Fed Gov Today Francis Rose

The federal government is missing a “prime opportunity” to cut the size and cost of its real estate footprint, according to the Public Buildings Reform Board. The board finds the government is missing modernization opportunities too. Dan Mathews, a member of the Public Buildings Reform Board and former commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the General Services Administration, details what the board thinks that opportunity is, and how to capture it.

The Military Health System is reimagining how it provides care to its customers. Its digital transformation is just one part of that makeover. Naomi Escoffrey is Chief Accelerator Officer and Innovation Program Manager at the Defense Health Agency. On the newest episode of Innovation in Government from HIMSS, she tells me other military health leaders around the world face some of the same challenges DHA does.

Federal government leaders have a unique opportunity to learn from IT leaders from around the world, in person, this week. GovernmentDX is coming to the Reagan Building downtown on Thursday and Friday. Kevin Sorkin is Chief Executive Officer of Pendragon International Media, and Siobhan Bonita is moderator of the Global Government Forum. Kevin and Siobhan are hosting GovernmentDX. They tell me why federal government leaders, especially leaders outside the IT specialties, should come.

Today, a special program. Monday I hosted the Chiefs Panel, the opening event of the Sea Air Space conference. My thanks to the Navy League of the United States, the hosts of Sea Air Space, for inviting me to moderate the Chiefs Panel. You’ll hear that event on the program today, with the Chief of Naval Operations… Admiral Lisa Franchetti; the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Christopher Mahoney; the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Linda Fagan; and the Administrator of the Maritime Administration, Rear Admiral Ann Phillips (USN ret.)

The first question I asked went to CNO Franchetti, about the new fiscal year 2025 budget request, and how it supports her recent strategy document, “America’s Warfighting Navy."

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The President’s Management Agenda doesn’t include an explicit mention of shared services. But one leader says there are plenty of references that imply agencies should use shared services. Chad Clifford is Executive Director of the Grants Quality Service Management Office at the Department of Health and Human Services. At ACT-IAC’s Shared Services Summit at the Carahsoft Conference Center in Reston recently, he tells me why he thinks that is.

Eight hubs around the country will be the building blocks of a “Microelectronics Commons.” Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks calls the Commons an effort to bridge what some observers call the “valley of death” between research-and-development and production. Dr. Dev Shenoy is Principal Director for Microelectronics and Director of the Defense Microelectronics Cross-Functional Team in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. On the new Fed Gov Today TV, he tells me what the Commons is, and what DoD wants to accomplish with it.

Your biometric markers could be the path to access your retirement information. The Thrift Savings Plan is introducing biometric elements to its identity verification. Kim Weaver is Director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. She tells me how it will work for participants, and what the TSP will have to do to make it work.

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Accenture Federal Services sponsors this edition of the Fed Gov Today podcast.

The Defense Department says its Cyber Workforce Framework will be a key tool in developing the team that will implement the department’s cyber strategy. That framework comes out of a directive called 8140.01. Matthew Isnor is Program Lead for Cyberspace Workforce Development in the office of the Chief Information Officer at the Department of Defense. At West 2024 recently, he says the goal is to make the Defense Department an employer of choice, and he tells me how the department will do it.

Human centered design is one of the key principles of the customer experience pillar of the President’s Management Agenda. A new principle, though, might take that concept one step further. Michael Gavin is Managing Director, and Lauren Oliver is Principal Director, for the experience practice at Accenture Federal Services. Together they explain how the concept of “human by design” works.

The Defense Innovation Unit calls its next iteration “DIU 3.0.” That new iteration has eight lines of effort, according to DIU leadership. Capt. Alex Campbell (US Navy) is director of the maritime portfolio at DIU. At West 2024 recently, I ask him where DIU has come from, and what’s behind DIU 3.0.

The Navy League sponsors this edition of the Fed Gov Today podcast.

The Office of Naval Intelligence is delivering three new cloud-based capabilities that it says will “revolutionize the delivery of critical ONI intelligence, data and development tools to the fleet.” Zeke Maldonado is Chief Information Officer and Director of Technology and Innovation at the Office of Naval Intelligence. At West 2024 recently, I ask him what the duties are that come with his extra title, and his role in delivering new capabilities.

The Chief of Naval Operations, ADM Lisa Franchetti, lists warfighting, warfighters, and foundation as her three priorities in a document she calls “America’s Warfighting Navy.” She talked about each of those recently on Fed Gov Today TV. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Mike Stevens (USN ret.) is the Chief Executive Officer of the Navy League of the United States. He’s the 13th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. I ask him what message the fleet should take from having warfighters listed as one of CNO’s highest priorities.
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The Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 12 is in its home port of Naval Station Norfolk now, after it returned from a deployment in January. During that deployment, the strike group welcomed a new Information Warfare Commander. Capt. Christi Montgomery (USN) moved to that job last summer from her post as Commander of the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center. At West 2024 in San Diego recently… she tells me about her new areas of responsibility.

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The Transportation Security Administration is testing touchless ID at several airports across the country. The goal is to make clearing security easier and faster for travelers. Kristin Ruiz is Deputy Chief Information Officer at TSA. At the ACT-IAC Digital Transformation Summit recently, she tells me why the project is a good example of TSA’s approach to digital transformation.

The Office of Personnel Management says its Workforce of the Future initiative “lays the foundation for the Federal government to be recognized as a model employer.” The newest element of that initiative is the Workforce of the Future Playbook. Kim Holden is Principal Deputy Associate Director for Workforce Policy and Innovation at OPM. On the newest edition of Fed Gov Today TV, I ask her why OPM chose the playbook format.

The Agriculture Department is launching its first Digital Service Fellows program. The department says the program will “operate on a tour-of-service model where fellows are appointed for a two-year minimum term on a full-time basis, with the potential option to serve a total of four years.” Fatima Terry is Acting Executive Director and Deputy Director of Digital Services at the Department of Agriculture. At the ACT-IAC Digital Transformation Summit recently, she told me how the program will work.

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