Podcasts about federal news network

The Defense Logistics Agency's five-year IT modernization journey reached an important milestone earlier this summer. DLA moved its catalog system off a 35-year-old COBOL based system and onto a new modern platform. For more on the agency's latest IT modernization achievement, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller caught up with Adarryl Roberts, DLA's chief information officer.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new Pentagon pilot program will give some active-duty service members a way to preserve their fertility before deployments, hazardous assignments or long periods away from their families. Starting September 14, eligible troops can be reimbursed up to $10,000 a year for egg freezing, or $500 for sperm freezing, under a three-year program created by Congress. The Defense Health Agency will use the pilot to assess participation, costs, administrative burdens and whether fertility preservation has an impact on military readiness and retention. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Department is asking Congress for broad new authority to directly sell military real estate, lease it back when it needs to and reinvest the cash from these sales into a number of defense priorities. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The intelligence community just launched a shared classified jobs portal. ICJobs is just like USAJobs, but for those with top-secret security clearances. The goal is to help the intelligence community put the right talent in the right work roles. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Pentagon wants to steer up to $244 million to Palantir through March 2027, with the possibility of additional funding through the end of 2028. But a draft memo obtained by Federal News Network doesn't spell out exactly what the money would pay for or which programs it would support.The Defense Department says the memo is part of a broader effort to use industry expertise to speed up defense production. But one government watchdog raised questions of transparency and whether the directive could lead to sole-source contracting without enough consideration of competition. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Following a year of sweeping staffing reductions, the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for agencies to ramp up recruitment efforts. The Office of Personnel Management has directed agencies to begin assembling “annual staffing plans” for fiscal 2027. The guidance places a particular focus on hiring technologists and early-career talent. Here with more, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The yearslong North Korean remote IT worker campaign has infiltrated hundreds of companies. Now, the FBI has confirmed at least one of those individuals was found working for a federal agency. Experts say the widening campaign points to an emerging gap in national security vetting. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Small Business Administration finalized new rules for the 8(a) business development program in record time. In 60 days, SBA went from proposal to reviewing more than 100 comments to final regulation that will transform the 73-year-old program. For more on what's in the new 8(a) regulations and why some experts remain concerned about the program's long-term viability, Federal News Network's executive editor Jason Miller joins me now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In "How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy", Joe Lynch speaks with Co-founder and CEO of Nordian, Michael Schramm, about how Nordian enables long-haul autonomy by combining precise positioning, satellite connectivity, and edge intelligence into a single platform. About Michael Schramm Michael Schramm is Co-founder and CEO of Nordian, the positioning and connectivity platform for Physical AI, delivering centimeter-level GNSS corrections, satellite connectivity, and fleet lifecycle management to some of the largest industrial OEMs in the Americas. A serial entrepreneur with 15+ years of executive leadership, he is a founding partner of Ambush, an applied AI engineering firm; co-founder of Echo54, an advanced sensing R&D company serving US and allied government agencies; and founder of GOAT, an acquired consumer micro-mobility company. Across nearly two decades of building companies that operate in the physical world, he kept running into the same failure point: machines break when positioning and connectivity aren't engineered as one system. Nordian exists to fix that. About Nordian Nordian is the positioning and connectivity platform for Physical AI. One platform delivers centimeter-level GNSS corrections, integrated satellite connectivity, and fleet lifecycle management to industrial OEMs across transportation, agriculture, and mining. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, and deliberately launched in the hardest environments on Earth, Nordian built South America's largest PPP-RTK network, and its platform serves 80% of the region's 20 largest agricultural OEMs. Proven where networks fail and machines can't, Nordian is now expanding globally to power autonomous operations at scale. Key Takeaways: How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy In "How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy", Joe Lynch speaks with Co-founder and CEO of Nordian, Michael Schramm, about how Nordian enables long-haul autonomy by combining precise positioning, satellite connectivity, and edge intelligence into a single platform. Physical AI is a Connectivity and Processing Challenge, Not an AI Model Problem: Current AI systems are fully capable of handling autonomous navigation, but real-world physical AI is constrained by connectivity and real-time processing capabilities. Offloading critical decisions to back-end cloud servers introduces latency, which is dangerous for heavy machinery like a 25-ton autonomous truck moving at highway speeds. Edge Computing and Local Inference Eliminate Deadly Latency: To operate safely without reliance on uninterrupted internet access, 100% of mission-critical decisions must occur directly on the device using edge computing. Nordian provides the local processing capacity needed for real-time inference, allowing autonomous vehicles, drones, and heavy equipment to operate safely in "air-gapped" environments or during brief