Pay & Benefits

5 highlights of the 2024 Open Season

Open Season for the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program may be over, but it was still filled with new additions and best practices for federal employees and beneficiaries to keep an eye on. Here are some of the highlights.

Management

New bill seeks to codify Trump-era regulation cut rule

Rep. Mike Gallagher’s (R-Wisc.) legislation aims to make permanent the Trump executive order that sought to repeal two regulations for each one introduced.

Management

House Oversight members take aim at former GSA official in request for FBI headquarters investigation

Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and member Gerry Connolly, D-Va., called on the General Services Administration’s acting inspector general to investigate potential political influence in the agency’s decision to select Greenbelt, Md., for the FBI’s main office.

Management

USPS paid for unused air mail transport due to incorrect forecasts, OIG says

The Postal Service didn’t accurately plan the weight capacity of its operations with one air transport supplier, according to a new report, often paying shipping costs for unused capacity on flights. 

Management

Officials hopeful new executive order will help lagging security implementation at federal facilities

Leaders from the Federal Protective Service and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency applaud a recent White House directive around federal facility security, but also support additional measures to help implement recommendations.

Management

White House updates interagency group tasked with protecting federal facilities

The Biden administration issued an executive order Monday updating the committee tasked with establishing security policies for installations across the federal government, now including best practices for a mobile workforce.

Management

Stefanik calls for fraud officer to protect veterans from scam in new bill

The New York congresswoman partnered with House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., to sponsor new legislation that would create an officer to help warn veterans about potential scam and identity theft schemes. 

Management

Porter reintroduces a bill that would form a natural disaster safety board

The California congresswoman redrafted a bill with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., to establish an agency to help investigate and mitigate the effects of natural disasters in the U.S.

Management

Federal buildings’ deferred maintenance costs are soaring, GAO says, here’s how agencies can help

The cost of delayed repairs to federal facilities swelled 58% between fiscal 2017 and 2022, and the watchdog said that agencies can be doing more to inform about the backlog. 

Management

VA officials reassigned following a House Committee's investigation into harassment allegations

Members of the office tasked with investigating harassment claims have been transferred following an investigation by the House Veterans Affairs Committee into sexual misconduct claims within that office. 

Management

How Greenbelt won the FBI’s new headquarters

The agency’s pick for its new headquarters won out over sites in Virginia and Maryland despite being the smallest buildable offering. The choice has sparked some controversy.

Management

The White House launches a contractor initiative centered on better data and performance

The Office of Management and Budget detailed an enterprise-wide government contracting plan Wednesday centered on data-based buying and projected to save $10 billion annually. 

Management

GSA plans $2 billion in cleaner construction projects

The agency is utilizing funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to support 150 construction projects using “low-embodied carbon” materials.

Management

Good aims to defund White House’s climate jobs initiative in new bill

The Virginia representative offered new legislation Friday that would prevent the Biden administration from using federal appropriations to fund its planned 20,000-person climate workforce initiative.

Management

Return-to-office policies may bring potential federal workforce challenges

Deltek posited in its contracting outlook for fiscal 2024 a potential talent crunch tied to the Biden administration’s return-to-office policies. 

Management

With catastrophes on the rise, a new report outlines how agencies can integrate their response

A new study from the National Academy of Public Administration and the IBM Center for the Business of Government details strategies the federal government can take to absorb the shock of unprecedented national and international events and mitigate their institutional risks. 

Management

OMB should set office space benchmarks accounting for telework reality, GAO says

The watchdog followed up its September testimony on underutilized federal offices to call for the Office of Management and Budget to set the standard for optimizing federal real property portfolios in an increased telework environment. 

Management

FBI’s new headquarters plan was not influenced by the Trump White House, watchdog says

An inspector general report four years in the making found that FBI officials nixed a plan to move its headquarters to suburban Washington, D.C., for reasons not related to alleged political pressure from the Trump administration. 

Management

A stopgap budget might be better for some civilian agencies than an appropriation

Professional Services Council President and CEO David Berteau said Thursday that the uncertain nature of budget negotiations and a looming spending cut baked into the debt ceiling deal means some agencies might be better off being funded at fiscal 2023 levels.

Management

OIG: Eligibility gaps are a major challenge for SBA next year

A report outlining ongoing management and performance challenges for the Small Business Administration includes critiques of set-aside contracts versus the amount of contracting dollars actually headed to small businesses.