Podcasts about general services administration gsa

"The enormity of the challenges we have in front of us right now, in terms of the deficit of housing, just requires all of us to work together." This episode revisits the National Housing Supply Summit in March 2025! In this conversation, Devon Tilly and co-host Dennis Steigerwalt chats with Matt Hoffman and Stephen O'Conner about affordable housing, the new administration, and the White Paper: Federal Policy Opportunities to Expand Housing Supply. Request a copy of the White Paper here: https://housingsupply.us/ Our co-host Dennis is active in all things real estate with a specific focus on innovation in the residential development and homebuilding ecosystems. He is a ULI Residential Neighborhood Product Council member, a Professional Builder 40 under 40 recipient, and an active member of Geek Estate. In his spare time he enjoys big adventures with his wife and sons on the water and in the mountains. Dennis is the president of the Housing Innovation Alliance, a future oriented community for production homebuilding. The Housing Innovation Summit is the best place to get engaged + connected where you'll gather insights + have a voice at each turn. The 2025 Summit is co-hosted by the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation at the University of Pittsburgh. We'll be at Phipps Conservatory in the Oakland neighborhood and hosting Innovation in Action tours around Pittsburgh. Matt Hoffman has spent his career applying his strategy, business development, and innovation skills to solving problems that create growth and opportunity in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. With over 20 years' experience building businesses in the housing and technology sectors, in February 2024 he completed a two-year assignment as the Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees the U.S. government's civilian real estate portfolio of more than 365 million square feet. His core focus was the implications of “the future of work” on the office portfolio and transitioning federal buildings to net zero emissions. He helped launch the federal government's Workplace Innovation Lab (WIL) and federal coworking offering (think WeWork just for federal employees). He represented GSA on the White House's housing supply interagency policy council. Based in the Washington, DC area, Matt has a passion for finding housing solutions for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) community and currently chairs the real estate finance committee of Benedictine Programs & Services, which helps I/DD children and adults achieve their greatest potential. He is a graduate of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government (MPP) and Brown University (BA). Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. O'Connor has been deeply involved in addressing the multifaceted challenges surrounding the crisis in affordable housing. His long and effective history of advocacy focuses on the promotion of equitable housing opportunities through the development of inclusive communities to enhance the quality of life for diverse populations. With a Ph.D. in Planning and Public Policy, Dr. O'Connor's expertise extends across various sectors within the housing spectrum, including affordable housing finance, housing policy analysis, and land use planning. He is often called upon by governmental agencies, political campaigns, and non-profit organizations to help develop effective policy frameworks and practical interventions to address housing disparities. As an educator, Dr. O'Connor is committed to developing the next generation of housing advocates, developers, and policymakers. He serves as a mentor and a teacher, inspiring students to explore the intersection of housing, social equity, and public policy. His dynamic teaching style and hands-on approach are informed by more than thirty years of housing industry experience. Personally, Dr. O'Connor and his wife, Sandy, have served long tenures with several medical mission charities. In addition, they have founded two 501(c)(3) organizations to raise money for cure-focused medical research. They have two children and two beautiful grandsons.   Read James Rouse's book: https://a.co/d/4cVwaKN Read the "Abundance" book:  https://a.co/d/1N0kr4e Keep up with the Art of Construction (AOC) podcast on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn! Subscribe to us and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

In today's episode of The Daily Windup, we have our guest who shares valuable insights for small businesses looking to secure government contracts. We talk about the importance of understanding the target company and its procurement needs. Advising small businesses to research the company's upcoming bids and analyze the scope of work in previous or draft requests for proposals (RFPs). By identifying areas where your company excels and can offer better value, small businesses can approach the larger company and propose a partnership. We also provide you resources for conducting research, such as the Federal Procurement Data System (fpds.gov), where small businesses can look up contracts won by a company. Additionally, you can explore the General Services Administration (GSA) schedules and search for labor categories or products that align with your own offerings. By conducting thorough research beyond the surface-level information on a company's website, small businesses can identify potential opportunities and increase their chances of partnering with larger companies for government contracts.

Alan Thomas, founder of Alpha Tango Strategies, and Bill Gormley, president of the Gormley Group, join host Roger Waldron on this week's Off the Shelf for an engrossing discussion of the evolving federal procurement market.  The discussion highlights the consolidation of procurement functions at the General Services Administration (GSA) pursuant to the president's executive order.  Thomas and Gormley, both former senior executives at GSA, share their insights on the role of GSA, the management opportunities, and considerations of consolidating federal procurement for common products and services with GSA's Federal Acquisition Services (FAS).  They also provide historical context to GSA's role in federal procurement and how the consolidation will reshape the federal market.  As part of that discussion, Thomas and Gormley share their thoughts regarding consolidation opportunities and implementation strategies for GSA and FAS.  Other topics covered include right-sizing GSA's Multiple Award Schedule program, the impending rewrite of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the state of the IT GWACs.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alan Thomas, founder of Alpha Tango Strategies, and BillGormley, president of the Gormley Group, join host Roger Waldron on this week's Off the Shelf for an engrossing discussion of the evolving federal procurement market.  The discussion highlights the consolidation of procurement functions at the General Services Administration (GSA) pursuant to the president's executive order.  Thomas and Gormley, both former senior executives at GSA, share their insights on the role of GSA, the management opportunities, and considerations of consolidating federalprocurement for common products and services with GSA's Federal AcquisitionServices (FAS).  They also provide historical context to GSA's role in federal procurement and how the consolidation will reshape the federal market.  As part of that discussion, Thomas and Gormley share their thoughts regarding consolidation opportunities and implementation strategies for GSA and FAS.  Other topics covered include right-sizing GSA's Multiple Award Schedule program, the impending rewrite of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and thestate of the IT GWACs.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Duffy, President Donald Trump's nominee for Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, has committed to reviewing the Pentagon's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 if confirmed. This revamped program, effective since December, mandates that defense contractors handling controlled, unclassified information comply with specific cybersecurity standards to qualify for Department of Defense contracts. Concerns have been raised about the burden these regulations may impose on smaller firms, with a report indicating that over 50% of respondents felt unprepared for the program's requirements. Duffy aims to balance security needs with regulatory burdens, recognizing the vulnerability of small and medium-sized businesses in the face of cyber threats.In addition to the CMMC developments, the General Services Administration (GSA) is set to unveil significant changes to the Federal Risk Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). The new plan for 2025 focuses on establishing standards and policies rather than approving cloud authorization packages, which previously extended the process for up to 11 months. The GSA intends to automate at least 80% of current requirements, allowing cloud service providers to demonstrate compliance more efficiently, while reducing reliance on external support services.Across the Atlantic, the UK government has announced a comprehensive cybersecurity and resilience bill aimed at strengthening defenses against cyber threats. This legislation will bring more firms under regulatory oversight, specifically targeting managed service providers (MSPs) that provide core IT services and have extensive access to client systems. The proposed regulations will enhance incident reporting requirements and empower the Information Commissioner's Office to proactively identify and mitigate cyber risks, setting higher expectations for cybersecurity practices among MSPs.The episode also discusses the implications of recent developments in AI and cybersecurity. With companies like SolarWinds, CloudFlare, and Red Hat enhancing their offerings, the integration of AI into business operations raises concerns about security and compliance. The ease of generating fake documents using AI tools poses a significant risk to industries reliant on document verification. As the landscape evolves, IT service providers must adapt by advising clients on updated compliance practices and strengthening their cybersecurity measures to address these emerging threats. Four things to know today 00:00 New Regulatory Shifts for MSPs: CMMC 2.0, FedRAMP Overhaul, and UK Cyber Security Bill05:21 CISA Cuts and Signal on Gov Devices: What Could Go Wrong?08:15 AI Solutions Everywhere! SolarWinds, Cloudflare, and Red Hat Go All In11:37 OpenAI's Image Generation Capabilities Raise Fraud Worries: How Businesses Should Respond  Supported by:  https://www.huntress.com/mspradio/https://cometbackup.com/?utm_source=mspradio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sponsorship  Join Dave April 22nd to learn about Marketing in the AI Era.  Signup here:  https://hubs.la/Q03dwWqg0 All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH THE VIDEOS FIRST https://www.youtube.com/@govclose/?sub_confirmation=1Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our Book is FREE, But Only Here: https://www.dodcontract.com/Watch How to Find Gov Contract LeadsThis is a video about Trump's New Executive Order: Will You Need a GSA Schedule to Sell to the Government?This video discusses a significant executive order signed by President Trump that affects how businesses sell to U.S. federal agencies. The executive order, signed on March 20th, 2025, aims to centralize federal procurement through the General Services Administration (GSA). The video details what this means for businesses, particularly those without a GSA schedule, and the implications for selling common goods and services to the government. It explains the role of the GSA, the potential impact on small businesses, and the timeline for implementation. Practical advice is given for businesses considering applying for a GSA schedule, and additional resources are offered for navigating these changes.00:00 Introduction to GSA Schedule and Executive Order00:29 Understanding GSA and Its Role01:45 Impact of the Executive Order on Businesses02:31 What is GSA and Contract Vehicles?04:22 Personal Success Stories in Government Contracting05:51 Navigating the GSA Schedule Process08:42 Conclusion and Future InsightsThis is a video about Trump's New Executive Order: Will You Need a GSA Schedule to Sell to the Government?#Trump #GSA #govclose

Former Trump administration cybersecurity official Sean Planky has been nominated to lead the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). His nomination comes amid significant layoffs at the agency, where over 100 employees were let go, including key members of the Red Team responsible for simulating cyberattacks. These cuts raise concerns about CISA's ability to maintain cybersecurity amid ongoing federal budget constraints, potentially leading to increased threats in the private sector as federal infrastructure and intelligence sharing weaken.In the realm of artificial intelligence, the General Services Administration (GSA) has introduced a custom chatbot named GSAI to automate various government tasks, coinciding with significant job cuts within the agency. While the chatbot aims to enhance efficiency, internal memos have warned employees against inputting sensitive information. This trend reflects a broader movement in the federal government towards tech-driven workforce reductions, raising questions about data privacy and the reliability of AI tools in government operations.Utah has made headlines by passing legislation requiring App Store operators to verify the ages of users and obtain parental consent for minors downloading apps. This law, aimed at enhancing online safety for children, has garnered support from major tech companies but has also faced criticism regarding potential infringements on privacy rights. The Supreme Court is expected to examine age verification issues, particularly concerning adult content websites, highlighting the ongoing debate over online safety regulations.The podcast also discusses the competitive landscape of AI, with Google reporting continued growth in search queries despite the rise of ChatGPT. New benchmarks have been developed to measure the honesty of AI models, revealing that larger models do not necessarily correlate with higher honesty rates. As companies like Microsoft and Amazon introduce advanced AI tools, the implications for businesses are significant, emphasizing the need for oversight and governance in AI deployment to mitigate risks associated with inaccuracies and compliance issues. Three things to know today00:00 Cybersecurity Jobs Cut, AI Hired, and Kids Get ID'd—Welcome to the Future of Tech Policy05:45 ChatGPT Isn't Killing Google Search—And AI Lies More Than You'd Think08:27 Microsoft and OpenAI: A Rocky Relationship, While AI Prices Tumble Supported by:  https://getflexpoint.com/msp-radio/  Event: https://www.nerdiocon.com/ All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

In this episode of AI, Government, and the Future, we are joined by Nathan Manzotti, Director of Data Analytics and AI Centers of Excellence at the General Services Administration (GSA), to discuss the current state and future potential of AI in the federal government. They explore GSA's role in enabling AI adoption across agencies, key initiatives like AI training and communities of practice, and the challenges of attracting AI talent in government. Nathan also shares his insights on the need for collaboration between government, industry, academia, and nonprofits to drive responsible AI innovation.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The old Federal Reserve system is imploding. The [CB] are in trouble. Trump is now putting all the pieces in place and he is dismantling the Federal Reserve System. Trump is continually added more pieces to the puzzle to remove the people from the system and create a new system that will fund the government. The [DS] is in a panic today, Pam Bondi continually threatened the [DS] with the Epstein client list and she was able to expose the sleepers in NY Fed office. Kash and Pam are now investigating. We are in an information war and this was a test to see what ammunition the [DS] has. Phase I complete of Epstein release, moving to the next phase.   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy Initial Unemployment Claims Spike by 22,000 Not DOGE Related Unemployment claims jumped but it's not Federal in nature.   In the week ending February 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 242,000, an increase of 22,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 219,000 to 220,000. The 4-week moving average was 224,000, an increase of 8,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 215,250 to 215,500. Initial Claims and 4-Week Average DOGE, Random, or Something Else? The Department of Labor data rules out DOGE. Source: mishtalk.com US Pending Home Sales Collapse To Record Lows Pending home sales tumbled 4.6% MoM in January (after dropping 4.2% MoM in December), dramatically worse than the 0.9% MoM decline expected and dragging YoY sales down 5.2%... Source: Bloomberg This drop pushed pending home sales index to its all-time lows...   Contract signings tumbled 9.2% in the South - the biggest home-selling region in the country - parts of which experienced historic snowfall. That marked the biggest drop since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Worse still, home prices continue to rise and squeeze would-be buyers. c Source: zerohedge.com Eli Lilly Announces Plan To Invest $27 Billion In America Amid Trump Tariff Threats Eli Lilly announced that it plans to more than double its U.S. manufacturing investment this year to $50 billion as President Trump threatens to place tariffs on pharmaceutical imports. The drug giant plans to begin building four domestic manufacturing locations in 2025 and add 13,000 high-wage manufacturing and construction jobs, according to a press release. The company claimed the plans account for the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing investment in U.S. history. 

This is a crossover episode of the Business Government HourJoin host Michael Keegan for a Special Edition of The Business of Government Hour – The National Academy of Public Administration FALL MEETING SERIES. This fifth in a series of conversations exploring the key challenges facing public management today with a focus on technology innovation and procurement. Michael welcomes NAPA Fellow Laura Stanton, Assistant Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service's Office of Information Technology Category (ITC), U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).Links:Visit The Business Government Hour homepageMusic Credits: Sea Breeze by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_

This is the final conversations exploring the key challenges facing public management today with a focus on technology innovation and procurement strategies. Michael welcomes NAPA Fellow Laura Stanton, Assistant Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service's Office of Information Technology Category (ITC), U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the final conversations exploring the key challenges facing publicmanagement today with a focus on technology innovation and procurementstrategies. Michael welcomes NAPA Fellow Laura Stanton, Assistant Commissioner,Federal Acquisition Service's Office of Information Technology Category (ITC),U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we break down the Draft ASCEND BPA Pool 1 opportunity, a monumental $5B contract from the General Services Administration (GSA). With the anticipated RFP release in the 2nd quarter of FY25, this BPA is poised to reshape the cloud and IT solutions landscape. Learn about the key contract details, strategic preparation tips, and what businesses need to know to compete for one of the 10 awards.Stay informed and ahead of the competition! Listen to our podcast for expert insights into the ASCEND BPA opportunity and how your business can seize this game-changing contract.Contact ProposalHelper at sales@proposalhelper.com to find similar opportunities and help you build a realistic and winning pipeline.

In this episode, we discuss the General Services Administration (GSA) order to address the risk of Legionella and other waterborne pathogens in the water systems of GSA-controlled buildings. The GSA, which owns 1,600 federal buildings and leases space in over 6,500 buildings nationwide, was spurred to action after detecting elevated levels of Legionella bacteria at six GSA-controlled buildings in different regions since 2023. Our guest Dr. Abraham Cullom, a microbiologist with expertise in plumbing systems, talks about the GSA order and the urgent need to stay on top of emerging best water quality practices for plumbing systems to protect building occupants.Related links: https://www.gsa.gov/blog/2024/01/31/gsa-strengthens-water-quality-efforts-in-federal-buildings 

On this episode, host Dave Wennergren and his guests discuss customer experience, technology leadership, the Imagine Nation ELC Conference and our CX Summit.  Guests: Danielle Metz, director, Information Management and Technology & CIO, Office of the Secretary of Defense, executive vice president for the American Council for Technology and Government Chair for Imagine Nation ELC 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-metz-135b0019/ Martha Dorris, founder of Dorris Consulting International, former deputy associate administrator for Citizen Services at the General Services Administration (GSA), A member of the Industry Advisory Council Executive Committee, a former president of the American Council for Technology and former Industry Chair of the ACT-IAC CX COI. https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-dorris-798b3b7/   Additional Resources: To learn more about ACT-IAC, please visit our website: https://www.actiac.org/ To register for the ACT-IAC Imagine Nation ELC conference: https://web.cvent.com/event/c05d8d9e-ce3a-419f-ac97-f8041fc3b401/summary To register for the ACT-IAC CX Summit: https://web.cvent.com/event/620f506b-db90-40c9-8930-c5dc20fcf904/summary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode, host Dave Wennergren and his guests discuss customer experience, technology leadership, the Imagine Nation ELC Conference and our CX Summit. Guests:Danielle Metz, director, Information Management and Technology & CIO, Office of the Secretary of Defense, executive vice president for the American Council for Technology and Government Chair for Imagine Nation ELC 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-metz-135b0019/Martha Dorris, founder of Dorris Consulting International, former deputy associate administrator for Citizen Services at the General Services Administration (GSA), A member of the Industry Advisory Council Executive Committee, a former president of the American Council for Technology and former Industry Chair of the ACT-IAC CX COI. https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-dorris-798b3b7/ Additional Resources:To learn more about ACT-IAC, please visit our website: https://www.actiac.org/To register for the ACT-IAC Imagine Nation ELC conference: https://web.cvent.com/event/c05d8d9e-ce3a-419f-ac97-f8041fc3b401/summaryTo register for the ACT-IAC CX Summit: https://web.cvent.com/event/620f506b-db90-40c9-8930-c5dc20fcf904/summaryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jeff Koses, senior procurement executive at the General Services Administration (GSA) joins Off the Shelf for a focused discussion on GSA's current procurement policy priorities.Koses talks about the implementation and expansion of Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) across the Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) program. He highlights the positive impact on small businesses, customer agencies, and GSA through the management, evaluation, and use of the data to enhance competition, value, and security.Koses also discusses GSA's efforts in supporting the acquisition workforce both within GSA and across government.Finallly Koses shares his thoughts on the potential role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in federal procurement. He discusses the potential uses of AI in procurement operations and the key considerations in the procurement of AI. The opportunities and challenges of AI will be the focus of a new GSA advisory committee on AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jeff Koses, senior procurement executive at the General Services Administration (GSA) joins Off the Shelf for a focused discussion on GSA's current procurement policy priorities. Koses talks about the implementation and expansion of Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) across the Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) program. He highlights the positive impact on small businesses, customer agencies, and GSA through the management, evaluation, and use of the data to enhance competition, value, and security. Koses also discusses GSA's efforts in supporting the acquisition workforce both within GSA and across government. Finallly Koses shares his thoughts on the potential role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in federal procurement. He discusses the potential uses of AI in procurement operations and the key considerations in the procurement of AI. The opportunities and challenges of AI will be the focus of a new GSA advisory committee on AI.