network dropouts. Centimeter-Level Positioning Replaces Imprecise Traditional GPS: Standard GPS provides meter-level accuracy, which is acceptable for route navigation but unacceptable for vehicle control, lane-level autonomous driving, precise geofencing, or row-crop agriculture. By combining satellite signals with dedicated ground reference stations to calculate real-time differential corrections, Nordian achieves centimeter-level accuracy required for absolute control. Integration Burden is the Primary Bottleneck for OEMs: Equipment manufacturers historically acted as their own integrators—trying to bolt together separate vendors for chipsets, satellite bands, cellular modems, and edge computing. Nordian abstracts this complexity by unifying precise positioning, resilient connectivity, and edge intelligence into a single plug-and-play factory-installed package with an SDK for custom software development. A Multi-Band "N+3" Connectivity Model Bridges the Connectivity Gap: Autonomy dies where cellular coverage fails, particularly across the 71% of U.S. roadways located in rural environments. Nordian solves the connectivity gap by layering cellular networks, L-band communications, and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations (including integrated Starlink connectivity) into a redundant system capable of rapid sub-10-second signal convergence. Agricultural Battle-Testing Translates Directly to Transportation and Logistics: Before expanding into long-haul trucking and yard logistics, Nordian proved its system in South America's harsh agricultural environments, building a massive reference station network across Brazil and Argentina. This foundation enabled them to capture 80% of the top 20 agricultural OEMs in the region—proving the technology where infrastructure is non-existent and atmospheric interference (scintillation) is severe. Autonomous Technology Target Long-Haul Workloads to Improve Quality of Life: Autonomous technology is positioned to address structural labor shortages by replacing high-turnover, long-haul routes (where drivers are away from home for weeks) with fully autonomous systems or human-augmented modes. This shifts human operators toward last-mile and short-haul jobs, improving driver safety, operational utilization, and overall work-life balance. Learn More About How Nordian's Platform Enables Long-Haul Autonomy Michael Schramm | Linkedin Nordian | Linkedin Nordian Contact Nordian Nordian Authorized to Resell Starlink High-Speed Internet to Businesses & Enterprises. Nordian Expands High-Precision GNSS Positioning to Brazil Through Strategic Partnership with u-blox Federal News Network's Space Hour Podcast - Connecting devices out in remote regions Fierce Network - Nordian authorized to resell Starlink internet to businesses and enterprises Ending the 60% Waste: The Radical Shift Trucking Needs Right Now The Logistics of Logistics Podcast If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a positive review, subscribe, and share it with your friends and colleagues. The Logistics of Logistics Podcast: Google, Apple, Castbox, Spotify, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tunein, Podbean, Owltail, Libsyn, Overcast Check out The Logistics of Logistics on Youtube

A recent lawsuit could shape how federal agencies document artificial intelligence in the procurement process. Trax International Corporation recently alleged that the Army's AI tool used to determine a contract award hallucinated and weakened the company's bid. While it might be hard for the contractor to prove that the error actually mattered to the outcome, legal experts say the case could become the first to test how much information agencies may have to disclose about their use of AI during bid evaluations. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal employees are getting more details on what to expect if they appeal an adverse action. That's after the Office of Personnel Management finalized an overhaul to the government's avenues for challenging agencies. Here to break down the latest from OPM's guidance, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NASA's successful demonstration of laser communications during the Artemis Two mission marked a turning point for a technology that has been in development for years. It proved that optical communications can support human spaceflight operations, sending high-resolution imagery and scientific data as four astronauts traveled around the Moon. Nikki Desch is the project manager for the Orion Artemis Two Optical Communication Payload System at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. She talked about the capabilities with Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Army's decision to consolidate its official social media accounts is raising concerns well beyond public affairs. Small businesses that rely on LinkedIn, X and other platforms to track contracting opportunities, connect with program offices and learn about new requirements say they could lose a key entry point into the acquisition process. The move comes as Army leaders continue urging nontraditional companies and commercial firms to do business with the service. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen has more on what this could mean for the defense industrial base.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Pentagon's independent weapons testing office has pulled decades of unclassified annual reports from its public website, arguing that artificial intelligence would allow foreign adversaries to combine publicly available information into detailed assessments of U.S. military vulnerabilities. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration pledged to shift the Federal Emergency Management Agency away from a “bloated, DC-centric dead weight.” But FEMA's regions, not its Washington headquarters, bore the brunt of workforce cuts that happened without any strategic planning. That's according to the latest Government Accountability Office report on FEMA's workforce challenges. Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me for more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Military spouses have long faced challenges that come with frequent moves, career disruptions and balancing family life during deployments. Now, a new White House executive order creates the President's Military Spouse Commission, a panel charged with developing recommendations on issues ranging from employment and child care to health care, education and housing. The administration says the commission will give military spouses a direct voice in shaping federal policy, but questions remain about what authority it will have and how quickly it can deliver results. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins us with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A longstanding framework meant to root out inadvertent discrimination in hiring assessments will no longer be required for agencies. An interim final rule that OPM issued last week eliminates the "Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures" from federal personnel policy and regulations. The move aligns with a June opinion from the Department of Justice, which deemed the framework for hiring assessments unconstitutional. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman breaks down what the changes will mean with the Partnership for Public Service's Jenny Mattingley.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Senate's bill to keep the government funded past the midterm elections would keep critical cybersecurity authorities alive through December. The continuing resolution would also extend the authorities of a central fund that invests in agency technology projects. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Senate's bill to keep the government funded past the midterm elections would keep critical cybersecurity authorities alive through December. The continuing resolution would also extend the authorities of a central fund that invests in agency technology projects. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Army says one of its biggest modernization efforts has reached a turning point. After years of testing, officials say its Next Generation Command and Control program, or NGC2, is ready to move beyond experiments and into broader use across the force. The goal is to replace a patchwork of aging command-and-control systems with a single, data-driven network that helps commanders make faster decisions on the battlefield. But turning that vision into reality will mean overcoming technical, budget and cultural challenges. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins us with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adverse action rules for federal employees are undergoing a major transformation. A set of final rules from the Office of Personnel Management transfer more power to OPM and take some authority away from the Merit Systems Protection Board. At the same time, agencies will now be required to prioritize employee performance over tenure during a reduction-in-force. Here with more, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration has 20 additional ideas for improving federal acquisition. These range from dramatically increasing the simplified acquisition and micro purchase thresholds to raising the dollar figures on task order protests to allocating more money for acquisition workforce training. The Office of Management and Budget submitted these legislative proposals to Congress earlier this month. For more on what OMB is asking for, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller joins me now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration has been pushing federal agencies to aggressively adopt artificial intelligence capabilities. And now a new Commerce Department center is serving as a gateway for connecting the AI industry with government. To break it all down, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two recent technology investments illustrate some of the Pentagon's biggest IT bets: consolidating enterprise software purchases and accelerating artificial intelligence across the military. Oracle landed a contract worth up to $7 billion to provide software and services across the Defense Department, while Accenture won an $821 million task order to expand the Pentagon's War Data Platform, which it views as the backbone of many of its AI efforts. They reflect a broader strategy to standardize IT infrastructure, avoid duplicative spending, and make it easier for AI analyze military data. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me now with a closer look.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is seeking industry input on its plan to migrate all combatant commands' common-use IT services to the Defense Department Network, after General Dynamics Information Technology challenged the agency's decision to expand the Defense Enclave Services contract to perform the work. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The House narrowly passed its version of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill last week despite strong Democratic opposition over the bill's price tag, the war with Iran and a provision that would expand military partnership between the United States and Israel. While much of the attention surrounding the National Defense Authorization Act focuses on the bill's massive price tag, foreign policy and partisan riders, the must-pass package includes several provisions affecting the Defense Department's civilian workforce. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis joins us to break down what measures impacting civilians made it into the bill and what was left out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the Army launched its data operations center in April, the goal was to create a centralized service that will reduce the burden on warfighters. Over the long term, A-DOC hopes to make it easier for warfighters to use artificial intelligence and machine learning tools by turning raw data into refined intelligence. For more on the service's plans for the Army Data Operations Center, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller caught up with David Markowitz, the Army's chief data and analytics officer at the recent AFCEA TechNet Cyber conference.