑size‑fits‑all SBOM mandate and told agency leaders to own their cyber risk, now flexibility meets accountability
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, February 20, 2026
Lawmakers eyeing changes to federal benefits, hiring, pay
Postal union president focused on keeping USPS an ‘affordable option,’ amid agency’s financial woes
It’s starting to feel like Census Groundhog Day, the same warning signs from 2020 are showing up again for 2030
The search for the next Comptroller General is turning into a mystery, no one knows when the process will even begin
Major shifts across climate, labor, immigration and other key policy areas made 2025 a year of rapid regulatory change
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, February 19, 2026
How a DHS shutdown affects different components and employees
DoD enters decadeslong barracks lease as lawmaker warns privatization push lacks accountability tools
When severe weather hits, alerts only save lives if people can understand them, and GAO says millions still can’t
For feds and retirees, uncertainty is creeping in as customer‑service problems and new personnel rules raise fresh questions about stability and fairness in the system
A year into the job, the VA secretary reflects on what he’s learned, what he’s changing, and what he hopes to tackle next
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, February 18, 2026
OPM directs agencies to move forward with ending collective bargaining
VA data shows it cut health care hiring times in half, but it’s using different metrics
The DHS partial shutdown is stretching on, and this week’s negotiations are taking place with Congress out of town
Fiscal uncertainty and payment delays are putting new pressure on contractors working across DHS and State
A new congressional caucus is stepping up to defend the federal workforce at a critical moment
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, February 17, 2026
'Best of' The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Monday, February 16, 2026
Naval Information Warfare Systems Command zeroes in on priorities for its new cyber directorate
Continuing resolutions lead to delays, higher costs, and operational disruptions, watchdog finds
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, February 13, 2026
A renovation job at Fort Meade turned into a dispute
In 2026, law‑enforcement hiring isn’t a staffing challenge, it’s a risk‑management challenge hiding inside a staffing challenge
CIA emphasizes speed under new acquisition framework
Navy puts finishing touches on new AI strategy
Federal employees have new rules, new documents, and new timelines to keep an eye on this year
VA rolled out new AI tools quickly, but without a system to catch mistakes, patient safety is on the line
A new IG audit finds DoD isn’t fully tracking F‑35 contractor performance, raising questions about oversight on the Pentagon’s costliest program
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, February 12, 2026
Trump administration advances plan to strip job protections from career federal employees
IRS officially puts back-office employees on ‘involuntary’ details to handle filing season work
A system meant to reduce prison recidivism can’t do its job if the inputs are wrong
When we look at USPS only through a profit lens, we miss the economic engine sitting in plain sight
A medical breakthrough that sounds like science fiction is on the horizon: printing organs that could match any patient, on demand
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Army prepares to debut “generational” change in the way it provides food to soldiers
Trump administration advances plan to strip job protections from career federal employees
The rules of federal buying are being rewritten, and everyone is feeling the shift
Turning a lifetime of savings into a steady retirement paycheck takes more than a rule of thumb
After a tough year for federal employees, how do leaders still on the job keep their teams motivated and moving toward better performance?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, February 9, 2026
VA looks to get new Electronic Health Record system back on track
Five updates on the Trump admin’s cybersecurity agenda
A pivotal week for Congress as the clock runs down on DHS funding and lawmakers look for a path out of another shutdown fight
Washington talks a lot about regulations, but rarely about how the regulators themselves operate
A new Pentagon‑funded study is testing whether autonomous oxygen therapy can take lifesaving care out of a medic’s hands and put it into an intelligent system
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, February 9, 2026
Trump administration could pour trillions into Golden Dome that is unlikely to work
Trump administration advances plan to strip job protections from career federal employees
Behind DoD’s contract review is a bigger question: how far can enforcement go without undercutting small‑business programs themselves?
Technical debt puts federal cybersecurity at risk, the question now is how to break out of the cycle
AI is stepping directly into America’s scientific engine room as OpenAI expands its work with the Department of Energy
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, February 6, 2026
Shared services still hindered by long-standing barriers
Army surveys existing contracts to expand right to repair access
You can't properly celebrate America's 250th birthday without the artifacts that created it
Patent reform is back on the table, and a leading Senator says the stakes for American innovation couldn’t be higher
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, February 5, 2026
Partial shutdown ended, as Trump signs package securing back pay for furloughed feds
GSA ends U.S. participation in ‘open government’ initiative
Are federal programs doing enough to stop fraud before it happens?
Emerging technologies are quickly becoming the backbone of national power, but most leaders still aren’t trained to understand them
Thousands of Maryland jobs and millions in wages are tied to federal decisions, a new tool makes those consequences visible.