The White House will issue final FedRAMP modernization guidance on Friday, addressing changes in the cloud market and agency needs for diverse mission delivery. The guidance aims to reform the cloud security authorization program by focusing on strategic goals, including rigorous reviews and swift mitigation of security weaknesses by cloud service providers. The memo emphasizes an automated process for security assessments to reduce participant burden and speed up cloud solution implementation. Agencies and the General Services Administration (GSA) have deadlines ranging from 180 days to two years to align with the new requirements, ensuring continuous monitoring and the use of Open Secure Control Assessment Language (OSCAL). In other news, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a major reorganization of its technology policy functions. The chief technology, data, and AI officer roles will move from the Assistant Secretary for Administration to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), now also titled Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP/ONC). The 405(d) Program will transfer to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra stated the reorganization aims to clarify and consolidate critical functions, preparing the department for future challenges. The new ASTP/ONC office will also seek to fill permanent roles for chief technology, AI, and data officers. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

This Day in Legal History: Narcotic Control Act Becomes LawOn July 18, 1956, the Narcotic Control Act became law, significantly transforming the landscape of narcotics regulation in the United States. The Act was introduced to combat the growing concerns about drug abuse and trafficking. It imposed harsher penalties for violations of existing drug laws, including mandatory minimum sentences and the death penalty for certain repeat offenders. The Act expanded federal control over the use, possession, and sale of narcotic drugs and marijuana, aiming to curb the rising tide of addiction and illegal drug activities. This legislation marked a pivotal shift towards more stringent drug policies, reflecting the era's intensifying war on drugs. Enforcement was also bolstered, granting law enforcement agencies greater authority to tackle drug-related crimes. For better or worse, the Narcotic Control Act laid the groundwork for future drug legislation and enforcement strategies, significantly influencing the country's approach to drug control for decades to come.U.S. prosecutors have appealed a federal judge's decision to dismiss the criminal case against Donald Trump regarding the retention of classified documents post-presidency. Special Counsel Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, was deemed unlawfully appointed by Judge Aileen Cannon. Cannon, a Trump appointee, ruled that Garland did not have Congressional authorization to appoint Smith with such extensive powers. This ruling has favored Trump, who is the Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential election. Trump's campaign called for the dismissal of all four criminal cases against him following this decision. Cannon's ruling dismissed charges against Trump and his co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, who were accused of obstructing the investigation. Trump had been indicted in other cases, including a New York conviction related to hush money payments and charges in Georgia over election interference. The appeal is directed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where many judges were appointed by Trump.Prosecutors appeal Trump classified documents case dismissal | ReutersThe espionage trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich resumed yesterday July 17, 2024, in Yekaterinburg, Russia, with witness testimonies heard behind closed doors. Gershkovich, accused of spying for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, faces up to 20 years in prison. Arrested in March 2023, he has been held in Moscow's Lefortovo prison since then. Both Gershkovich and his employer, as well as the U.S. government, deny the allegations, asserting that he was simply performing his duties as an accredited journalist. The Wall Street Journal has criticized the trial as a sham and continues to advocate for his release. Russian authorities claim to have irrefutable evidence of his espionage activities, though specifics have not been disclosed. The trial is closed to the press, a standard procedure in Russia for cases involving treason or espionage. U.S. officials view Gershkovich and another detained American, Paul Whelan, as bargaining chips for a potential prisoner exchange, with President Putin indicating openness to such negotiations. The trial will continue on Friday with arguments from the respective lawyers.Russian trial of detained US reporter Gershkovich hears witness testimony in secret | ReutersThe Biden administration announced the testing of 17 new climate technologies in federal buildings, part of a $9.6 million initiative aimed at advancing near-commercial climate tech. The General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees federal properties, will facilitate these real-world trials. The effort aligns with the administration's broader goal to reduce carbon emissions across federal facilities. The GSA will select testing sites by the end of the year, with evaluations concluding in 2026.Technologies include Armstrong World Industries' ceiling tiles that manage heat, Brightcore Energy's compact geothermal drilling rigs, and Gridscape's modular microgrid systems. Other innovations involve Nostromo Energy's ice storage cooling systems, SafeTraces' air quality mapping using DNA-tagged particles, Moxion Power's portable battery systems, and Lamarr.AI's drones for building audits.Successful technologies will be connected with energy service companies (ESCOs) through a unique matchmaking session to drive scalability. GSA administrator Robin Carnahan emphasized that the program supports market demand rather than picking winners, suggesting that the adoption of these technologies will persist regardless of potential administrative changes. The initiative aims to demonstrate the practical benefits and cost savings of these advanced climate technologies.US Taps Federal Buildings to Test Next-Generation Climate TechThe Biden administration's effort to strengthen protections for gay and transgender students under Title IX remains blocked in ten states following rulings from the Fifth and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals. The rulings represent a significant setback for President Biden's transgender rights initiatives, as the appeals courts indicated the rule might be unconstitutional.In the Sixth Circuit, Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton upheld a district court's injunction against the rule in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Virginia, and West Virginia. The court argued that the rule's definition of sex discrimination likely exceeded the Education Department's authority. This decision prevents these states from implementing the rule, which includes provisions like using preferred pronouns and allowing students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity.Meanwhile, the Fifth Circuit upheld a separate injunction for Louisiana, Mississippi, Idaho, and Montana. This ruling came after the Department of Education failed to convince the court that delaying the rule would cause irreparable harm. The court noted that enforcing the rule could impose significant administrative costs and legal uncertainties on these states.The rulings underscore the ongoing legal battles over expanding Title IX protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity, with conservative states challenging the federal government's authority in this domain. These setbacks come after a similar injunction was upheld by the Sixth Circuit in June, affecting federal guidance documents related to LGBTQ+ student rights.The Biden administration's rule, set to take effect on August 1, 2024, is now blocked in multiple states, with ongoing litigation likely to continue influencing the rule's future. The cases in question are Tennessee v. Cardona and Louisiana v. US Department of Education.Block on Biden Trans Rights Rule Upheld by 2 Appeals Courts (1) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is pushing forward with its artificial intelligence initiatives by awarding sole-source contracts to Abridge AI, Inc. and Nuance Communications, Inc. These contracts aim to develop AI-driven healthcare dictation tools. The pilot program will employ ambient AI technology to transcribe clinical encounters and seamlessly generate medical notes. This initiative is part of the VA's broader strategy to enhance healthcare delivery by integrating these tools with its electronic health record system, thereby improving efficiency and reducing manual data entry. Additionally, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is transitioning its long-time online account users to Login.gov, a centralized identity verification service managed by the General Services Administration (GSA). This transition affects users who created accounts before September 2021. SSA Commissioner Martin O'Malley emphasized that this move aims to enhance security and streamline access to SSA services. Over five million users have already made the switch, reflecting a broader federal effort to standardize authentication processes across agencies. Hear more on today's episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast.

The Department of Commerce's Tech Hubs program, a key initiative supported by the CHIPS and Science Act, aims to bolster federal research and innovation in emerging technologies, especially in areas outside major cities. Senior Biden administration officials discussed the program's impact during a call announcing 12 new initiatives that will receive funding. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo emphasized the need to decentralize the tech ecosystem, noting that 90% of new tech jobs have been concentrated in just five cities over the past two decades. Key focus areas for these Tech Hubs include uncrewed aerial systems, IT, semiconductors, high-performance materials, and grid resilience systems. Among the recent grant recipients are the Elevate Quantum TechFund in Colorado and the Wisconsin Biohealth TechHub. In other news, the General Services Administration (GSA) has announced a request for proposals for the Alliant 3 Governmentwide Acquisition Contract, notable for its unprecedented no-ceiling dollar amount. This contract seeks to cover a broad range of IT services, including AI, biometrics, quantum computing, and more, with a focus on emerging technologies. Greg Godbout and Noah Kunin, former leaders of the GSA's 18F digital team, join The Daily Scoop Podcast host Billy Mitchell to discuss their new initiative, info2insight. This open-source community aims to foster data-driven decision-making in government and accelerate the adoption of data analytics. They highlight the progress in government digital services and the need to pivot towards data analytics to manage the increasing information from AI and ML technologies. They share their vision for info2insight as a collaborative platform for civil servants, private-sector technologists, and academics to drive better governance through data insights.

The General Services Administration (GSA) has launched a new initiative to prioritize generative AI technologies in the FedRAMP cloud authorization process, aligning with a 2023 executive order. This effort focuses on accelerating the approval of AI capabilities such as chat interfaces, code generation, and image generators to enhance their integration into government systems. Additionally, the Chief Data Officers (CDO) Council is facing significant challenges due to the absence of essential Phase Two guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which is necessary for implementing effective data governance practices. Despite these hurdles, the CDO Council continues to support federal agencies in managing and disseminating data effectively, underscoring ongoing efforts to incorporate advanced technologies and robust data management within the federal government.

The General Services Administration (GSA) deals with many governmentwide concerns, including real estate and office space. For more than 20 years, auditors at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have considered federal real property management a high-risk issue. GAO recently reiterated a list of recommendations for the GSA on real estate. For more, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with GAO's director of physical infrastructure issues, Heather Krause. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The General Services Administration (GSA) deals with many governmentwide concerns, including real estate and office space. For more than 20 years, auditors at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have considered federal real property management a high-risk issue. GAO recently reiterated a list of recommendations for the GSA on real estate. For more, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with GAO's director of physical infrastructure issues, Heather Krause. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Govcon Giants Podcast, Randie Ward sits down with Shauna Weatherly, President and Founder of Federal Subcontract Solutions LLC, to delve into Weatherly's extensive experience in Federal acquisition. With over 35 years of hands-on experience and a career spanning various crucial roles within the General Services Administration (GSA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and more, Weatherly brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Throughout the discussion, Weatherly shares insights gleaned from her tenure as a Senior Procurement Analyst at GSA, where she served as an advisor to the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council, analyzing the impacts of new laws, executive orders, and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) rules on SAM.gov. Her roles as Lead Business Management Specialist and Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) on the governmentwide GSA SmartPay 3 contracts provided her with invaluable experience in navigating complex procurement processes. Weatherly's leadership positions, including Director of the National Airspace System, Logistics, and Facilities O&M Contract Branch at FAA, and Contracting Chief at USACE's Tulsa District, showcase her expertise in developing acquisition strategies, evaluating sources, and negotiating contracts across various industries. Additionally, her deployment to the Afghanistan Engineer District highlighted her commitment to overseeing compliance processes for construction contracts in challenging environments. As a seasoned instructor and sought-after speaker on Federal acquisition topics, Weatherly brings a unique perspective to the conversation, offering practical advice for small businesses looking to navigate the intricacies of Federal acquisition policies and processes. Her dedication to supporting the Department of Defense (DoD), FAA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), GSA, and civilian agencies underscores her passion for ensuring mission success. Join us as we explore Weatherly's journey from Federal Civilian Service to entrepreneurship, and gain valuable insights into the world of Federal acquisition from one of the industry's most respected experts.   Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-weatherly/  Website: https://www.fedsubk.com/about  Contact: https://www.fedsubk.com/contact-us  Email: info@mysite.com 

In this episode of AI, Government, and the Future, we are joined by Nathan Manzotti, Director of Data Analytics and AI Centers of Excellence at the General Services Administration (GSA), to discuss the current state and future potential of AI in the federal government. They explore GSA's role in enabling AI adoption across agencies, key initiatives like AI training and communities of practice, and the challenges of attracting AI talent in government. Nathan also shares his insights on the need for collaboration between government, industry, academia, and nonprofits to drive responsible AI innovation.

Two leading House Republicans have initiated an investigation into the contentious methodology employed for determining the location of the FBI's future headquarters, as shared by The Washington Post. The investigation was announced by Republican Representatives James Comer and Jim Jordan through a statement delivered on a Friday, according to the Post. This action was sparked when a high-ranking official at the General Services Administration (GSA), responsible for selecting a new spot to replace the deteriorating J. Edgar Hoover building, dismissed a unanimous site recommendation presented by the government panel. It was observed that the said panel's pick, a parcel of land owned by the GSA official's previous employer, was completely disregarded. 'It is the duty of the Committees to delve into potential conflicts of interest, as well as any misapplication of American taxpayers' funds,' Jordan shared with the Post. He mentioned that the House is in desperate pursuit of significant information concerning the scandal surrounding the GSA's choice to dismiss the panel-recommended location in Springfield, Virginia, instead opting for Greenbelt, Maryland, for the FBI's new headquarters. The panel involved in this critical decision included two GSA representatives and one from the FBI. Nina Albert, a former senior official at the GSA, was the figure who decided to overturn their site recommendation. The decision-making process was chastised by FBI Director Christopher Wray in an internal communication.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode, we talk with Barbara Morton and Martha Dorris about customer experience efforts in the federal government.    Guests: Barbara Morton, deputy chief Veterans Experience Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and government advisor to the ACT-IAC CX COI. https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-c-morton-77b28085/ Martha Dorris, founder of Dorris Consulting International, former deputy associate administrator for Citizen Services at the General Services Administration (GSA), former president of the American Council for Technology and former Industry Chair of the ACT-IAC CX COI. https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-dorris-798b3b7/   Additional Resources: To Register for the CX Summit 2023, please visit: https://web.cvent.com/event/d3312c9d-eaa6-4f52-b8a4-f5b04401fde6/summary To learn more about ACT-IAC, please visit our website: https://www.actiac.org/

On this episode, we talk with Barbara Morton and Martha Dorris about customer experience efforts in the federal government.   Guests:Barbara Morton, deputy chief Veterans Experience Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and government advisor to the ACT-IAC CX COI. https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-c-morton-77b28085/Martha Dorris, founder of Dorris Consulting International, former deputy associate administrator for Citizen Services at the General Services Administration (GSA), former president of the American Council for Technology and former Industry Chair of the ACT-IAC CX COI. https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-dorris-798b3b7/ Additional Resources:To Register for the CX Summit 2023, please visit: https://web.cvent.com/event/d3312c9d-eaa6-4f52-b8a4-f5b04401fde6/summaryTo learn more about ACT-IAC, please visit our website: https://www.actiac.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this conversation, we had the privilege of interviewing Shaun Hartman, an accomplished professional with an impressive career in the United States Air Force spanning 12 years. Shaun began his journey as a firefighter and later transitioned into acquisitions, eventually becoming a Defense Industry Consultant and Regional Program Manager until 2016. Currently, Shaun holds the esteemed positions of Combat Rescue or Medical Logistics Contract Manager in the US Air Force Reserves and Region 4 Customer Service Director of the General Services Administration, stationed at Patrick Air Force Base. He plays a crucial role in purchasing and ensuring seamless coordination between customers and vendors, effectively providing solutions and support in his capacity as a liaison. During our engaging conversation, Shaun delved into key topics that shed light on the functioning of the General Services Administration (GSA). He elucidated on the significant responsibilities undertaken by the GSA and how they play a pivotal role in facilitating government procurement. Shaun provided valuable insights into GSA's solicitation process, offering a comprehensive understanding of the steps involved and tips for navigating it successfully. Furthermore, he shared invaluable advice for leveraging GSA's eBuy platform effectively, imparting practical guidance for businesses looking to engage with the GSA. This episode offers a wealth of knowledge for anyone involved in government contracting, offering a glimpse into the intricate workings of GSA and valuable tips for a successful procurement journey. Tune in and gain invaluable insights from our conversation with Shaun Hartman.