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An Army initiative that launched in 2024 wants to reshape how soldiers prepare for future wars. But as the "Transformation in Contact" program has expanded to include the Army National Guard, it's begun to strain the balance between staying ready for today's fight and looking ahead to the next one. Outdated facilities are making it hard to adapt to new technology, and that new technology has started to crowd spaces soldiers still need for regular operations and training. Federal News Network's defense reporter Rachel Cohen joins us with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's been a busy month for the Space Development Agency. After a months-long pause, SDA has just launched its next batch of satellites after it dealt with issues in the group of communications satellites known as Tranche 1. To explain that strategic pause, and what the agency learned from it. Jennifer Elzea, SDA's director of strategic engagement talked with Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fired probationary employees from the Department of Homeland Security and the Interior Department are continuing to challenge the legality of their terminations last year. This time, they're taking their fight to federal appeals court. The ex-employees are challenging the Merit Systems Protection Board's decision to dismiss their case. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Space Force leaders argue that doubling the size of the newest branch of the military is a “national security necessity,” roughly 25% of the jobs within the service were unfilled in fiscal 2025, and the service lacks guidance for determining how many people it actually needs to accomplish its missions. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Space Force's Space Systems Command already is seeing an increase in trust and confidence when it comes to applying artificial intelligence tools to mission areas. While hard metrics still may be difficult to point to, for areas like source selection or market research, Guardians already are feeling the impact of these new and emerging capabilities. F Schnell is deputy portfolio acquisition executive for the Space Force Infrastructure Office, and Capt. “Doc” Rana is the director of Human-AI Teaming Lab at Space Systems Command. They talked about it with Federal News Network's Jason Miller on our Space and Satellite Exchange. Rana speaks first.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Merit Systems Protection Board is no longer describing itself as “independent.” In recent weeks, the board has been removing the word “independent” from its public-facing materials. The action has raised questions of confidence in other MSPB processes. Here with more, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Transportation Security Administration is pushing a new privatized security screening model called Gold-Plus. Now some airports are starting to opt into that initiative. TSA and the airports say it will help modernize airport security screening. But TSA employees are worried about losing their federal jobs. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Army is overhauling how it manages its civilian workforce, issuing a directive that aims to make it easier to reward top performers while speeding up the removal of employees with unacceptable performance. The policy touches everything from disciplinary actions and incentive awards, to leave policies and voluntary separation programs. But those who are up for removal will have less time to defend their work than in the past. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins us with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More than a year after a governmentwide return-to-office mandate, federal employees are reporting lower productivity, diminished morale and increasing strains on their work-life balance. A recent survey conducted by Federal News Network finds that many feds are experiencing distracting workspaces, long commutes and inadequate resources. Here with more on the latest survey results, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

General Dynamics Information Technology is challenging the Defense Information Systems Agency's decision to expand Leidos' $11 billion Defense Enclave Services contract to include the combatant commands. The company argues that the agency should have competed the new work. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis is here with more details.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Space Force has officially welcomed its first part-time service members, launching a first-of-its-kind personnel model that allows Guardians to move between full-time and part-time service without transferring to the National Guard or Reserves. Service leaders say the approach will help recruit and retain skilled workers, particularly those with expertise in the commercial space and technology sectors. But the new model also raises questions about how the military will manage a more flexible workforce and whether its aging personnel systems are ready to support it. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal agencies are facing growing pressure to replace heavily customized legacy business systems with commercial off-the-shelf platforms that are easier to maintain, update and secure. At the Defense Logistics Agency, officials are treating their enterprise resource planning modernization project as more than just a technology upgrade. DLA says it's using the transition as an opportunity to rethink how it does business as DoD pursues its first clean audit. Adarryl Roberts is DLA's chief information officer. He talked about the work with Federal News Network's Jory Heckman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Senate lawmakers are calling for an independent audit of the Defense Department's multibillion-dollar TRICARE pharmacy program amid concerns that its longtime contractor, Express Scripts, may have a financial incentive to steer beneficiaries toward its own pharmacies. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Pentagon has kicked off its review of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program. Defense officials plan to hold listening sessions across the country to hear about compliance concerns. But questions continue to swirl around what exactly the Pentagon can do differently this time to balance small businesses cost concerns with the need to enforce cyber requirements. For the latest, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Supply-chain discussions usually focus on advanced technologies. Retired Brigadier General John Teichert says policymakers should pay more attention to a far more basic input: cement. He argues that growing reliance on imports could create risks for military and critical infrastructure projects. He spoke with Federal News Network's Eric White.