Weekly Roundup: February 27-March 3, 2017

Michael J. Keegan

Disconnects in authority, accountability at VHA weakens retention, GAO says . A recent GAO investigation found that at a number of VHA facilities, lack of knowledge, skill and personnel in the human resources offices is hampering the administration in achieving its medical mission.

18F: The empire strikes back. Oversight has its place, Steve Kelman writes, but the IG reports focused on 18F almost seem hostile to innovation.

DISA searches for new acquisition life with SETI. The new $7.5 billion SETI acquisition program aims to rapidly contract innovative technologies and solutions across the Defense Department.

The first brick in the wall. DHS is alerting contractors to the coming effort to construct a wall spanning the U.S.-Mexico border.

Small business committee lays out agenda for SBA. The House Small Business Committee this week approved its fiscal 2018 Views and Estimates, a guideline for the upcoming congressional session and budget process that focuses on improved services for the small business community. Among the committee’s priorities are oversight of certain programs, redirecting resources, and eliminating redundancies. The initiatives and programs often are duplicative of “longstanding small business outreach efforts,” are not reviewed, approved by the committee, nor are they properly assessed by SBA.

Howard Schmidt, former Obama cyber adviser, dies. Howard Schmidt, a longtime IT leader in both government and industry who served as cybersecurity adviser in the Obama White House, has passed away at the age of 67.

John Kamensky

Temin’s Predictions. Federal News Radio’s Tom Temin reads the tea leaves on what might be the Trump Administration’s management agenda and offers five predictions.

Best States Rankings.  US News and World Report compiled 60 data sets to “measure outcomes for citizens” to see where each state stands in areas such as healthcare, education, infrastructure and more.

Navigating Budget Cutbacks.  The Trump Administration promises major cuts.  One strategy is across-the-board.  Another is to target cuts.  Two recent studies offer strategies to achieve $2 Trillion in potential cost reductions.  Do any of them stand a chance?  One comes from the Technology CEO Council; the other comes via the advocacy group, Common Good, in an article in the Daily Beast.

Defense Acquisition Reform.  Federal News Radio authors two in depth pieces on the evolution of major acquisition management reforms in recent years, and the implications for the incoming Administration’s team.  The first covers the Better Buying Power effort, and the second covers the congressionally-mandated reorganization of the Pentagon’s acquisition and research functions.

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