It's not so easy picking out cars and light trucks for your federal fleet. No more garages full of Chevy Luminas. Now the General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees these things, has issued an online tool to help fleet managers pick out electric vehicles. For more details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with GSA's Executive Director for GSA fleet management, Christina Kingsland, and the Assistant Commissioner for Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Crystal Philcox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's not so easy picking out cars and light trucks for your federal fleet. No more garages full of Chevy Luminas. Now the General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees these things, has issued an online tool to help fleet managers pick out electric vehicles. For more details, Federal Drive host Tom Temin talked with GSA's Executive Director for GSA fleet management, Christina Kingsland, and the Assistant Commissioner for Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Crystal Philcox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States is offering ten American lighthouses for new owners. The lighthouses have stood along ocean and lake coasts for generations to help guide and protect ship and boat travel. The General Services Administration (GSA) operates the lighthouse release program. It aims to preserve the properties. Most of the buildings are more than 100 years old. Modern technology, including satellites, means lighthouses are no longer required for navigation, said John Kelly of GSA. And while the Coast Guard often keeps aids to navigation at or near the lighthouses, the structures themselves mostly go unused.美国正在为新主人提供十座美国灯塔。几代人以来，灯塔一直矗立在海洋和湖泊沿岸，帮助引导和保护船只航行。总务管理局 (GSA) 负责执行灯塔发布计划。它的目的是保护财产。大多数建筑物的历史都超过 100 年。 GSA 的约翰·凯利 (John Kelly) 说，包括卫星在内的现代技术意味着导航不再需要灯塔。虽然海岸警卫队经常在灯塔或灯塔附近放置航标，但这些结构本身大多未被使用。Yet the public likes to visit the tall, bright white towers. Many are popular with tourists, and are also subjects of photographs, paintings and other art. The GSA has been changing ownership of lighthouses since Congress passed the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in 2000. About 150 lighthouses have changed ownership, 80 or so given away and another 70 sold. The program has raised more than $10 million.然而，公众喜欢参观高大、明亮的白色塔楼。许多深受游客欢迎，也是摄影、绘画和其他艺术的题材。自国会于 2000 年通过《国家历史灯塔保护法》以来，GSA 一直在改变灯塔的所有权。大约 150 座灯塔改变了所有权，其中 80 座左右被赠予，另外 70 座被出售。该计划已筹集了超过 1000 万美元。This year, six lighthouses are being offered at no cost to federal, state, or local government agencies, nonprofits, educational organizations, or other groups. New owners must agree and be able to make repairs and preserve the buildings. They also have to make the lighthouses available to the public for educational, recreational, or cultural purposes.↳ The buildings offered include the 10.4-meter tall Plymouth/Gurnet Light in Massachusetts. The eight-sided wooden structure dates to 1842. But, a lighthouse has been at the site since 1768. The site was the first to employ a woman as lighthouse keeper. John Kelly's personal favorite of the structures is Warwick Neck Light, in Warwick, Rhode Island. The 15.5-meter-tall lighthouse dates to 1827. It was an important navigation tool for sea travelers making their way to Providence, Rhode Island.今年，有六座灯塔免费提供给联邦、州或地方政府机构、非营利组织、教育组织或其他团体。新业主必须同意并能够进行维修和保护建筑物。他们还必须向公众开放灯塔，用于教育、娱乐或文化目的。↳ 提供的建筑物包括马萨诸塞州 10.4 米高的普利茅斯/戈内特灯塔。八面木结构的历史可追溯至 1842 年。但是，自 1768 年以来，这里就有一座灯塔。该地点是第一个雇用女性担任灯塔管理员的地点。 John Kelly 个人最喜欢的结构是位于罗得岛州沃里克的 Warwick Neck Light。这座 15.5 米高的灯塔可追溯至 1827 年。它是海上旅客前往罗德岛普罗维登斯的重要导航工具。Other lighthouses being offered at no cost include Lynde Point Lighthouse in Old Saybrook, Connecticut and Erie Harbor North Pier Lighthouse in Pennsylvania. Nonprofits already care for some of the lighthouses. The groups can request to continue doing so, Kelly said. If a new owner is not found for a lighthouse, it goes on market to be sold for the highest price offered. Four lighthouses are to be sold this year. Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Light in Ohio is one of them. The 15.5-meter steel tower was built in 1911 and rises above Lake Erie. The property can be reached by boat only but provides an extensive view of Cleveland's skyline. Some lighthouse owners have made the buildings their private homes and enjoy the unusual living situation. The lighthouses “all have their own interesting history,” Kelly said.其他免费提供的灯塔包括康涅狄格州老塞布鲁克的林德角灯塔和宾夕法尼亚州的伊利港北码头灯塔。非营利组织已经在关注一些灯塔。凯利说，这些团体可以要求继续这样做。如果找不到灯塔的新主人，它就会进入市场以最高价格出售。今年将出售四座灯塔。俄亥俄州的克利夫兰港西码头灯塔就是其中之一。这座 15.5 米高的钢塔建于 1911 年，高耸于伊利湖之上。该物业只能乘船抵达，但可以欣赏到克利夫兰天际线的广阔景色。一些灯塔业主将这些建筑作为自己的私人住宅，享受着不寻常的居住环境。灯塔“都有自己有趣的历史，”凯利说。

The General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced the Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF) cohort for 2023. That means 20 private-sector technology and innovation leaders will start pitching-in at 13 federal agencies. To learn more about this year's fellows, as well as some of the unique aspects of the program itself, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White spoke with Ann Lewis, Director of Technology Transformation Services at GSA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced the Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF) cohort for 2023. That means 20 private-sector technology and innovation leaders will start pitching-in at 13 federal agencies. To learn more about this year's fellows, as well as some of the unique aspects of the program itself, Federal Drive Executive Producer Eric White spoke with Ann Lewis, Director of Technology Transformation Services at GSA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If the General Services Administration (GSA) is at the heart of much of federal procurement, Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest for this interview is at the center of the GSA. Jeffrey Koses is GSA's Senior Procurement Executive and Chairman of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission. Most recently, Koses was recognized with a Presidential Rank Award. This interview is part of this week's series of Rank Award winners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If the General Services Administration (GSA) is at the heart of much of federal procurement, Federal Drive host Tom Temin's guest for this interview is at the center of the GSA. Jeffrey Koses is GSA's Senior Procurement Executive and Chairman of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission. Most recently, Koses was recognized with a Presidential Rank Award. This interview is part of this week's series of Rank Award winners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Mobile and Cyber, join us for a conversation with Kenneth Myers from the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Trusted Access Division of the Office of Governmentwide Policy. He discussed the changing landscape of cyber security, the renewed focus on federal identity, and the innovations being made in the world of cyber threat defense. Tune in to hear how he has been a leading force in the fight against cyber attacks, and the work he has been doing to combat its rapidly-changing variants.

In the Season Six premiere episode of Pave It Black, NAPA's Richard Willis and Brett Williams return to discuss the standards the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has developed for Environmentally Preferable Asphalt. Richard and Brett talk with Pat Weaver, former president of Solterra Materials, LLC, about how his company learned about the new GSA requirements and how they ended up being one of the first companies to complete a paving project with these new project standards for asphalt materials. Listen to learn how published EPDs using the Emarald Eco Label tool allow companies to learn about new project opportunities as well as provide material selection options to customers.

How is the GAO's Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) leveraging technology to transform how it operates? What is the Federal Marketplace Strategy? How does FAS play a role in managing the federal supply chain. Join host Michael Keegan as he explores this question and more with Sonny Hashmi, Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service within the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). 

How is the GAO's Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) leveraging technology to transform how it operates? What is the Federal Marketplace Strategy? How does FAS play a role in managing the federal supply chain. Join host Michael Keegan as he explores this question and more with Sonny Hashmi, Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service within the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How is the GSA's Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) leveraging technology to transform how it operates? What is the Federal Marketplace Strategy? How does FAS play a role in managing the federal supply chain. Join host Michael Keegan as he explores this question and more with Sonny Hashmi, Commissioner, Federal Acquisition Service within the U.S. General […]

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (“CMMC”) is a cybersecurity requirement that is coming down through the U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”), and it will ultimately affect all suppliers throughout all the tiers in the supply chain for DoD contracts. In this episode we host Scott Dawson, President of Core Business Solutions, discussing the new cybersecurity requirements for large primes through small business subcontractors; anywhere that information is being exchanged or contracts are being put in place to support defense contracts. To safeguard sensitive national security information, the DoD launched CMMC as a three level set of practices to protect the defense industrial base's sensitive information from frequent and increasingly complex cyberattacks. Federal Contract Information (“FCI”) is protected by CMMC Level 1 and Controlled Unclassified Information (“CUI”) is protected by CMMC Level 2. CMMC Level 3 exists to protect highly sensitive CUI. While companies should already have cybersecurity protections in place as a matter of good business practices, CMMC is a formal compliance process based on self-assessments (Level 1 and lower-priority Level 2), third-party assessments (higher-priority Level 2), and government assessments (Level 3). Without this certification, companies will be ineligible for work on DoD projects.CMMC is a DoD requirement, but has not yet been integrated into contracts. However, companies should be aware that this will soon be part of the terms and conditions of all DoD and related contracts. In order to be awarded future contracts, companies will need to employ several information security solutions and put formal cybersecurity policies into place that drive action for their organizations and require technical and organizational upgrades.The rapidly approaching deadline for implementation means that defense industry contractors and subcontractors can't wait to get started. The formal CMMC regulations should be finalized by March 2023 with the requirements beginning to appear in contracts in May 2023. It is estimated this may impact as many as 300,000 companies doing business with the DoD.The requirements for CMMC originate from the National Institute of Standards and Technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce, commonly referred to as “NIST.” NIST SP800-171 is a codification of the requirements that any non-federal computer system must follow in order to store, process, or transmit CUI or provide security protection for such systems.Defense contractors must implement the recommended requirements contained in NIST SP 800-171 to demonstrate their provision of adequate security to protect CUI included in their defense contracts, as required by DFARS clause 252.204-7012. If a manufacturer is part of a DoD, General Services Administration (“GSA”), NASA or other federal or state agencies' supply chain, the implementation of the security measures included in NIST SP 800-171 is required.

Today - The Douglas City Council unanimously agreed to move forward with its donation of 80 acres of land west of Douglas and certain utilities to the General Services Administration (GSA) that will be used for the new proposed commercial port of entry.Support the show: https://www.myheraldreview.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Jarah Meador, Ph.D. is Director, Open Innovation Programs, (Challenge.Gov - https://www.challenge.gov & CitizenScience.Gov - https://www.citizenscience.gov), at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA - https://www.gsa.gov ). The GSA is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of various federal agencies, supplying products and communications for U.S. government offices, providing transportation and office space to federal employees, and developing government-wide cost-minimizing policies and other management tasks. The GSA employs about 12,000 federal workers. It has an annual operating budget of roughly $33 billion and oversees $66 billion of procurement annually. It contributes to the management of about $500 billion in U.S. federal property, divided chiefly among 8,700 owned and leased buildings and a 215,000 vehicle motor pool. Among the real estate assets it manages are the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., which is the largest U.S. federal building after the Pentagon. Dr. Meador leads the crowdsourcing, citizen science and prize competition open innovation portfolio at GSA that includes Challenge.Gov and CitizenScience.gov. Previously, she led the innovation sourcing program at the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Innovation and this portfolio included prize competitions, broad agency announcements, and pay for success/social impact financing. The AAAS Science and Policy Technology Fellowship brought her to the federal government at the U.S. Agency for International Development ten years ago where she led a large-scale desalination technology development prize competition. Dr. Meador earned a Master's degree in Biology from Texas State University, a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology at the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and is an Air Force Veteran.

Nina Albert, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service (PBS) at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), joins USGBC Live in person in Washington, DC on June 10 to deliver keynote remarks at our closing session. PBS is comprised of nationwide asset management, design, construction, leasing, building management and disposal of approximately 371 million square feet of government-owned and leased space across the United States and six territories.

Well, the Biden Administration is throwing a party and patting themselves on their backs. President Joe Biden himself told all of us there was no inflation in the month of July. Zero. Nada. Zilch. Zip. Nothing. Isn't that great? I'm sure everyone within the sound of my voice is overjoyed to see inflation is over and we are back to a booming, amazing economy! And I guess there is no longer a need for the Inflation Protection Act to be passed, right? Needless to say, no matter how much magic-thinking the White House like to employ, those of use here in the real world see exactly how bad it is. Yes, the Consumer Price Index fell from 9.1% for June to 8.5% for July. But, it is still at 8.5%! And the real reason for the drop has nothing to do with this Administration. Fuel demand continues to drop due to the price at the pump. How do we know that? Because the core CPI (which takes out food and fuel) is at 5.9%, which is exactly where it was last month. CNN is doing their best to help with the propaganda, putting out the following headline: “US inflation took a breather in July, thanks to the falling cost of food and gas…” Unfortunately, for those who took the time to read the WHOLE article, we come across this nugget, “However, food costs continue to jump sharply, increasing by 1.1% over the month and rising 10.9% on a year-over-year basis, the largest increase since May 1979.” Shifting to the FBI Raid of Mar-a-Lago, we have learned more and it is becoming more distressing by the day. You would think, to avoid any sense of wrongdoing, the FBI and the DOJ attorneys who raided the home of former president Donald Trump would bend over backwards to be transparent. But, in true totalitarian fashion, they demanded all security cameras be shut off, all staff to wait outside and then proceeded to go room to room, looking for anything and everything. According to sources, the warrant was under the Presidential Records Act, meaning they were looking for classified documents. Turns out that back in May and June of this year, the FBI wanted to see the documents, which has been boxed up and shipped to Mar-a-Lago by the General Services Administration (GSA). So, the FBI, already knew where the records were and had been through them before. Yet, for some reason, they needed over 9 hours of unsupervised access to the whole of Trump's estate, including a ransacking of Melania Trump's wardrobe. This has led to Trump and others to suggest the FBI may have used that time to plant evidence. In true irony, while the unhinged Leftists and sufferers of Trump Derangement Syndrome scoff and such a conspiracy, the retrial of the supposed assassination attempt on Gov. Whitmer (D-MI) opened today with this bit of testimony: “The FBI informant planted explosives material in the truck of the defendant so the FBI could confiscate the evidence upon arrest.” Nope, nothing to see here, folks. It all seems legit. What's interesting is the White House, according to Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, knew nothing. No briefing. No phone call. No heads-up. Nada. A major raid on a former president, the first in history since the Presidential Records Act was passed in 1978, and no one thought Joe Biden needed to know. Either this Administration is so dysfunctional, no one seems to care about communicating with the President, or the White House is lying to distance themselves. Either way, there is egg on someone's face in the Executive Branch and no amount of magic-thinking is going to make it disappear. Take a moment to rate and review the show and then share the episode on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, GETTR and TRUTH Social by searching for The Alan Sanders Show. You can also support the show by visiting my Patreon page.

How Does a Private Investigator Look at Your Finances?On this episode of the Inside BS Show, Dave Lorenzo interviews Stuart Berman. They discuss all manners of fraud and how people get caught (among other things). Join us!00:00 How Does a Private Investigator Look at Your Finances? 01:04 What inspired Stuart to become a Special Agent and Investigator?03:38 Stuart's background includes working for the Illinois Department of Securities, as well as being a retired federal agent and forensic accountant.07:14 What is a General Services Administration (GSA)09:20 How the General Services Administration handles whistleblower cases?12:54 Who engages Stuart?14:48 How does a Licensed Private Investigator like Stuart work in the United States?16:07 Virtual Reality Assets, Crypto, and NFTs: A Private Investigator, Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, and Certified Fraud Examiner's Perspective26:37 How do complex schemes, such as sophisticated fraud, grow exponentially?28:23 How does the US law tracing money back two generations work?32:25 How can a Real Estate Attorney spot a Red Flag Fund?Stuart BermanCo-FounderRSA Management & Investigations(708) 417-9269stuart.berman@rsariskmanagement.comAbout Stuart Berman:Stuart G. Berman CFE, PSP, CAMS, is the Principal and Co-Founder of RSA Risk Management & Investigations LLC. Prior to co-founding RSA, Stuart was an award-winning Special Agent In Charge where he supervised the regional criminal, civil and administrative investigative program, encompassing six Midwestern states and 12 judicial districts. With more than 20 years of federal law enforcement and extensive government investigative experience in conducting complex internal and external investigations.Stuart is a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist with more than 25 years of experience conducting and leading audits, quality assurance reviews, examinations, risk assessments, internal controls reviews and testing, and inspections. Stuart possesses strong forensic accounting skills and is highly experienced at implementing proactive data analytics, analyzing records and information, interpreting data, summarizing, and presenting complex financial and commercial-related issues.Prior to Stuart's federal law enforcement career, he worked with the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Securities. He investigated several multi-million dollar unregistered investment promissory note Ponzi Schemes, in Illinois. In addition to Ponzi Schemes, Stuart investigated numerous “churn and burn” and conversion of customer assets cases.Among Stuart's many investigative accomplishments, was a five-year GSA OIG, FBI undercover investigation in which numerous consensual recordings were made of GSA officials and contractors by cooperators. By the conclusion of the investigation, approximately 19 individuals composed of contractor employees, GSA employees, a court security officer, and an FBI typist; were charged with various bribery charges and with disclosure of wire and oral communications and pleaded guilty.In addition to the vast array of investigative experience, GSA OIG's oversight of the Federal Protective Service prior to the Department of Homeland Security realignment, provided Stuart with expertise in physical, technical and personnel security. This all-important work resulted in Stuart's experience in site surveys, physical security assessments, threat assessments, and business continuity plans.