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Pentagon is launching a new health screening initiative that will check for low testosterone as part of annual physicals for service members age 30 and older. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the effort is intended to improve readiness, resilience and long-term health, while emphasizing that testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary. But the announcement is also raising questions about the medical evidence behind widespread screening and how the policy will be implemented across the force. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal employees have recently scored a few small victories in their quest to restore telework. Two Justice Department attorneys with disabilities will be able to telework as their lawsuit against DOJ continues. And an independent arbitrator has sided with the union in a case involving telework at the Forest Service. Here with a recap on the return-to-office, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Modern warfare puts a premium on speed. A new report argues that when the Pentagon can move quickly from identifying a need to fielding a solution, it can have a direct impact on military effectiveness. For more details, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Stephanie Halcrow, senior fellow at George Mason University's Center for Government Contracting.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dozens of House and Senate Democrats are demanding answers from the Trump administration on its implementation of Schedule Policy/Career. A letter sent to the White House this week calls for details about exactly how many positions have been reclassified and whether there are plans to add to the list of those stripped of their civil service protections. Here with more, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Space Development Agency is resuming deployments of its proliferated satellite constellation. The agency had to slow down the pace of its launches due to some technical issues but its third in the series of Tranche One launches is now scheduled for July 16. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Contemporary technology governance has shifted from rule-based regulation to a landscape defined by administrative leverage and directive-driven decisions. This dynamic is seen in both the cybersecurity and AI sectors, where agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense and companies including OpenAI and Anthropic navigate obligations and approvals through administrative action rather than statutory change. As a result, MSPs and IT service providers must recognize that the durability of their offerings and client architectures increasingly hinges on how they respond to rapid, unpredictable shifts in the governing environment rather than on fixed compliance deadlines or product release dates. A notable example of this mechanism is the Department of Defense's suspension of the rollout of Phase Two of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), as reported by Federal News Network. About 80,000 companies had been preparing for new third-party assessment requirements, but these assessments have been paused pending a 60-day review. Despite the pause, the underlying data protection requirements for defense contractors remain in force, demonstrating that while compliance deadlines can disappear overnight, fundamental security obligations persist. Additional cases amplify the trend toward directive-based governance. The U.S. Commerce Department lifted export restrictions on Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models after new safeguards were implemented, following the same pattern previously used to impose those restrictions. Similarly, OpenAI's GPT 5.6 model was released to the public only after a voluntary government review concluded, illustrating that administrative reviews, not boardroom decisions, can dictate technology availability. Concurrently, other governments such as China are employing similar tactics, with Reuters reporting that Chinese authorities have met with local AI firms to discuss restricting overseas access to advanced models. These parallel moves across geopolitical boundaries indicate a structural reliance on executive discretion rather than legislative clarity. The operational impact for MSPs, IT service providers, and technology leaders is a heightened exposure to contract risk and pricing volatility. Service commitments anchored to deadlines, default settings, or product availability are susceptible to abrupt policy reversals or administrative interventions, translating to sudden revenue shortfalls and reactive client management. The recommended response is to audit current commitments, identify those pegged to mutable triggers rather than enduring obligations, and systematically re-anchor contract language and client communication to core outcomes and standing requirements. This preparation mitigates the risk of unpaid work, scope renegotiation, and unplanned operational disruption when another directive-driven policy shift occurs. 00:00 Three Government Switches in Three Weeks  04:07 Why AI Is Governed by Leverage, Not Law 06:46 CMMC Paused — Your Obligations Didn't 09:27 Why Do We Care?  Supported by:  Pax8 Guardz   

Satellites support everything from communications to navigation, making them an increasingly important part of national infrastructure. But protecting those systems depends on being able to identify suspicious activity before it becomes a larger problem. For a look at DHS research in this area, Federal News Network's Eric White discussed these efforts with Ernest Wong, technical lead at the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adversaries are using open source information to target federal missions. That's partly because of a surge in publicly available data and AI tools that can make use of that data more quickly than ever. But agencies can use the same kinds of information to help defend themselves through the tradecraft of open source intelligence. Gharun Lacy is the deputy assistant secretary for cyber and technology security at the State Department, and Eric Miller is a senior advisor for open source intelligence at the Defense Intelligence Agency. They talked about OSINT with Federal News Network's Jason Miller. Lacy speaks first.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.