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Air Force ends hearings for SAP appeals, raising due process questions
VA reorganization to shift health care workforce to hubs with growing veteran population
New guidance from GSA is carrying forward last year’s push to rein in consulting contracts, roll out the FAR overhaul and put real pressure on value‑added resellers
If you care about America’s innovation pipeline, you need to understand what’s happening to Bayh‑Dole and the small businesses it was built to support
Big changes are finally reshaping how the Pentagon buys and innovates, and the next wave of reform is already underway
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, February 3, 2026
A group of former senior federal executives take another look at boosting federal agency performance
Unions, nonprofits challenge FEMA staffing cuts in court
Congress may have sorted out most of its spending drama over the weekend, but the final stretch of the 2026 appropriations process is far from simple
A standout year for the TSP is giving investors plenty to build on for 2026
Boards are reassessing governance and risk, new EO broadens what counts as defense‑contractor underperformance
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, February 2, 2026
FedRAMP turns to government cloud leaders for ways to improve the program
Vendors see GSA reseller RFI as a positive sign
Founding Fathers with a little extra bounce, a new bobblehead set marks America’s 250th
Can automation in government coexist with transparency and public trust?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, January 30, 2026
After the failure of the DoD's new travel management system, a watchdog looks for answers
After missing hiring goals, IRS dials back taxpayer phone assistance targets
2026 could bring more than budget battles for federal employees
When government stops looking ahead, the risks multiply. A new survey shows foresight is fading fast
Facing mounting energy threats, the Pentagon is betting on industry partnerships to build resilience fast
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, January 29, 2026
Treasury cuts ties with Booz Allen over tax records breach
DHS spending bill would formalize Trump cuts to oversight offices
Your local library may be a polling place, an emergency hub...and a building in crisis
A sweeping vision for a bigger Navy is running head‑first into the hard realities of the shipyards expected to build it.
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, January 28, 2026
VA officially lifts hiring freeze, but staffing caps still in place for shrinking workforce
A bipartisan group of lawmakers push for meaningful protections for military families
The Defense Department is taking a closer look at 8(a) contracts, and reshaping how innovation is managed
On the eve of a major public‑service award, a look at why integrity, courage, and principled leadership still define excellence in government
A closer look at what Congress protected in the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science bill—and how lawmakers plan to hold agencies accountable
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Tuesday, January 27, 2026
2025 marked a year of deep change for government oversight and accountability officials
Trump lauds ‘tremendous’ federal workforce cuts. Good government group calls them ‘disturbing.’
With House spending bills done, focus turns to the Senate where work is expected to wrap up this week, ahead of the January 30th deadline
The drone economy is about to take off fast, a $355B market and a new rule could make Drones-as-a-Service the next big thing
A sweeping audit could reshape the 8(a) program and federal contractors are bracing for what comes next
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, January 26, 2026
VA poised to award the biggest service contract in government history, but Congress has questions
Congress pushes back on parts of DoD’s acquisition reform agenda
FedRAMP is getting faster, new automation and pilots promise approvals in months, not years
An organization's new name signals a broader mission to support both Airmen and Guardians
An interesting case at the Court of Federal Claims could shape future energy savings performance contracts
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, January 23, 2026
3.8% pay raise for air traffic controllers, Education Dept cuts rejected: Highlights from final FY 2026 spending bills
OPM details expectations for the 'rule of many' in federal hiring
Market data shows surprising winners and losers among top federal contractors after a year of turmoil
Quiet firings with big consequences, why the lack of transparency when relieving military leaders matters
IRS CI posts a record year: $10.6 B in financial crimes uncovered and cyber seizures soaring
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, January 22, 2026
DoD looks to audit 8(a) sole source contracts
Judge finds TSA violated court order in new attempt to dissolve union
GAO warns disaster readiness gaps could leave communities exposed when the next storm hits
With a new executive order clearing the path for federal AI standards, the question now is whether Congress will finish the job
A new year brings new opportunities, where should contractors focus in 2026?
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Lawmakers push to overhaul complex reserve duty status system
Watchdog urges DHS to address ‘fragmented’ law enforcement hiring
From ACA subsidies to a stalled crypto overhaul, lawmakers are juggling more than spending deadlines this week
A fresh push for industrial capacity is taking center stage in the administration’s “Arsenal of Freedom” tour
Government CIOs are racing to deploy AI for better digital experiences, but citizens say security and transparency matter more
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Why agencies still use polygraphs and what a recent failure means for trust and reform
Best of "The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton" - - Monday, January 19, 2026
Data-driven reforms speed up surplus equipment turnaround at DLA
Majority of frontline Social Security employees earn less than a living wage, study finds
New tech could shield warfighters from one of the deadliest threats on the battlefield, gamma radiation
National service is struggling to connect with younger Americans, the problem may be both the message and the messenger
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - January 16, 2026
DoD lacks reliable data on the number of civilians teleworking, working remotely
CISA director void leaves cyber agency embroiled in uncertainty
Authorized investigations shouldn’t mean unpredictability, why transparency and clear deadlines matter for agency fairness
Underused space across USPS facilities could be a hidden drag on modernization and budgets
Resilient supply chains start with knowing what really matters, and what doesn’t
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, January 15, 2026
Shrinking federal office space, more agencies spared from major cuts: Highlights from latest spending bills
OPM data overhaul reveals deeper federal workforce insights
Who’s getting Medicare-funded residency slots, and why equity still lags
A recent VA audit finds major gaps in homeless screening follow-ups
More than 100 former DOJ civil rights attorneys say the Division meant to protect vulnerable communities is being dismantled
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, January 14, 2026
The Space Force's 'Futures Command' is still trying to chart its future
A constant stream of executives are leaving the government
Could psychedelics help stop the veteran suicide crisis? Congress seems ready to find out
Air quality data may not tell the whole story, and that could put communities at risk
The data behind America’s health decisions is starting to disappear, with potentially serious consequences
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Concerns mount over FEMA staff reductions
‘A huge test for the IRS’: Senators warn shrinking workforce may hamper upcoming filing season
The House clears a key spending package and ACA subsidy extensions