Government contracts aren't for the faint of heart. Rick Lamb, marketing manager with Frank's Supply in Albuquerque, NM, understands the arduous truth of that statement better than most. Jason chats with Rick about the complexities inherent to General Services Administration (GSA) certification and why it might make sense for other suppliers to jump through those hoops. When Frank's found itself in a position to bid for its first government contract in 1996 for Los Alamos National Lab, Rick found himself in the thick of it. “We had never even attempted something like that,” he says, but two Frank's employees who knew just enough about GSAs to convince the company to put together a bid.  Nine months later, Frank's phone rang. “It was Christmas Eve, 1996. We get a call from the head of purchasing at Los Alamos, and they go, ‘Be ready to start the contract April 1st.'” Frank's first scramble was on.  While the bid timeline has shortened somewhat since the mid-90s, other aspects, like authentication and security clearance, have grown increasingly rigorous. Vendors must detail every level of the contract's implementation, from the level of support to chain of responsibility to security clearances and  quality assurance programs, But is the GSA route profitable?  CONNECT WITH JASON LinkedIn CONNECT WITH RICK LinkedIn Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: INxSQL Distribution Software, integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry. *** For full show notes and services visit: http://www.distributionteam.com Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth and achieve personal goals.    This episode was edited & mixed by The Creative Impostor Studios. 

On this episode, we talk with GSA's Sam Navarro about federal supply chain risk management efforts and hear from two of the ACT-IAC 2022 Innovation Champion Award winners; Cesar Tavares from Octo and D.J. Dart from INADEV Corporation. Guests: Sam Navarro is the Senior Advisor to the IT Category Manager at the General Services Administration (GSA) https://www.linkedin.co m/in/samuel-navarro-6036258/ Cesar Tavares is Senior Director, Emerging Technology at Octo Consulting https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctavares75/ D.J. Dart is the Chief Strategy Officer at INADEV Corporation https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-j-dart-69aa14/ Additional Resources: To learn more about ACT-IAC, please visit our website: https://www.actiac.org/ To learn more about the 2022 ACT-IAC Innovation Awards: https://www.actiac.org/act-iac-emerging-technology-and-innovation-awards-2022

Daily News Brief for Wednesday May 25th, 2022 Wednesday Ads DNB: Dropwave Do you have a podcast, or thinking about starting one? Does your church have a podcast feed for sermons? The Dropwave.io is for you. Cancel culture is like walking on a thin glass bridge over the Grand Canyon. Every step you take could get you killed, I mean canceled. Since the beginning CrossPolitic has been working on being antifragile, so no matter what happens, our content can still be delivered to your tv and to your podcast. This past year, the Waterboy and his friend Jeremi, have been working on building a podcast hosting solution for rowdy platforms like CrossPolitic, so that you can be confident your podcast will never fall through that glass bridge. Dropwave offers seamless onboarding for shows that have been around for years to easy to use solutions for starting your own podcast. Dropwave will track all your show’s downloads by city, state, and country, and it offers network and enterprise packages for solutions like the Fight Laugh Feast Network. Free to speak, Free to podcast, free to start your journey now at www.Dropwave.io. Mass shooting at Texas elementary school, 14 children and one teacher dead, multiple injuries https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-mass-shooting-at-texas-elementary-school-two-children-dead-multiple-injuries?utm_campaign=64487 18 students are dead and two teacher following the shooting, and the shooter's grandma was also killed prior to the school shooting. This according to Governor Greg Abbott, who said the shooter "shot and killed horrifically, 14 students, and killed a teacher." According to Ali Bradley, the suspect was wanted for murder and was being pursued by police when he exited his vehicle and ran into the grade school, where he began shooting. "The shooter was Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old male who resided in Uvalde, it is believed that he abandoned his vehicle and entered the Robb Elementary school with a handgun and he may have also had a rifle, but that is not yet confirmed... He shot and killed, horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher. Mr. Romas... he himself is deceased and it is believed that responding officers killed him," said Gov. Abbott on Tuesday. Mike Rowe Says Feds Revoked His Filming Permit, Received Call Claiming It Was Pulled For His ‘Personal Politics’ https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-rowe-says-feds-revoked-his-filming-permit-received-call-claiming-it-was-pulled-for-his-personal-politics “Television host Mike Rowe said that the General Services Administration (GSA) recently revoked his permit to shoot a new episode of “Dirty Jobs” and wondered whether it was done for “political reasons” or as an attempt to “yank my chain,” which he said the move failed to do. In a lengthy message posted Monday on Facebook, Rowe explained why he didn’t appear at the job site this week as scheduled to shoot an episode highlighting a woman-owned company in the boilermaker trade. Rowe said that to his both surprise and disappointment the shoot was canceled “at the last minute” when the GSA “suddenly revoked our permit.” “I just wanted to assure you guys that this decision had nothing to do with me, Discovery, or my production team,” Rowe wrote. “This decision was made solely by the GSA, who oversees the location where you are currently working, and required us to apply for a permit months ago. Obviously, we did. The necessary permits were quickly issued, and we were assured several times over the last few months that everything was still good to go.” “Then, just two days before I was scheduled to arrive, we received a phone call from a woman at the GSA who informed us that our permits were being revoked,” he added. “When we asked for an explanation, she said, ‘security concerns.’ When we asked her what kind of security concerns, she said she didn’t know. She only told us that the decision had come down from ‘the very highest levels within the GSA.'” The TV host did not specify the location of the scheduled shoot but posted pictures of what appeared to be M&M Welding and Fabricators, the company his show had planned to feature in the episode. Rowe went on to reference other places where the show “has filmed in many sensitive environments under government control,” citing previous permits obtained from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and NASA, adding, “We even got a permit to film inside the National Security Agency!” “What’s really going on here?” Rowe asked in his post. Rowe said his crew later received a call from someone he said “sounded credible” who claimed the permit was revoked because of Rowe’s viewpoints. “According to this caller, someone at the highest levels of the GSA, ‘doesn’t like Mike Rowe’s personal politics,’ and used their power to deliberately string us along until the last possible second, for the express purpose of ‘yanking my chain,'” Rowe wrote. Rowe admitted he can’t say for sure if what the caller told him was accurate.” Supreme Court to weigh Christian web designer’s free speech argument against anti-discrimination law https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/may/18/supreme-court-weigh-christian-web-designers-free-s/ “Lorie Smith, a Colorado web designer who will have her case heard during the court’s 2022 term, argues that the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act forces her to create websites that celebrate same-sex marriages, which violates her faith. Her case comes four years after a Christian baker from Colorado also took his First Amendment fight to the high court after refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding. Ms. Smith said she observed Mr. Phillips’ more-than-a-decade-long legal battle, but knew she couldn’t live in fear of the government punishing her for her faith. Like Mr. Phillips, she’s also faced threats for challenging the law. “I knew I couldn’t live in fear,” she told reporters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. “I am simply asking for the freedom for all of us to speak consistently with our beliefs.” The same state regulation is at issue in Ms. Smith’s challenge. Her 303 Creative is based in Denver and is subject to Colorado’s public accommodations law that is designed to protect certain groups from discrimination in business settings. One such group is LGBTQ people. At least 29 states have added protection for LGBTQ individuals into their public accommodation laws — but some have protected speech from government interference, according to Ms. Smith’s legal team. Under the Colorado law, Ms. Smith claims she is unable to make a statement on her website about her view that marriage is only between a man and a woman. A federal appeals court ruled against Ms. Smith, saying the state of Colorado can regulate a business’s speech because it has an interest in ensuring equal access. Ms. Smith said she loves using her talents to shape messages for her clients — so long as the messages do not violate her values. “I do believe God has chosen me to represent him,” she said. “Everything I do is consistent with my faith and running my business is a part of that.” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, though, insists companies cannot discriminate. “The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that anti-discrimination laws, like Colorado’s, apply to all businesses selling goods and services. Companies cannot turn away LGBTQ customers just because of who they are. We will vigorously defend Colorado’s laws, which protect all Coloradans by preventing discrimination and upholding free speech,” he said earlier this year when the high court took the case. A date for oral arguments in the legal battle has not yet been scheduled, but Kristen Waggoner, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom representing Ms. Smith, said they expect the justices to hear the case in October.” Lies, Propaganda, Story Telling, and the Serrated Edge: This year our national conference is in Knoxville, TN October 6th-8th. The theme of this year’s conference is Lies, Propaganda, Storytelling and the Serrated Edge. Satan is the father of lies, and the mother of those lies is a government who has rejected God. We have especially been lied to these last two years, and the COVIDpanic has been one of the central mechanisms that our government has used to lie to us and to grab more power. Because Christians have not been reading their bibles, we are susceptible to lies and weak in our ability to fight these lies. God has given us His word to fight Satan and his lies, and we need to recover all of God’s word, its serrated edge and all. Mark your calendars for October 6th-8th, as we fight, laugh and feast with fellowship, beer and Psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, hanging with our awesome vendors, meeting new friends, and more. Early bird tickets sale now!. File this under conservatives are cowards, and not at the same time: BOOM! Indiana's Legislature Just Overrode Their "Conservative" Governor's Veto Of Bill That Kept Men Out Of Women's Sports https://notthebee.com/article/boom-indianas-legislature-just-overrode-their-conservative-governors-veto-of-bill-that-kept-men-out-of-womens-sports Indiana is one of the many red states that have governors who are unwilling to actually stand up for conservative principles and unflinchingly state the reality that boys are boys and girls are girls. With the opportunity to do just that a few weeks ago, Indiana's governor, Eric Holcomb, vetoed a bill that kept men out of women's sports. Holcomb tried to compromise Indiana girls, but the legislature was not about to have it. According to ABC News: “The Indiana Legislature voted Tuesday to override the governor's veto of the anti-trans bill that bans transgender girls from participating in girls' sports in K-12 schools. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed the bill in March. He said the bill fell short in clarifying or creating policy to ensure "fairness" in school sports. In his veto letter, he said he echoed the Indiana High School Athletic Association's concerns that the bill does not address inconsistencies about enforcement across different counties and school districts and will cause confusion and litigation against schools. He also pointed to pending litigation seen in other states that have passed similar laws, where courts have enjoined or prohibited the laws from taking effect. "Any bill brought forward should address the issues raised in these lawsuits," Holcomb's March letter read. He also said there was no evidence of an issue of fairness in girls' sports and trans participation.” Just grateful for checks and balances. The National Pulse Announces World Economic Forum Investigative Priority and Dedicated Site. https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/05/23/new-the-national-pulse-announces-world-economic-forum-investigative-priority-and-dedicated-site/ According to the National Pulse: “The National Pulse is announcing a new investigative priority surrounding the work of the World Economic Forum, as well as launching a new public information website: TakeDownTheWEF.com. Founded in 1971 by German economist Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum (WEF) is an unaccountable, non-governmental organization which convenes meetings of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, with a view to impacting policy decisions on behalf of its members: predominantly multi-national corporations and politicians. The group has been criticized for its stated aims of transforming or “resetting” global society for the benefit of private corporations rather than the public. Schwab himself has argued governments are no longer “the overwhelmingly dominant actors on the world stage” and “the time has come for a new stakeholder paradigm of international governance.” As a result, The National Pulse is announcing a new commitment to exposing the work of the World Economic Forum, and is calling on ordinary members of the public to help support this effort through our crowdfunding site: FundRealNews.com Speaking on the subject, The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam said: “We’re not just setting up a resource for members of the public to learn more about the World Economic Forum, we’re also crowdsourcing information on the group. The World Economic Forum is the throbbing, blackened heart of globalism, and we intend to drive a stake in it. For those interested in taking the fight to this group journalistically, as well as politically, think about urgently supporting this initiative.”” This is Gabriel Rench with Crosspolitic News. Support Rowdy Christian media by joining our club at fightlaughfeast.com, downloading our App, and head to our annual Fight Laugh Feast Events. If this content is helpful to you, would you please consider becoming a Fight Laugh Feast Club Member? We are trying to build a cancel-proof media platform, and we need your help. Join today and get a discount at the Fight Laugh Feast conference in Knoxville, TN and have a great day. Have a great day. Lord bless

