Weekly Round-up: April 19, 2013

Gadi Ben-Yehuda

This week: Success! 

• On HowTo.Gov, Ori Hoffer asks "What Does Social Media Success Look Like?" His answer includes a chart! 
• Joesph Marks reports that GAO thinks the IRS could be more successful with its Web site. 
• HHS CTO Bryan Sivak explains how to write a successful proposal for HHSignite.
• More successful security through blending of physical and cyber.

Dan Chenok

• Agencies begin to request budget changes to mitigate sequester:  
• Strong financial management allows agencies to save $:  
• Doing more with less to innovate:  

John Kamensky

• Elevating the Importance of Performance.  GAO says federal agencies have created an increased focus on performance, via the designation of senior-level performance improvement officers.  But in a survey of these officials, GAO found the competencies the competencies needed to assess and follow through on performance management-related issues “were not as widespread among their staff as the other competencies” assessed in their survey. 
• Open Government, Yes, But . . . . OMB sent out a memorandum to all agency leaders that “reiterates the Administration's formal legislative coordination and clearance process, and requests your cooperation in submitting drafts of materials to the Office of Management and Budget for clearance in a timely manner.”  While this has been standard operating procedure for several decades, it doesn’t hurt to remind newcomers!
• CIO Council Shared Services Catalog.  Joseph Marks at NextGov reports that the federal CIO Council has released a handy new resource “aimed at helping agencies save money on IT services. . .  Agencies will be able to use the catalog to shop for IT services provided by other agencies that are cheaper than they could provide on their own.”  However, Marks notes, “The catalog isn’t visible to the public.” 

Michael Keegan

Sequestration already taking toll on DoD's research and development 
Defense agencies and services are pulling back hundreds of millions of dollars worth of grants and contracts. Impending furloughs will further impair DoD's ability to get money out the door.

Postal Service's 'broken business model' under fire but solutions scarce
Postmaster General Pat Donahoe told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday that the Postal Service is operating under a "broken business model."

Data analytics improving CFOs' lines of sight for program execution
Federal chief financial officers have more foresight, insight and hindsight than ever before to make better decisions. But just as important as having these wide-ranging sight lines is how they are being translated down to the program level.

Tough budget times lead to Golden Age for the CFO
Federal finance may conjure up images of dull reports and boring people toiling away on spreadsheets. If that's what comes to mind, it may be time to revise your thinking.

Inside the Reporter's Notebook: A deeper dive into the 2014 budget
Executive Editor Jason Miller shares news and buzz in the acquisition and IT communities that you may have missed this week.

The Business of Government Radio Show:  Jeri L. Buchholz

The Business of Government Hour features a conversation about management with a government executive who is changing the way government does business. The executives discuss their careers and the management challenges facing their organizations.

Jeri L. Buchholz isNASA's Chief Human Capital Officer and Assistant Administrator for Human Capital Management.   Her responsibilities include setting the agency's workforce development strategy, assessing workforce characteristics and future needs based on the agency's mission and strategic plan; aligning the agency's human resources policies and programs with organizational mission, strategic goals, and performance outcomes; and, serving as a member of the Office of Personnel Management-led Chief Human Capital Officers Council.

Broadcast Schedule: The show airs Monday at 11 a.m., and Wednesday at noon, on Federal News Radio 1500AM WFED

If you can't wait, though, you can listen to (or download) this week's program and all our previous interviews at businessofgovernment.org and by searching our audio archives.