Daily News Brief for Wednesday May 25th, 2022 Wednesday Ads DNB: Dropwave Do you have a podcast, or thinking about starting one? Does your church have a podcast feed for sermons? The Dropwave.io is for you. Cancel culture is like walking on a thin glass bridge over the Grand Canyon. Every step you take could get you killed, I mean canceled. Since the beginning CrossPolitic has been working on being antifragile, so no matter what happens, our content can still be delivered to your tv and to your podcast. This past year, the Waterboy and his friend Jeremi, have been working on building a podcast hosting solution for rowdy platforms like CrossPolitic, so that you can be confident your podcast will never fall through that glass bridge. Dropwave offers seamless onboarding for shows that have been around for years to easy to use solutions for starting your own podcast. Dropwave will track all your show’s downloads by city, state, and country, and it offers network and enterprise packages for solutions like the Fight Laugh Feast Network. Free to speak, Free to podcast, free to start your journey now at www.Dropwave.io. Mass shooting at Texas elementary school, 14 children and one teacher dead, multiple injuries https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-mass-shooting-at-texas-elementary-school-two-children-dead-multiple-injuries?utm_campaign=64487 18 students are dead and two teacher following the shooting, and the shooter's grandma was also killed prior to the school shooting. This according to Governor Greg Abbott, who said the shooter "shot and killed horrifically, 14 students, and killed a teacher." According to Ali Bradley, the suspect was wanted for murder and was being pursued by police when he exited his vehicle and ran into the grade school, where he began shooting. "The shooter was Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old male who resided in Uvalde, it is believed that he abandoned his vehicle and entered the Robb Elementary school with a handgun and he may have also had a rifle, but that is not yet confirmed... He shot and killed, horrifically, incomprehensibly, 14 students and killed a teacher. Mr. Romas... he himself is deceased and it is believed that responding officers killed him," said Gov. Abbott on Tuesday. Mike Rowe Says Feds Revoked His Filming Permit, Received Call Claiming It Was Pulled For His ‘Personal Politics’ https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-rowe-says-feds-revoked-his-filming-permit-received-call-claiming-it-was-pulled-for-his-personal-politics “Television host Mike Rowe said that the General Services Administration (GSA) recently revoked his permit to shoot a new episode of “Dirty Jobs” and wondered whether it was done for “political reasons” or as an attempt to “yank my chain,” which he said the move failed to do. In a lengthy message posted Monday on Facebook, Rowe explained why he didn’t appear at the job site this week as scheduled to shoot an episode highlighting a woman-owned company in the boilermaker trade. Rowe said that to his both surprise and disappointment the shoot was canceled “at the last minute” when the GSA “suddenly revoked our permit.” “I just wanted to assure you guys that this decision had nothing to do with me, Discovery, or my production team,” Rowe wrote. “This decision was made solely by the GSA, who oversees the location where you are currently working, and required us to apply for a permit months ago. Obviously, we did. The necessary permits were quickly issued, and we were assured several times over the last few months that everything was still good to go.” “Then, just two days before I was scheduled to arrive, we received a phone call from a woman at the GSA who informed us that our permits were being revoked,” he added. “When we asked for an explanation, she said, ‘security concerns.’ When we asked her what kind of security concerns, she said she didn’t know. She only told us that the decision had come down from ‘the very highest levels within the GSA.'” The TV host did not specify the location of the scheduled shoot but posted pictures of what appeared to be M&M Welding and Fabricators, the company his show had planned to feature in the episode. Rowe went on to reference other places where the show “has filmed in many sensitive environments under government control,” citing previous permits obtained from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and NASA, adding, “We even got a permit to film inside the National Security Agency!” “What’s really going on here?” Rowe asked in his post. Rowe said his crew later received a call from someone he said “sounded credible” who claimed the permit was revoked because of Rowe’s viewpoints. “According to this caller, someone at the highest levels of the GSA, ‘doesn’t like Mike Rowe’s personal politics,’ and used their power to deliberately string us along until the last possible second, for the express purpose of ‘yanking my chain,'” Rowe wrote. Rowe admitted he can’t say for sure if what the caller told him was accurate.” Supreme Court to weigh Christian web designer’s free speech argument against anti-discrimination law https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/may/18/supreme-court-weigh-christian-web-designers-free-s/ “Lorie Smith, a Colorado web designer who will have her case heard during the court’s 2022 term, argues that the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act forces her to create websites that celebrate same-sex marriages, which violates her faith. Her case comes four years after a Christian baker from Colorado also took his First Amendment fight to the high court after refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding. Ms. Smith said she observed Mr. Phillips’ more-than-a-decade-long legal battle, but knew she couldn’t live in fear of the government punishing her for her faith. Like Mr. Phillips, she’s also faced threats for challenging the law. “I knew I couldn’t live in fear,” she told reporters in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. “I am simply asking for the freedom for all of us to speak consistently with our beliefs.” The same state regulation is at issue in Ms. Smith’s challenge. Her 303 Creative is based in Denver and is subject to Colorado’s public accommodations law that is designed to protect certain groups from discrimination in business settings. One such group is LGBTQ people. At least 29 states have added protection for LGBTQ individuals into their public accommodation laws — but some have protected speech from government interference, according to Ms. Smith’s legal team. Under the Colorado law, Ms. Smith claims she is unable to make a statement on her website about her view that marriage is only between a man and a woman. A federal appeals court ruled against Ms. Smith, saying the state of Colorado can regulate a business’s speech because it has an interest in ensuring equal access. Ms. Smith said she loves using her talents to shape messages for her clients — so long as the messages do not violate her values. “I do believe God has chosen me to represent him,” she said. “Everything I do is consistent with my faith and running my business is a part of that.” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, though, insists companies cannot discriminate. “The U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held that anti-discrimination laws, like Colorado’s, apply to all businesses selling goods and services. Companies cannot turn away LGBTQ customers just because of who they are. We will vigorously defend Colorado’s laws, which protect all Coloradans by preventing discrimination and upholding free speech,” he said earlier this year when the high court took the case. A date for oral arguments in the legal battle has not yet been scheduled, but Kristen Waggoner, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom representing Ms. Smith, said they expect the justices to hear the case in October.” Lies, Propaganda, Story Telling, and the Serrated Edge: This year our national conference is in Knoxville, TN October 6th-8th. The theme of this year’s conference is Lies, Propaganda, Storytelling and the Serrated Edge. Satan is the father of lies, and the mother of those lies is a government who has rejected God. We have especially been lied to these last two years, and the COVIDpanic has been one of the central mechanisms that our government has used to lie to us and to grab more power. Because Christians have not been reading their bibles, we are susceptible to lies and weak in our ability to fight these lies. God has given us His word to fight Satan and his lies, and we need to recover all of God’s word, its serrated edge and all. Mark your calendars for October 6th-8th, as we fight, laugh and feast with fellowship, beer and Psalms, our amazing lineup of speakers, hanging with our awesome vendors, meeting new friends, and more. Early bird tickets sale now!. File this under conservatives are cowards, and not at the same time: BOOM! Indiana's Legislature Just Overrode Their "Conservative" Governor's Veto Of Bill That Kept Men Out Of Women's Sports https://notthebee.com/article/boom-indianas-legislature-just-overrode-their-conservative-governors-veto-of-bill-that-kept-men-out-of-womens-sports Indiana is one of the many red states that have governors who are unwilling to actually stand up for conservative principles and unflinchingly state the reality that boys are boys and girls are girls. With the opportunity to do just that a few weeks ago, Indiana's governor, Eric Holcomb, vetoed a bill that kept men out of women's sports. Holcomb tried to compromise Indiana girls, but the legislature was not about to have it. According to ABC News: “The Indiana Legislature voted Tuesday to override the governor's veto of the anti-trans bill that bans transgender girls from participating in girls' sports in K-12 schools. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed the bill in March. He said the bill fell short in clarifying or creating policy to ensure "fairness" in school sports. In his veto letter, he said he echoed the Indiana High School Athletic Association's concerns that the bill does not address inconsistencies about enforcement across different counties and school districts and will cause confusion and litigation against schools. He also pointed to pending litigation seen in other states that have passed similar laws, where courts have enjoined or prohibited the laws from taking effect. "Any bill brought forward should address the issues raised in these lawsuits," Holcomb's March letter read. He also said there was no evidence of an issue of fairness in girls' sports and trans participation.” Just grateful for checks and balances. The National Pulse Announces World Economic Forum Investigative Priority and Dedicated Site. https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/05/23/new-the-national-pulse-announces-world-economic-forum-investigative-priority-and-dedicated-site/ According to the National Pulse: “The National Pulse is announcing a new investigative priority surrounding the work of the World Economic Forum, as well as launching a new public information website: TakeDownTheWEF.com. Founded in 1971 by German economist Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum (WEF) is an unaccountable, non-governmental organization which convenes meetings of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland, with a view to impacting policy decisions on behalf of its members: predominantly multi-national corporations and politicians. The group has been criticized for its stated aims of transforming or “resetting” global society for the benefit of private corporations rather than the public. Schwab himself has argued governments are no longer “the overwhelmingly dominant actors on the world stage” and “the time has come for a new stakeholder paradigm of international governance.” As a result, The National Pulse is announcing a new commitment to exposing the work of the World Economic Forum, and is calling on ordinary members of the public to help support this effort through our crowdfunding site: FundRealNews.com Speaking on the subject, The National Pulse Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam said: “We’re not just setting up a resource for members of the public to learn more about the World Economic Forum, we’re also crowdsourcing information on the group. The World Economic Forum is the throbbing, blackened heart of globalism, and we intend to drive a stake in it. For those interested in taking the fight to this group journalistically, as well as politically, think about urgently supporting this initiative.”” This is Gabriel Rench with Crosspolitic News. Support Rowdy Christian media by joining our club at fightlaughfeast.com, downloading our App, and head to our annual Fight Laugh Feast Events. If this content is helpful to you, would you please consider becoming a Fight Laugh Feast Club Member? We are trying to build a cancel-proof media platform, and we need your help. Join today and get a discount at the Fight Laugh Feast conference in Knoxville, TN and have a great day. Have a great day. Lord bless

Government contracts aren't for the faint of heart. Rick Lamb, marketing manager with Frank's Supply in Albuquerque, NM, understands the arduous truth of that statement better than most. Jason chats with Rick about the complexities inherent to General Services Administration (GSA) certification and why it might make sense for other suppliers to jump through those hoops. When Frank's found itself in a position to bid for its first government contract in 1996 for Los Alamos National Lab, Rick found himself in the thick of it. “We had never even attempted something like that,” he says, but two Frank's employees who knew just enough about GSAs to convince the company to put together a bid.  Nine months later, Frank's phone rang. “It was Christmas Eve, 1996. We get a call from the head of purchasing at Los Alamos, and they go, ‘Be ready to start the contract April 1st.'” Frank's first scramble was on.  While the bid timeline has shortened somewhat since the mid-90s, other aspects, like authentication and security clearance, have grown increasingly rigorous. Vendors must detail every level of the contract's implementation, from the level of support to chain of responsibility to security clearances and  quality assurance programs, But is the GSA route profitable?  CONNECT WITH JASON LinkedIn CONNECT WITH RICK LinkedIn Special thanks to our sponsor for this episode: Moblico, helping businesses do more business on mobile devices. *** For full show notes and services visit: http://www.distributionteam.com Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth and achieve personal goals.    This episode was edited & mixed by The Creative Impostor Studios.   

The United States Tax Court (in case citations, T.C.) is a federal trial court of record established by Congress under Article I of the U.S. Constitution, section 8 of which provides (in part) that the Congress has the power to "constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court". The Tax Court specializes in adjudicating disputes over federal income tax, generally prior to the time at which formal tax assessments are made by the Internal Revenue Service. Though taxpayers may choose to litigate tax matters in a variety of legal settings, outside of bankruptcy, the Tax Court is the only forum in which taxpayers may do so without having first paid the disputed tax in full. Parties who contest the imposition of a tax may also bring an action in any United States District Court, or in the United States Court of Federal Claims; however these venues require that the tax be paid first, and that the party then file a lawsuit to recover the contested amount paid (the "full payment rule" of Flora v United States). The main emblem of the tax court represents a fasces. History. The first incarnation of the Tax Court was the "U.S. Board of Tax Appeals", established by Congress in the Revenue Act of 1924 (also known as the Mellon tax bill) in order to address the increasing complexity of tax-related litigation. Those serving on the Board were simply designated as "members." The members of the Board were empowered to select, on a biennial basis, one of their members as "chairman." In July 1924, Coolidge announced the appointment of the first twelve appointees, of which seven members were appointed from private life and the other five from the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Additional members were appointed in the fall, and the Board when fully constituted originally had 16 members, with Charles D. Hamel serving as the first Chairman. The Board was initially established as an "independent agency in the executive branch of the government." It was housed in the Internal Revenue Service Building in the Federal Triangle. The first session of the Board of Tax Appeals spanned July 16, 1924 to May 31, 1925. In 1929, the United States Supreme Court indicated that the Board of Tax Appeals was not a "court," but was instead "an executive or administrative board, upon the decision of which the parties are given an opportunity to base a petition for review to the courts after the administrative inquiry of the Board has been had and decided." In 1942, Congress passed the Revenue Act of 1942, renaming the Board as the "Tax Court of the United States". With this change, the Members became Judges and the Chairman became the Presiding Judge. By 1956, overcrowding and the desire to separate judicial and executive powers led to initial attempts to relocate the court. In 1962, Secretary of the Treasury Douglas Dillon appealed to the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to incorporate funds for the design of a new building in its upcoming budget. The GSA allocated $450,000, and commissioned renowned architect Victor A Lundy, who produced a design that was approved in 1966. However, funding constraints brought on by the Vietnam War delayed the start of construction until 1972. The Tax Court was again renamed to its current formal designation in the Tax Reform Act of 1969, changing it from an historically administrative court to a full judicial court. The completed United States Tax Court Building was dedicated on November 22, 1974, the fiftieth anniversary of the Revenue Act that created the court. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/law-school/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/law-school/support

Government agencies spent approximately $60 billion through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (“GSA MAS”) program (including the VA). The MAS contract registration procedure streamlines the federal procurement process.In this episode of FedBiz'5 we are hosting Anthony D'Attore from FedBiz Access to discuss the GSA MAS as one of the best ways to establish a long-term relationship with the Federal Government.The GSA MAS is a long-term contract issued by the General Services Administration (“GSA”) and is also referred to as the Federal Supply Schedule. It is a multiple award, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (“IDIQ”) contract with pre-negotiated pricing and terms.The registration is a vendor verification process that includes review of commercial sales practices and pricing, capabilities, financials, past performance, and pre-negotiated pricing and terms deemed ‘fair & reasonable'. Once approved, the GSA MAS simplifies the procurement process because both the vendor and its products and/or services are pre-approved with no formal bidding process.To determine eligibility, the products and/or services must fit within the GSA MAS program. The program consists of 12 large categories, 83 subcategories, and approximately 300+ Special Item Numbers known as SIN's. | GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Consolidation – Large Categories |  Office Management   |  Facilities |  Furniture & Furnishings |  Human Capital |  Industrial Products & Services   |  Information Technology |  Miscellaneous |  Professional Services |  Scientific Management & Solutions   |  Security & Protection |  Transportation & Logistics Services   |  TravelIn addition to the GSA MAS program, the Veterans Administration has nine Multiple Award Schedules specifically for pharmaceuticals and medical-related equipment, supplies and services.  Companies must also be in business for at least two years, be current in their SAM & DSBS registrations, demonstrate financial stability, and have any products manufactured or ‘substantially transformed' in the U.S.A. or Trade Agreement Act(TAA) designated country. The GSA MAS is the most widely used government contracting vehicle, and it can provide credibility and access to additional procurement opportunities. It allows for a shorter more simplified sales process, and can be complimented with a set-aside certification.Products and services can be ordered directly by government buyers from GSA MAS approved contractors or through, GSA Advantage!® or GSA eBuy.The GSA MAS is a long-term contract award, valid for five years with (3) five-year extensions (20-year contract award), as long as the vendor maintains annual sales of at least $25,000.FedBiz Access has over 21 years of experience working with companies to help them win business by ensuring their research, engagement strategy, registrations, set-aside certifications, and GSA Multiple Award Schedules are current, complete, and compliant.  FedBiz Access helps companies build a clear path from registration to award.

Justin Herman, Global Head of Public Sector at Twilio and former Emerging Citizen Technology Leader at the General Services Administration (GSA) joins the show to discuss the impact that the recently enacted Executive Order for Customer Experience will have moving forward. We also discuss how trends like augmented reality and the Metaverse will change the CX landscape, how smart cities will align to digital experience, and how cloud adoption can support innovation in 2022 and beyond.

On this episode, we talk with some outstanding federal leaders on issues and opportunities that should be “top of mind” in 2022. Guests: Suzette Kent, Chief Executive Officer at Kent Advisory Services and former Federal Chief Information Officer. https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzettemassie/ Emily Murphy, Senior Fellow with the Center for Government Contracting at George Mason University and former Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA). https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilywebstermurphy/ David Mader, Civilian Sector Chief Strategy Officer at Deloitte Consulting and the former Controller and Acting Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mader-deloitte/ Additional Resources: To learn more about ACT-IAC, visit our website: https://www.actiac.org/

Kevin Daisey talked to Vincent McKnight is a managing partner of the DC office of Sanford Heisler Sharp, LLP who has represented clients in several cases under the False Claims Act. In 2005 and 2006, Mr. McKnight represented whistleblowers in a series of successful actions alleging that office products companies were illegally selling products from non-compliant countries (China) to the United States Government in violation of the Trade Agreements Act and several General Services Administration (GSA) policies. You can find out more about Mr. McKnight's expertise on this latest episode of the Managing Partner's Podcast! —- Array Digital provides bold marketing that helps managing partners grow their law firms. arraylaw.com Follow us on Instagram: @array.digital Follow us on Twitter: @thisisarray Call us for a FREE digital marketing review: 757-333-3021 SUBSCRIBE to The Managing Partners Podcast for conversations with the nation's top attorneys.

This week, The Buzz with ACT-IAC celebrates Sandy Barsky's retirement from the General Services Administration (GSA) after an almost 40-year career in government. In this episode, Sandy sits down with Todd Hager, Industry Chair of ACT-IAC's Emerging Technology Community of Interest (COI) and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Macro Solutions, to reflect on a career that began as a GS-3 supporting GSA's cataloging.  ACT-IAC would like to thank Sandy for his years of public service and his many contributions to the ACT-IAC community as a senior leader and speaker, as well as for his contributions to the Emerging Technology COI. With Sandy's leadership, the COI developed several bodies of knowledge around emerging technologies which are accessible here and open to the public. Along with this, several of the Artificial Intelligence frameworks were recently covered in Forbes here.  Congratulations Sandy!Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode! For more from ACT-IAC, follow us on Twitter @ACTIAC or visit http://www.actiac.org.

Guest: Emily Murphy, a coach at CEO Coaching International. Emily has held multiple leadership roles in the federal government, most recently serving as Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency charged with managing 371 million square feet of office space, over $75 billion in governmentwide contracts, and a number of shared services. Quick Background: Think you have problems managing, compensating, and inspiring your team? Well, imagine your workforce is more than 11,000 strong, you're overseeing a $37 billion budget, and both you and your organization are responsible for supporting the operation of the U.S. federal government. On today's show, Emily Murphy discuses the specific strategies and tactics that she implemented within the GSA that led to BIG improvements in culture, employee engagement, and leadership scores, all while generating multi-billion-dollar increases in sales and revenue.

Join us for a Cloud and Coffee event with special guest Thomas Santucci! He is the Director of the Data Center & Cloud Optimization Initiative PMO at the General Services Administration (GSA). He oversees the PMO's managing partner responsibilities for the Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI), helps implement the federal Cloud Smart strategy, and serves as Co-Chair of the Federal CIO Cloud & Infrastructure Community of Practice, which has over 1,600 members from across the federal IT workforce.

- Il governo degli Stati Uniti attraverso la sua agenzia, la General Services Administration (GSA), nota per la vendita all'asta di proprietà governative, ha ampliato il suo portafoglio a Bitcoin, come riportato dal Washington Post. - Cardano, la quarta criptovaluta più preziosa per il valore di mercato di Crypto, sta attualmente assistendo ad alcune svendite tra elevate prese di profitto e un aumento del dollaro USA.--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/appSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bitcoin-informa/support

- Il governo degli Stati Uniti attraverso la sua agenzia, la General Services Administration (GSA), nota per la vendita all'asta di proprietà governative, ha ampliato il suo portafoglio a Bitcoin, come riportato dal Washington Post. - Cardano, la quarta criptovaluta più preziosa per il valore di mercato di Crypto, sta attualmente assistendo ad alcune svendite tra elevate prese di profitto e un aumento del dollaro USA. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bitcoin-informa/support

Join us for this week's Cloud and Coffee event with Ms. Nancy Gillis, CEO of Global Electronics Council Gillis has more than 20 years' experience leveraging sustainability to increase competitiveness, reduce risk and foster innovation in both public and private sector organizations. Prior to joining the Green Electronics Council, Nancy was the Global Lead for Resilient and Responsible Supply Chains with Ernst & Young (EY) and managed sustainable procurement engagements for Fortune 100 companies. She joined EY from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Federal Government's procurement agency that oversees approximately $45 billion of annual spend. At GSA, she served as the Director of the Federal Supply Chain office, responsible for expanding the use of sustainability criteria and ecolabels in federal procurements. Nancy has a graduate degree in Communications Technology from Georgetown University.

This episode describes what “Ascertainment” is and how it aids in the peaceful transfer of power from one presidential administration to the next presidential administration, Ascertainment became an issue for the first time since the General Services Administration (GSA) was ordered in 1962 to begin ascertaining a new president because President Trump claimed that he won the election in November 2020 and he did not authorize the head of the GSA Emily Murphy to “ascertain” the apparent winner of the election—Joe Biden. Now Emily Murphy was appointed to her position by President Trump, but she is not legally bound to make her Ascertainment call according to the permission or lack of permission of the sitting president. So, Emily Murphy finally did her job and made the call to ascertain Joe Biden's being the “president-elect” on November 23, 2020–20 days after the election. Normally the process takes two or three days, but this is an unusual year and the false claim by Trump that he won the election is only one of the strange events of this year. So, on we go with the strange journey of 2020. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/friday13/support

 Julian Assange og Edward Snowden var varslere under Obamas vakt. I dag glemmes de av mediene, fordi de har havnet på parti med Trump. Hvem er da ytringsfrihetens voktere? Se Dagsorden!Mandag kveld og tirsdag morgen feiret de store, og de i noen grad fortsatt «toneangivende», mediene at det amerikanske General Services Administration (GSA) hadde gitt Demokratenes Joe Biden grønt lys til å forberede sin (eventuelle) innsettelse som president. Tirsdag ettermiddag kom President Trump med sin egen kommentar på Twitter: Trump har i årevis beskyldt mediene, sumpmediene, for å drive med «fake news». I takt med synkende seertall for de etablerte kanalene, og på tross av Googles enorme kampanje mot Trump og for Biden,  virker det som om amerikanske velgere har langt større tillit til Trump enn til mediene. I Dagsorden kommenterer Hans Rustad og Geir Furuseth medienes unnfallenhet, blant annet ved å vise til en unnseelig liten notis gjengitt av NTB mandag:Når det gjelder koronasituasjonen, sier ni av ti spurte i undersøkelsen, som er utført av Kantar, at de har tillit til helsepersonell og forskere når disse gruppene uttaler seg. Snaut halvparten har tillit til politikere. Men bare 28 prosent har tillit til journalister. (NTB)Men mediene virker ikke å ta den nye virkeligheten innover seg. De fortsetter ufortrødent med å pusse glansbildet av President Obama, og hans marionette av en en tidligere visepresident, 78 år gamle Joe Biden. Samtidig vegrer de seg for å skrive om Julian Assange og Edward Snowden, to personer som på hvert sitt vis har bidratt til å kaste et lys på de mørke sidene ved overvåkningssamfunnet som forlengst har trengt inn i den ytterste avkrok av verden. Nå spekuleres det i at President Trump kanskje vil benåde disse to. Dette klarer ikke mediene å ta inn over seg, så derfor vil du neppe finne noe i noen andre norske medier om hvordan det, eller om hvordan Biden og Obama stilte seg i saken om disse varslerne.«Every time one of these governments got close to opening their doors, the phone would ring in their foreign ministries and on the other end of the line would be a very senior American official,» Edward Snowden told MSNBC in 2019 about the fate of his applications for asylum in multiple countries. «It was one of two people. Then-Secretary of State John Kerry or then-Vice President Joe Biden.» (Reason)Før du klikker deg inn på dagens varierte sending vil vi at du tar deg tid til å lese hele Christian Skaugs artikkel om det digitale mørket som siger inn over oss, nesten umerkelig:Gjennom en lang rekke av verdens større og mindre dramaer, fra den amerikanske presidentvalgkampen via offentlig meningspoliti til de økende vanskelighetene med å bruke kontanter som betalingsmiddel, går det en rød tråd, nemlig en simultan konsentrasjon av teknologisk, finansiell og ideologisk makt på kolossal internasjonal skala som bør vekke uro. (Mens verden lar seg distrahere, pågår en stille totalitær revolusjon)Vi gir oss ikke ut for å vite alt, men i Dagsorden gjør vi vårt for at du som seer, leser og lytter ikke så lett skal la deg distrahere av medier som utgir seg for noe annet enn det de er. Les også En kamp for demokratiets overlevelse, før eller etter Dagsorden.

General Services Administration (GSA) boss, Emily Murphy, sends Joe Biden the ascertainment letter that frees up some $7.3 million and other resources to the Biden-Harris transition team. In an unusually personal letter, Murphy insists she got no pressure from President Trump or the White House, but she has received thousands of threats to her safety and that of her staff, family and even pets, from people upset she didn't make the determination earlier. Bill Whittle Now with Scott Ott is a production of our Members. You can join us now, or make a one-time donation to keep these messages coming at https://BillWhittle.com

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has informed president-elect Joe Biden that the current administration is ready to begin the formal transition of power process, according to media reports.  In a letter obtained by CNN on Monday, GSA Administrator Emily Murphy said she was “never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at the White House or GSA — with regard to the substance or timing of my decision.”  Guest: Elliot Tepper, Emeritus Professor of Political science, Carleton University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The General Services Administration (GSA) has been a very forward thinking agency in the US Federal Government. In this episode of the AI Today podcast hosts Kathleen Walch and Ron Schmelzer interview Emily Murphy, Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA). She shares with us how is AI helping with GSA’s mission, what role the Center of Excellence is playing at the GSA, and some of the unique opportunities the public sector has around AI. Continue reading AI Today Podcast: AI at the GSA, interview with Emily Murphy, Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) at Cognilytica.

Join the full discussion inside the Women Of Project Management Membership. Listen to part of our conversation on the Women Of Project Management Podcast. If you're new to our community, Women Of Project Management is the only community created to support & amplify the voices of women & women of color in every specialty of the project management industry worldwide. We support women in every stage of their career, learn more at Women Of Project Management. Have you checked out the on-demand Masterclass we’re featuring this week with Tamara McLemore inside the Women Of Project Management Membership teaching ‘PMP® Certification: What Is Your “Why”?’ Tamara is discussing what to consider when thinking about getting your PMP® Certification, what to do once you get your PMP® Certification, & how to then negotiate a higher salary $$$$! About Tamara. Tamara McLemore, a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with over 15+ years of extensive experience in IT, Telecommunications, Application and Infrastructure implementation. Demonstrated results exceeding metrics with International companies such as Ericsson, SaraLee, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and other Federal Agencies, BCD Travel, Deloitte and Delta Air Lines to name a few. Tamara has been credited with stepping in mid project and turning projects around, keeping them under budget and on schedule. A graduate of Xavier University of New Orleans of Louisiana (my alumni, go X.U.) with a B.A. in Mass Communications, Tamara holds an M.B.A. from American InterContinental University in Global Technology Management and a Masters Certificate from George Washington University in Project Management. She was also a Member of the $1 Billion Club before the age of 30. Coaching & Certification. Fueled by her passion to see other Women excel in STEM, she coaches women into their own inherit greatness. Tamara's volunteer work includes the Project Management Institute (PMI) Education Professional Development Committee, Women Who Lead at Georgia State University, Xavier University Atlanta Alumni and she is an active member Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc whose motto she lives by. “To be a Service to All Mankind” Listen Now. Join the full discussion inside the Women Of Project Management Membership or listen on the Women Of Project Management Podcast on Apple Podcast & everywhere you listen to podcast here! We Discuss… – Who is Tamara McLemore? – Tamara’s Project Management Journey – The Evolution Of A Project Manager – A Day in the life of a Casino Project Manager – Are You Saying ‘Yes’ – Are You Getting All Of Your Coins? – Tips & Tricks: What’s You ‘Why’ For Taking The PMP Exam? – Bonus Tips & Tricks – The Best Career Advice From Tamara McLemore – Baby Steps: PMP Exam Prep For Free99 – You’ve Passed The PMP Exam! Now What? – Connect with Mallory Hank-Johnson --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wopm/support

On today's podcast, we discuss the SSPC contract with the General Services Administration (GSA), what it means for SSPC to be on the schedule, and how members benefit from this contract.

It's hard to fathom the number of critical government processes that have had to evolve – very quickly – to meet the needs of the American people during the COVID-19 pandemic. And if this crisis has a silver lining, it's the accelerated modernization and innovation being born out of it. MeriTalk is surfacing the untold stories – and lessons – of those efforts. In the latest installment of CIO Crossroads, we turn to the General Services Administration (GSA).

If you’ve been following our podcast and research, it should come as no surprise that the US Federal Government is making AI a priority. On this episode of the AI Today podcast we have Krista Kinnard who is Director, Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence at Technology Transformation Services (TTS) at the General Services Administration (GSA). Continue reading AI Today Podcast: AI Center of Excellence in the US Federal Government – Interview with Krista Kinnard, GSA at Cognilytica.

How do you maximize the intake of information in a short amount of time? How do you accurately evaluate if someone is, in fact, a good listener during hiring? What do being a paramedic and executive have in common? In episode four of the HiPERleadership podcast, join David and his guest Dan Tangherlini, former CFO of U.S. Department of the Treasury and former Administrator of U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) as they answer these questions and more. The two unpack the steps Dan took to make radical change happen in the wake of an internal spending scandal at GSA. Learn the critical role engaged listening played in the turnaround. Walk away with techniques business leaders can use in their own transformation. To learn more about taking your organization from the new normal to the new exceptional visit www.hipersolutions.com.

Date Published: May 8, 2020                                                                                        Episode #131   Hello, and welcome to Federal Contracting Made Easy, where we take the complex world of government contracting and break it down into simple steps that anyone can master. Today’s topic is on “DUNS Numbers are Going Away.”    The General Services Administration (GSA) is replacing the DUNS number with a new 12-character identifier ID.  How soon will this happen? GSA states that this is happening by December 2020.   Why Change?   The DUNS was created by Dun & Bradstreet in 1962. It has been the official entity verification number since it was required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) back in 1998. Why the change? GSA opened the contract to new vendors last year. As a result, they awarded the new contract to Ernst & Young, which will administer the new ID number and manage the transition from Dun & Bradstreet. Next, we will look at the new Unique Entity ID.   Unique Entity ID   The new Unique Entity ID will be structured to avoid confusion with the tax ID number and Commercial and Government Entity or CAGE codes. All systems that use the DUN’s numbers nine-digit code will have to be updated to use the new 12-digit code.   Where to Obtain the New Unique Entity ID?   GSA is changing SAM.gov to allow organizations to request the Unique Entity ID when they register in SAM.gov. Whereas, to obtain a DUNS Number, it takes about two to five days if requested through the web or immediately if you call Dun & Bradstreet.     GSA says that they understand that this change can be confusing and that they want to provide as much information as possible during the transition. GSA created a website where anyone can go to find out     more information.   My Thoughts   I believe this will be a good thing if it handled correctly. I hate being contacted by Duns & Bradstreet, pushing their services on me. Many small business owners purchased their services, believing that the Government required it. Although Dun & Bradstreet has gotten better about letting potential clients know that their service is not necessary to receive a DUNS number. It is still frustrating to get a solicitation phone call for a service that you don’t want.   The number should be system generated when filling out a new registration. That would be optimal, in my opinion. This change should have happened years ago—way to go GSA.     Do you want to read more articles by the author?     Support our channel:   Subscribe to Our Podcast: Continued support:  http://bit.ly/FCMEPatreon One-Time Support:  https://www.paypal.me/FCME801    

The FedHeads welcome Gerard Badorrek, Chief Financial Officer at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to discuss Gerard's experience with moving from a private sector to the government. They also discuss the PMA and the priority items.

Powered by iReportSource OSHA has a decent list of regulatory agenda items. While I don't want to go through them all, I do want to highlight five that I think are particularly impactful. Safety professionals always need to be looking ahead at what is coming so we can prepare our employers, update any programs, which includes employee training and certifications that may be required.  1. Lock-Out/Tag-Out Update - Pre-Rule Stage Recent technological advancements that employ computer-based controls of hazardous energy (e.g., mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, chemical, and radiation) conflict with OSHA's existing lock-out/tag-out standard. The use of these computer-based controls has become more prevalent as equipment manufacturers modernize their designs.  Additionally, there are national consensus standards and international standards harmonization that govern the design and use of computer-based controls. This approach of controlling hazardous energy is accepted in other nations, which raises issues of needing to harmonize U.S. standards with those of other countries. The Agency has recently seen an increase in requests for variances for these devices. This RFI will be useful in understanding the strengths and limitations of this new technology, as well as potential hazards to workers. The Agency may also hold a stakeholder meeting and open a public docket to explore the issue. 2. Emergency Response and Preparedness - Pre-Rule Stage OSHA currently regulates aspects of emergency response and preparedness; they promulgated some of these standards decades ago, and none as comprehensive emergency response standards. Consequently, they do not address the full range of hazards or concerns currently facing emergency responders, nor do they reflect significant changes in performance specifications for protective clothing and equipment. The Agency acknowledged that current OSHA standards also do not reflect all the considerable developments in safety and health practices that have already been accepted by the emergency response community and incorporated into industry consensus standards. OSHA is considering updating these standards with information gathered through an RFI and public meetings. 3. Mechanical Power Press Update - Pre-Rule Stage The current OSHA standard on mechanical power presses does not address the use of hydraulic or pneumatic power presses. Additionally, the existing standard is approximately 40 years old and does not address technological changes. OSHA previously published an ANPRM on Mechanical Power Presses (June 2007) in which it identified several options for updating this standard. The Agency would like to update the public record to determine how best to proceed. This project is under Executive Order 13777, which facilitates the review of existing regulations that may be outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome, and to modify, streamline, expand, or repeal them. 4. Powered Industrial Trucks - Pre-Rule Stage Powered Industrial Trucks (e.g., fork trucks, tractors, lift trucks, and motorized hand trucks) are ubiquitous in industrial (and many retail) worksites. The Agency's standard still relies upon ANSI standards from 1969. The Industrial Truck Association has been encouraging OSHA to update and expand the OSHA standard to account for the substantial revisions to ANSI standards on powered industrial trucks over the last 45 years. The current standard covers 11 types of vehicles, and there are now 19 types. Also, the standard itself incorporates an out-of-date consensus standard. OSHA will begin the process to develop a proposed rule updating the consensus standard referenced from the 1969 version of the American National Standard B56.1 to the 2016 version. This project is also under Executive Order 13777, which facilitates the review of existing regulations that may be outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome, and to modify, streamline, expand, or repeal them. 5. Tree Care Standard - Pre-Rule Stage There is no OSHA standard for tree care operations; the Agency currently applies a patchwork of standards to address the severe hazards in this industry. The tree care industry previously petitioned the Agency for rulemaking. Tree care continues to be a high-hazard industry. Wrapping it all up Again, these are just five of the agenda items to watch. How can you keep up on these proposed changes without sitting in front of your computer at www.reginfo.gov? Well, luckily, there is an app for that - RegInfo. With RegInfo Mobile, you can have information about upcoming federal regulations and forms at your fingertips. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the General Services Administration (GSA) partnered to bring you a mobile version of Reginfo.gov, an online look into agency rulemakings that are on the books, planned, or under review by OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). RegInfo Mobile also provides information about forms and other information collections that OIRA has approved or is currently reviewing under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). With RegInfo Mobile, you have access to all of this information, and more, to the palm of your hand! Some of the app features are as follows: Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and the Regulatory Plan Current and historical information since Fall 1995 edition View detailed information about regulations, including regulation identifier number (RIN) title, abstract, effects on society and completed/planned actions for the next six months Timeline Chart - an interactive visualization of when proposed and final regulations are published, OIRA reviews of regulations, related information collections, and more! Regulatory Reviews View detailed information about OIRA's pending and concluded reviews of significant rulemakings Meetings with the Public Browse the log of past and scheduled public meetings about regulations under OIRA review Information regarding each meeting includes RIN, the title of the regulation, date, participants, and affiliations, and written materials submitted by the public Information Collection Requests under the PRA View detailed information on OIRA's pending and concluded reviews of agency information collection requests (ICRs), including OMB Control Number, expiration date, requested/approved burden on the public, supporting statements, forms, etc. Keyword search that returns results for matching RINs, regulatory reviews and ICRs Subscribe to a RIN and receive notifications when something happens Let me know on LinkedIn if you have used this app at all - be sure to @ mention Blaine J. Hoffmann or The SafetyPro Podcast LinkedIn page. You can also find the podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Lena Trudeau is CEO of U.Group, an advanced technology and creative design company committed to creating customer-centric innovation in the public and private sectors. An early advocate for government modernization, Lena spearheaded the creation of 18F, an in-house digital services team at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and brought a similar model to the Canadian Digital Service (CDS). Lena’s expertise was also tapped in the private sector as she led the Amazon Web Services Public Sector (AWS PS) global expansion, and headed up the AWS PS business in Canada.Lena currently serves as a board member on the Canadian American Business Council, and chairs the policy committee. She is a frequent commentator, speaker, and advocate on issues of digital adoption, digital inclusion, and women in technology. Lena received an MBA from the University of Western Ontario and an undergraduate degree from the University of Ottawa.Find out more about Lena at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ltrudeau/

When managing millennials do the old rules still apply? (Think servant leader for starters.) What exactly is the science behind effective techniques for team motivation? Need some handy tips for conflict resolution or negotiation? Something you might want to try: approaching change management by first assessing what is actually good in the present state. These topics and more are covered in the second of our three episodes from the University of Maryland's 2019 Project Management Symposium.  Listen, learn, and get a free PDU! PDU Information Use the following information in PMI’s CCRS system to register the PDUs for this podcast: PDU Category: Online or Digital Media   Provider Number: 4634   PDU Claim Code:  46346HBI1X   Activity Number: PMPOV0066   PDUs for this episode: 1 About the Speakers   Ryan Anderson currently serves as the Vice President and principal in charge of the Christman Company’s DC Metro Office. Prior to joining Christman, Ryan was a Captain in the US Army Corps of Engineers where he served for 7 years. Ryan has a BS in Environmental Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a MS in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri at Rolla. He is also licensed Professional Engineer and LEED Accredited Professional.  Johanna Quintero is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of SmartVine Inc., an innovative marketing and consulting company that helps companies and organizations to grow in a smart way. Prior to founding SmartVine, Johanna was a Vice President of Business Development with Wexler Consulting and a founder of IAM3 Consulting. She has a BS in Business Administration with a specialization in financial analysis from San Buenaventura University in Colombia, as well as training in neuro-leadership, neuro-management, and neuro-marketing. Dr. Julie DeSot, PMP, PMI-ACP, is a Professional Development and Project Management coach, instructor, and consultant, with over 20 years experience. Dr. DeSot has been a project manager supporting the General Services Administration (GSA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), US Marine Corps, and US Navy, as well as many public organizations. She holds dual Master’s Degrees from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) in Business Administration and Project Management; and received her Doctorate in Management in 2010. John Forsythe is a managing director in the Federal Organizational Transformation service line of Deloitte Consulting LLP. Specializing in helping client leaders affect broad organizational change across boundaries and chains of command, John has more than 25 years of business management experience, including 17 years in Federal Government consulting. Joseph (Joe) D. Launi, PMP is the President of Project Management Experts (PME) which provides project management training to federal and commercial clients. Mr. Launi has over 30 years of progressive experience encompassing: project management office (PMO) leadership; development and management of PMO policies, best practices, and methodologies; development and presentation of project management training; implementation of project management software solutions; information technology project and program oversight; and research and development into motivation and morale building programs. Myles Miller is a multi-national CEO, two-time best-selling author. and radio host of “Myles of SUCCESS”. He has over 30 years of experience in the project management field, across multiple industries including retail, defense, state and federal government, international countries and hospitality. Myles has a BS in Business Management from Penn State University and a MBA from La Salle University in International Business Management and recently acquired his PhD from Baylor University. Stephen Shields, a Senior Consultant with Gallup, works with organizations to optimize their human capital. He consults with clients on employee culture, customer interactions, targeted hiring, and talent development, providing practical insights and timely interventions that facilitate learning, execution, and accountability. Prior to joining Gallup, Stephen was with USA TODAY for nearly 20 years, and is a nine-time recipient of the company’s Jewell Award, which recognizes employees for outstanding performance and commitment to excellence.  Jeannette Terry is Founder & CEO of TerconPartners, an international organizational development consulting firm that provides executive coaching and team development for Fortune 100 and mid-sized companies in the energy industry. Jeannette collaborates with capital project executives to build sustainable organizational capability, drive down costs, minimize risk, and deliver successful projects. She is an authority on cross-cultural teaming and has developed a methodology for reducing costly cross-cultural conflicts and communications breakdowns in a multi-cultural business environment.

Episode #85. How to Write a Proposal – Technical Data  #proposal writing #government contracting Hello and welcome to the wonderful world of government contracting.  We are on episode number 85 and today we are going to talk about How to Write a Proposal – Technical Data.  But before we get started let’s roll that intro.   Welcome Back!  Now that you have reviewed and understand the contents of the solicitation package, it’s time to start gathering the required information needed to complete our proposal package.  This includes the technical data need to put into our proposal.   What is Technical Data?   Technical data is comprised of the specifications and standards, such as engineering design and manufacturing documents, drawings that describe the requirements for the material, product or service.  It also includes the criteria for determining whether those requirements have been met.   Under federal regulations the specifications cover only the government’s minimum needs in a manner to encourage maximum practicable competition. The government uses specifications only when they know exactly what it is that they want and need.   With the changes in acquisition policy, more requirements will be based on commercial specifications and standards.  Therefore, if the requirement is being purchased under Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 12, then the product or service is being bought against performance criteria citing commercial specifications and standards.   Types of Government Specifications   There are two categories of government specifications:   Federal Specifications – Federal specifications cover materials, products or services used by more than two federal agencies. There are issued by the General Services Administration (GSA) and must be used by all federal agencies.  Federal specifications can be obtained  at https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/purchasing-programs/requisition-programs/gsa-global-supply/supply-standards/index-of-federal-specifications-standards-and-commercial-item-descriptions  or contact your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).   Military Specifications – Military specifications cover products or services that are intrinsically military in character or commercial products modified to meet special requirements of the military. Naval Publications and Forms Center (NPFC), located in Philadelphia, PA describes them.  NPFC stocks and issues Department of Defense (DoD) printed and digital matter without charge to federal agencies, and the general public.  Documents distributed by NPFC include military specifications and standards, federal specifications and standards, Qualified Product Lists (QPLs), Military Handbooks, and Departmental Documents.  Again, contact your local PTAC because many PTACs offer military specifications and standards as part of their services to their clients.   Getting Correct Specifications   These days, finding specifications and standards can be as easy as logging onto a subscription service on the Internet.  Subscription services can get you the specifications quickly and easily but can be expensive.  On the other hand, your local PTAC can provide you with the specifications you need and, in most cases, will either charge only a small fee or provide them for free.  Either way, it ensures that you get the specifications required by the solicitation.  You can find your local PTAC here: http://www.aptac-us.org/     CAUTION   If there appears to be a conflict or question regarding the specifications make sure you get it resolved immediately.  Do not try to second guess the government.  Making the wrong assumption about a specification can end up costing you big money.  F   Ordering Specification   Normally when you order the solicitation from the buying office, they will send the necessary technical data package with it unless the documents are considered common and are only referenced.  If the buying office doesn’t send the technical specifications, then you will have to contact the resource identified in the solicitation.  Because of the government’s shift to the Internet and e-commerce environments, the solicitation may include a web site where you can download the necessary documents and the appropriate readers for the drawings.   Helpful Tip   You may want to think about developing your own library of the specifications and standards that you use most often.  Make sure to bookmark a website for later use when you find a good site on the Internet.  Government specifications are required on many products or services.  Check out what is required on the solicitations that interest you and start to build your library.  It may be very helpful to you in the long run.     Conclusion   With the government making the move to procure more off-the-shelf solutions it is easier now than ever before your small businesses to be able to submit proposals on government solicitations.   However, you are still required to make sure that your products or services meet the minimum standard identified by the government.  It is also easy to obtain the specified drawings, diagrams and technical data need.  Most of the time these items are contained in the proposal packages.   The only difficulty that you may face is when bidding on specific military solicitations are you might have higher tolerances on the products that you are producing.  Remember that you must meet the minimum requires set forth in the solicitation package!    We hope that found today’s topic beneficial and can apply our helpful tips into your business strategy.  For more topics on government contracting please go to our blog.  As always, a copy of today’s show note will be available to our podcast audience.  Until next time, be safe.  

  FCME uploads new episodes every Monday & Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. MST. Topics include proposal writing, bonds, types of contracts, why do business with the federal government, 8(a), business services for veterans and women, where federal opportunities are listed, and more. You can listen to the podcast here or with your favorite podcast provider (iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, or Stitcher). FCME is also active on social media and launched the Federal Contracting Made Easy YouTube channel on January 1, 2019.   Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube   054 How To Become a Government Subcontractor? Introduction Please help support our podcast by purchasing from our store. https://teespring.com/stores/federal-contracting-made-easy We all know that the government is the largest buyer of products and services in the world. The competition is fierce for prime contractors. As a result, there are companies that are building relationships with these prime contractors in hopes of receiving a subcontract. Many small businesses have gotten into government contracting by utilizing this method. The goal of today’s episode is to introduce you to subcontracting. So let’s get on with it. What is a Subcontractor? A prime contractor is the one that received the contract from the government. A prime contractor is the point of contact on this contract and deals directly with the customer. Whereas, a subcontractor participates with the prime contractor to help complete the project for the client. As a subcontractor your contract is with the prime contractor. Simple enough! Consequently, depending on the contract a subcontractor plan may be required. Subcontracting Plan Federal contracts may require a subcontracting plan. When they do, the prime contractor must hire subcontractors. When is a subcontracting plan required? Well, that depends on the contract value and type of work being performed. Large prime contractors with contracts for goods and/or services other than construction, valued greater than $700,000 must establish subcontracting plans and goals for subcontracting with small businesses. For those prime contractors in the construction industry they will require subcontracting plans when the contract is greater than $1.5 Million. What does this mean to you? In short, it opens the doors for small businesses to become subcontractors. FCME uploads new episodes every Monday & Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. MST. Topics include proposal writing, bonds, types of contracts, why do business with the federal government, 8(a), business services for veterans and women, where federal opportunities are listed, and more. You can listen to the podcast here or with your favorite podcast provider (iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, or Stitcher). FCME is also active on social media and launched the Federal Contracting Made Easy YouTube channel on January 1, 2019. Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube   Steps to Become a Subcontractor to a Prime Government Contractor? Next, we are going to list the steps to streamline the process of becoming a subcontractor. In short, just follow these steps to get ready to become a subcontractor. Step 1. Get Your Official Paperwork in Order 1. To protect your personal assets from liability you must structure your entity correctly. 2. DUNS Registration. This is your business credit score. 3. Register in the System for Award Management (SAM.GOV). This registration is free, and it is essential for being paid by the government and government contractors.   After your paperwork is in order go to step 2. Step 2. Research Agencies and Prime contractor directories for subcontracting needs. Now that your paperwork is in order it is time to research prime contractors and find opportunities within our niche. Many federal agencies have Subcontracting Opportunity Directories that you can review. The U.S. Small Business Administration has a database called SubNet which allows large prime contractors to post opportunities for small businesses to serve as subcontractors. I have known many small businesses that have used this system to find prime contractors. General Services Administration (GSA) has a subcontracting directory for small businesses that are looking for subcontracting opportunities with prime contractors. The directory lists large business prime contractors that are required to have subcontracting plans and goals for subcontracting with small businesses. The Department of Defense (DoD) has a similar directory for large prime contractors that small businesses can use to find subcontracting opportunities. We have listed a few resources to help you get started finding subcontracting opportunities. Let us know if you find more. In the meantime, use the websites above to get started. FCME uploads new episodes every Monday & Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. MST. Topics include proposal writing, bonds, types of contracts, why do business with the federal government, 8(a), business services for veterans and women, where federal opportunities are listed, and more. You can listen to the podcast here or with your favorite podcast provider (iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, or Stitcher). FCME is also active on social media and launched the Federal Contracting Made Easy YouTube channel on January 1, 2019. Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube   As you can see, the government wants large prime contractors to use subcontractors. They have even gone out of their way to make it easy for you to find these opportunities. Don't wait start using these listings now. After you have completed step 2 move on to step 3. Step 3. Attend Outreach Events Now that step 2 has been completed it is time to find outreach events to attend. Many prime contractors will hold outreach events, publish notice of sources sought, or solicitation for subcontract work. To start, you will need to create a Capability Statement to share with government contracting officers and prime government contractors. Don’t know what a Capability Statement is or how to write one? See our video here. Where are these events held? These events are held all over the country. See the list below for events that you may want to attend if you cannot locate one close to you. To find more opportunities use Federal Business Opportunities and search special notices. Lots of time the government will list opportunities there. 1. GCO Consulting Group is an SDVOSB that holds events in the Washington DC metro area. 2. Solvability is a government contracting consulting firm which holds annual events in Florida GovCon Summit. 3. AFCEA West connects military and government leaders with industry professionals. 4. National 8(a) Association Small Business Conference brings together small, minority and 8(a) businesses and offers educational sessions and resources.   After you have completed this step go on to step 4. Step 4. Research Prime Contractor Websites Prime contractors know that they cannot win a government contract unless they have a pool of subcontractors that they can refer to. Therefore, most large prime contractors’ websites contain information for potential subcontractors. These websites will explain how to register with the large prime contractor and the types of small businesses they are looking for.  Below are a few prime contractor websites for you. Please note that these prime contractors are not listed in any order. Top Prime Contractors (Not all listed) • L3 Technologies - https://www.l3t.com/suppliers/small-business • Boeing - http://www.boeingsuppliers.com/ • Honeywell - https://www.honeywell.com/contact-us/small-business • Pratt & Whitney - https://www.pw.utc.com/company/doing-business-with-us • Lockheed Martin Corporation - https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/suppliers/information.htmlhttps://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/suppliers/information.html • General Dynamics - https://www.gd.com/suppliers/become-supplier • Raytheon - https://www.raytheon.com/suppliers • Kiewit - https://www.kiewit.com/services/procurement/ • PCL Constructors Inc. - https://www.pcl.com/Partners-in-Building/Pages/Subcontractor-and-Supplier-Registration.aspx   We have only listed a small portion of prime contractors above. You will need to spend some time and find prime contractors within your geographical area. Once you have your registered on the website it would be a good idea to start building a relationship with the procurement person within the company. Call and setup a meeting to introduce yourself and discuss your capabilities with them. Give them a copy of your Capability Statement. Remember to follow up after the meeting and continually after the meeting. After you have been to some meetings it is time to go to the next step. Step 5. Prepare your administrative and accounting requirements for being a subcontractor. Before you start work as a subcontractor you will need to ensure that you are familiar with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFAR) and other acronyms that the government uses. Even though you are not the prime contractor you need to understand what is required of you. • You will need to become familiar with the rules and regulations associated with government contracting. For example, FAR Subpart 19.7 The Small Business Subcontracting Program and DFARS Subpart 219.7 (Remember DFARS is the supplement to the FAR for DoD). Also, you will need to get up to speed on FAR Part 44 Subcontracting Policies and Procedures. • Explore training opportunities with SBA, DoD or PTAC. SBA has online and in class training opportunities available. For online opportunities go here. For in class opportunities see your local SBA office. • Have you established internal financial controls and are they in compliance with Generally Acceptable Accounting Practices (GAAP)? If you do not know please contact your accountant. If you don’t have an accountant, then you will need to get one. It is advisable to have a good accountant, and attorney that you can reach out too. Don't think of these professionals as an expense but rather there are part of your team. The same goes for your bonding agent. • Will your company need a loan if awarded a contract? Look at financing options BEFORE you need one. It is better to have funding available before you need it.   Once you have completed this section it is time to make sure you know your correct set-aside. After you finish the above steps move on. What is Your Business Ownership Status? What percentage of the business do you own? Is it greater than or equal to 51%? Why do I ask? Because in order to qualify for set-aside’s you will have to declare your ownership percentage. If you do not own at least 51% or more of a company than you cannot claim that status. Also certain certifications require that you be certified by SBA. For example, you cannot claim the 8(a) or HUBZone status unless SBA has issued that status to you. Why does this matter in subcontracting? Because government agencies will define goals for their contractors for specific types of set-asides for certain certifications. The certifications include, but are not limited to 8(a) BD companies, HUBZone companies, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, and Woman-Owned Small Business. In other articles we discussed each of these set-asides in detail. If you are not familiar with them check out our other articles. It is important to make sure that you claim the correct set-aside for your business. If you misrepresent yourself, the government can take action against you. Or worse, you could be suspended or debarred from government contracts.  Now that you have declared your set-aside status it is time to move on. Do I need any documents as a Subcontractor? Do I need to have a license? The prime contractor and the industry in which you are in will determine the documents. A license will be needed if you are seeking subcontract work that otherwise requires state or federal licensing. If you are not sure that your business requires a license check with your State's Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. In addition, to the documents mentioned in step 1. Other documentation you will need to consider creating include: • A Capability Statement. This is a marketing document that will be required as a prime or subcontractor. • Proof of General Liability Insurance Coverage. The amount required will be dependent on the industry. Your company may also be required to obtain bonding. This is industry specific. If you are in the construction industry you will need bonding. Why would bonding be required? Doesn't the prime contractor take care of the bond? Your prime contractor may require that you bond your portion of the job. This is especially true if a large portion of the work to be performed is by one subcontractor. • Proposal Documentation to submit to the Prime Contractor. For more information see FAR 15.404-3.   Small Business Financing Because the government pays prime contractors after invoicing, it is necessary for subcontractors to have access to enough financing to cover the period between beginning the work and receiving the invoice payments. You could be required to demonstrate the availability of financing prior to being award a subcontract as part of showing the financial sustainability of your business. You can obtain a financial capability letter from a lender. By the way, if you are having difficulty obtaining financing, consider using SBA’s 7a loan program. Contact your local SBA office or your lender for more information. Conclusion Becoming a subcontractor is a great way to get familiar with the government contracting. The information that we have gone over is a great way for you to get started as a subcontractor.   FCME uploads new episodes every Monday & Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. MST. Topics include proposal writing, bonds, types of contracts, why do business with the federal government, 8(a), business services for veterans and women, where federal opportunities are listed, and more. You can listen to the podcast here or with your favorite podcast provider (iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, or Stitcher). FCME is also active on social media and launched the Federal Contracting Made Easy YouTube channel on January 1, 2019. Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube   Please remember to subscribe to our podcast, and YouTube channels as we provide more information in future episodes. Please help support our podcast by purchasing from our store. https://teespring.com/stores/federal-contracting-made-easy

What is FAS doing to make its operations: Easy, Efficient, and Modern? How is FAS delivering best value mission support to customer agencies? What is FAS doing to promote smarter buying and the efficient use of technology across the federal government? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Alan Thomas, […]

In this episode, Joshua Frank takes over the recording studio to give you a breakdown on what you should expect from the Future of Government Contracting. A quick disclaimer: We don't have a crystal ball. No one does. HOWEVER, we have been in this market for more than 25 years. We have seen the ups and downs in the market. We regularly speak with government agencies, contracting officers, and boots on the ground. Therefore, we believe we have a lot of insight on the direction of this market. You will hear some bold predictions about the future of GSA Schedules, new systems that the government is testing, strategic sourcing, and a whole lot more. UPDATE: This podcast was originally scripted in late 2018. In December of 2018, the General Services Administration (GSA) notified industry that the GSA Schedule program would consolidate into a single GSA Schedule. Sometime in 2019, GSA will shut-down the schedule program to new contractors as they migrate to the single schedule. Then in 2020, companies that have a GSA Schedule will be migrated to the new schedule. Yes! This falls under strategic sourcing and category management. If you want to keep up to date on this, be sure to connect with Joshua Frank on LinkedIn. Get Your Free Government Contractor's Success Kit now with key templates, strategies, graphics packs, and free bonus training video. Just click here: federal-access.com/?wpam_id=6

WELL and Fitwel are two programs gaining momentum in the marketplace for the Wellness Real Estate movement. They've been out for about three and a half years, setting up the standard for advancing health and wellness in today's buildings. Charlie gives us cliff notes on what these programs are, the building types that are easier fits to each program in their current form, and how they can be used as guidelines in their own right.   “This is where all the research shows we should be focused on when it comes to health & wellness and what we design, build, and operate.” - Charlie Cichetti A Focus on People Both WELL and Fitwel are people-oriented programs that aid in the promotion of policies and designs geared towards healthier workplaces. These standards seek to lower the chances of disengaged workers and discomfort, whether it be at schools, churches, offices, and homes.   “How do we have buildings that will actually produce more productivity, less absenteeism, more presentism?” - Charlie Cichetti   While they have obvious differences, WELL and Fitwel are actually one and the same in this vision of focusing on the people that will become the dwellers in buildings. WELL Building Standard Designed by Delos, a team led by Paul Scialla, WELL is the brainchild of a group architects and doctors crammed into a room and emerged out of it with the rating system. The program champions for people being more conscious of the air, water, and lighting systems in their buildings, even conversations on nourishment. Ultimately, it seeks for better human resource policies that will set up future occupants and tenants in a great environment.   WELL spun off the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), the health and wellness counterpart of U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in LEED. Both IWBI and Delos are based in New York, the former having remote colleagues from all around the world to keep their policies updated. Fitwel Building Standard The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and General Services Administration (GSA) initiated Fitwel. Administered by the Center for Active Design, it provides guidelines for the design, construction, and operation of healthier buildings.   Unlike WELL that is updated by the IWBI and certified by the Green Business Certification Inc.(GBCI), Fitwel is an all-in-one sort. The Center for Active Design keeps it updated and certified.   To hear more about the similarities and differences of WELL and Fitwel, download and listen to the episode!   Learn more about WELL and Fitwel: WELL Fitwel   Connect with Charlie Cichetti and GBES: Charlie on LinkedIn Green Building Educational Services GBES on Twitter Connect on LinkedIn Like on Facebook Google+ GBES Pinterest Pins GBES on Instagram   Don't forget to leave a positive rating and review on iTunes if you truly enjoyed the show. We have prepared more episodes for the upcoming weeks, so come by again next week! Thank you for tuning in to the Green Building Matters Podcast!

For our podcast listeners and followers, we have a special treat for you on this podcast. Be our special virtual guest and listen to an expert panel from the Conference on Technology and Future Economy 2018 talk about AI and Blockchain. Moderated by Professor Jim Liew (Johns Hopkins University), panelists were Reem El Seed (Deloitte), Kathleen Walch(Cognilytica), Jose Arrieta(US Department of Health & Human Services [HHS] formerly with the General Services Administration [GSA]), David Martens (Dovel Technologies), and Michael Novak (DTP). Read more ...

Pharmacy Compliance Guide Attestations & Certifications  Every fall we hear the PBMs sending out requests for Attestations for Fraud, Waste and Abuse and HIPAA Compliance. Why do they all keep asking for the same information? When Medicare Part D came into play, the Pharmacy Benefit Managers were given the regulatory authority to manage the Medicare Part D program. Part of this program was ensuring pharmacies were properly training their staff. It initially started with annual: Fraud, Waste & Abuse Training, OIG Exclusion Verification, and HIPAA Compliance Training Then each fall, everyone had to attest they accomplished these requirement for Medicare Part D. Unfortunately, a lot of pharmacies and organizations signed off of the attestations and really didn’t do it.   The attestation is a legal statement where the individual, the pharmacy owner and/or the pharmacist-in-charge was legally attesting they were accomplishing the training and had no documentation to support their claim. Legally this was a false claim under Medicare Part D and the PBM can and did recoup all Part D reimbursements from the pharmacy, which was devastating.   The PBMs then added to their requirements over the years making them sticker and more over bearing. Most especially is the OIG Exclusion verification requirement. Only pharmacy in all of health care must accomplish this task every month. It started with just one database, the Office of Inspector General, then were added the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Systems for Award Management (SAM). The GSA and SAM have publicly merged into one, but as of today, we are still receiving a database from each of them. In addition, individual states are developing their own exclusion lists that must be checked. There is no standard for the lists. Some are managed by the health departments, others by the Attorney General or the Treasury Department.   Jeff, let’s break these requirements down. What is involved with the Fraud, Waste and Abuse requirement besides the OIG Exclusion? Fraud, Waste and Abuse really is not hard to comply with. It is having established policies and procedures and training. However, when someone gets in trouble with the government with stealing money through claims or misleading patients, the Fraud, Waste and Abuse processes is where all of the federal penalties come from. There are ten (10) basic policies and procedures from Fraud Waste and Abuse Prevention, Anti-Kickback, Conflict of Interest, False Claims, Whistleblower Protection and General Compliance. When you look at these policies and procedures, they are mostly common sense. Bill for what you dispense and treat patients like they are your family. There are several methods of training. CMS has training modules and like all things created by the government and their lawyers it is complicated. To use these training modules, each employee logs into the CMS system, establishes a user name and password, then embarks on a one-hour on-line training session, with on-tests along the way. When the employee has the completed the training, he or she will have a CMS training certificate for Fraud, Waste and Abuse with General Compliance. There are several problems with this training: Who has the time and the computers to have each employee to spend one hour going through the training program? In the statute Title 42 C.F.R. 422.504(B)(4)(vi) and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual, Chapter 9, you are to train on the pharmacy’s policies and procedures, which the CMS Module does not do meet There is no requirement for a test We covered the OIG/GSA/SAM verification above, however, most people have the opinion the OIG check is only for employees. This is not correct. The statutes specifically states: “Any individual or entity that has been convicted…”   Jeff, I never heard this before, so what is an entity? The best definition I have been able to define is: a HIPAA Business Associate and any vendor you purchase a product from that you then dispense to a Medicare or Medicaid patient. It also includes: 1099 employees, part-time employees and contractors. So the question is are you verifying these entities? CVS/Caremark is checking this on their on-site inspections.   So what is the HIPAA requirement? HIPAA has been around since 2003. We had a podcast earlier this year on HIPAA breaches and desk audits. If you haven’t listen to it. It is quite important. HIPAA requires all health care providers and Business Associates to have a HIPAA Privacy and Security policies and procedures. Annual training on these policies occurs on how HIPAA relates to your operations. Our listeners will primary need privacy training on interactions with their patients and their requests, handling Protected Health Information and most importantly what to do when a breach occurs. Jeff, I remember the podcast on HIPAA Breaches. That was one of the most informative podcasts we have had and if you don’t do anything when they occur will lead to millions in finds.  So I understand there was a new requirement added this year to attestations. Yes, Cultural Awareness Training. This was originally part of the Affordable Care Act but it was struck down by the federal courts in November 2016. But Humana and CVS/Caremark brought it back to life. This is a training to ensure the pharmacy and the staff understand the culture of your patients and the language skills if they can’t speak English. My biggest concern with this added requirement for community independent pharmacies is we all live in our communities. We know our communities. If there are a second or third language in the neighborhood, we hire staff who speak these languages. We understand the local customs and cultures. Why would anyone offend your patients, who would then go to your competitor? That might make sense inside the Washington Beltway or an insurance company board room, but not in an independent pharmacy.   Now let’s talk about Credentialing. What is it and why do we have to deal with it. Credentialing is simply the validation of the attestations. These normally start in late January. The PBMs want to see proof. These are mostly completed on-line or via fax. However, CVS/Caremark and OptumRx are doing follow-up on-side inspections. Each PBM has their own list of items to send in or provide the on-site auditor: Fraud, Waste and Abuse training certificate or Log I recommend only sending the Pharmacist in charge, not the entire staff HIPAA training certificate or log I recommend only sending the Pharmacist in charge, not the entire staff Specific pharmacy operational policies and procedures Pharmacy licenses Pharmacist-In-Charge License Other miscellaneous requests All in the effort to validate the attestation that was submitted in the fall were correct   Does anyone look at these documents? Good question. There are 26,000 plus independent pharmacies submitting documentation. Just the volume of documents is huge. The server size to store the data year after year will be in the terabytes. But I do know they do a random checks.   Are there any penalties? Yes, if you falsify an attestation, the pharmacy is in jeopardy of losing all Part D reimbursements for the period or year in question. Plus the pharmacy is in breach of contract and will be drop from the contract. It really can’t get much worse than that.   OK, what was this NCPDP credentialing about in August? This has been on my radar. I met with NCPDP in 2016 about this project and then again at the NCPA convention in Orlando this year. NCPDP developed a platform to help pharmacies report one time, rather than multiple times each year. The concept is good. But there are challenges and concerns. First, the development was with chain pharmacies with no independent involvement. The reason was NCPDP had a massive test pool with the same organizations. It’s logical, but there are more independents than chain pharmacies. This program works with the PBMs but not with the PSAOs who still are requesting the same information. So it does reduce the amount of reporting. Now my major concern is NCPDP is sharing the information they are collecting with different organizations. They are updating your NPI information. OK, that is good. But they are also sending it to the National Supplier Clearinghouse. Here is the concern. If the data submitted to NCPDP differs from the CMS 855S Medicare Enrollment Application, NSC’s process is to deactivate the PTAN. If you catch it right away, the pharmacy can re-activate the PTAN with no issue. However, if the pharmacy does not catch it because they are not reconciling their reimbursements on a weekly basis and PTAN is deactivated for a period of time, the pharmacy must reactivate their PTAN from scratch. If the pharmacy had “Exempt” status, depending on the length of time, the pharmacy loses the exemption and they must start over with accreditation to continue to dispense DMEPOS products. I have seen this done already. It is as simple as changing your hours of operation, updating the NCPDP credentialing website and not updating your Medicare 855S and your PTAN is deactivated. This is a very costly error that no one thought about.   Jeff, how can you prevent that from happening? Don’t let just anyone complete these attestations and credentialing documents. Complete them all the same way, every time. Keep copies so you are consistent. Always know what your CMS 855S Medicare Enrollment Application states. When a change is made on the NCPDP website, make the same change on the CMS 855S application.   Is there anything else the pharmacies need to be aware of for Credentialing? Yes, one very important item. Continuous Quality Improvement Certificates are required for Medicare Part D. Every pharmacy is required to have a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program. The CQI certificate is generated by an organization certifying the pharmacy has an active CQI program. This is normally through a Patient Safety Organization. We talked about a PSO on our last podcast with the Alliance for Patient Medication Safety. We can see the PBMs looking at the CQI certificates more closely in 2018. For my clients, make sure you continue with the PQC+ entries so you can pull the CQI certificates when these requests start in January and February. If you are not sure if you have a CQI program or how to get your CQI certificate, the process is not a week or two quick fix program. There are a number of items that are required to be completed. Check out our last podcast on Patent Safety. There are not a lot of organizations talking about these subjects, especially the CQI programs and certificates. I keep my podcast factually based, but on the Continuous Quality Improvement program, certificates and enrollment with a patient safety organization, this is part of our standard pharmacy compliance program that we offer. To my knowledge, no other consulting firm offers these services.   Jeff, so wrapping up, on our conversation today, you always bring items to us that no one is talking about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pharmacy Compliance Guide Attestations & Certifications  Every fall we hear the PBMs sending out requests for Attestations for Fraud, Waste and Abuse and HIPAA Compliance. Why do they all keep asking for the same information? When Medicare Part D came into play, the Pharmacy Benefit Managers were given the regulatory authority to manage the Medicare Part D program. Part of this program was ensuring pharmacies were properly training their staff. It initially started with annual: Fraud, Waste & Abuse Training, OIG Exclusion Verification, and HIPAA Compliance Training Then each fall, everyone had to attest they accomplished these requirement for Medicare Part D. Unfortunately, a lot of pharmacies and organizations signed off of the attestations and really didn't do it.   The attestation is a legal statement where the individual, the pharmacy owner and/or the pharmacist-in-charge was legally attesting they were accomplishing the training and had no documentation to support their claim. Legally this was a false claim under Medicare Part D and the PBM can and did recoup all Part D reimbursements from the pharmacy, which was devastating.   The PBMs then added to their requirements over the years making them sticker and more over bearing. Most especially is the OIG Exclusion verification requirement. Only pharmacy in all of health care must accomplish this task every month. It started with just one database, the Office of Inspector General, then were added the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Systems for Award Management (SAM). The GSA and SAM have publicly merged into one, but as of today, we are still receiving a database from each of them. In addition, individual states are developing their own exclusion lists that must be checked. There is no standard for the lists. Some are managed by the health departments, others by the Attorney General or the Treasury Department.   Jeff, let's break these requirements down. What is involved with the Fraud, Waste and Abuse requirement besides the OIG Exclusion? Fraud, Waste and Abuse really is not hard to comply with. It is having established policies and procedures and training. However, when someone gets in trouble with the government with stealing money through claims or misleading patients, the Fraud, Waste and Abuse processes is where all of the federal penalties come from. There are ten (10) basic policies and procedures from Fraud Waste and Abuse Prevention, Anti-Kickback, Conflict of Interest, False Claims, Whistleblower Protection and General Compliance. When you look at these policies and procedures, they are mostly common sense. Bill for what you dispense and treat patients like they are your family. There are several methods of training. CMS has training modules and like all things created by the government and their lawyers it is complicated. To use these training modules, each employee logs into the CMS system, establishes a user name and password, then embarks on a one-hour on-line training session, with on-tests along the way. When the employee has the completed the training, he or she will have a CMS training certificate for Fraud, Waste and Abuse with General Compliance. There are several problems with this training: Who has the time and the computers to have each employee to spend one hour going through the training program? In the statute Title 42 C.F.R. 422.504(B)(4)(vi) and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual, Chapter 9, you are to train on the pharmacy's policies and procedures, which the CMS Module does not do meet There is no requirement for a test We covered the OIG/GSA/SAM verification above, however, most people have the opinion the OIG check is only for employees. This is not correct. The statutes specifically states: “Any individual or entity that has been convicted…”   Jeff, I never heard this before, so what is an entity? The best definition I have been able to define is: a HIPAA Business Associate and any vendor you purchase a product from that you then dispense to a Medicare or Medicaid patient. It also includes: 1099 employees, part-time employees and contractors. So the question is are you verifying these entities? CVS/Caremark is checking this on their on-site inspections.   So what is the HIPAA requirement? HIPAA has been around since 2003. We had a podcast earlier this year on HIPAA breaches and desk audits. If you haven't listen to it. It is quite important. HIPAA requires all health care providers and Business Associates to have a HIPAA Privacy and Security policies and procedures. Annual training on these policies occurs on how HIPAA relates to your operations. Our listeners will primary need privacy training on interactions with their patients and their requests, handling Protected Health Information and most importantly what to do when a breach occurs. Jeff, I remember the podcast on HIPAA Breaches. That was one of the most informative podcasts we have had and if you don't do anything when they occur will lead to millions in finds.  So I understand there was a new requirement added this year to attestations. Yes, Cultural Awareness Training. This was originally part of the Affordable Care Act but it was struck down by the federal courts in November 2016. But Humana and CVS/Caremark brought it back to life. This is a training to ensure the pharmacy and the staff understand the culture of your patients and the language skills if they can't speak English. My biggest concern with this added requirement for community independent pharmacies is we all live in our communities. We know our communities. If there are a second or third language in the neighborhood, we hire staff who speak these languages. We understand the local customs and cultures. Why would anyone offend your patients, who would then go to your competitor? That might make sense inside the Washington Beltway or an insurance company board room, but not in an independent pharmacy.   Now let's talk about Credentialing. What is it and why do we have to deal with it. Credentialing is simply the validation of the attestations. These normally start in late January. The PBMs want to see proof. These are mostly completed on-line or via fax. However, CVS/Caremark and OptumRx are doing follow-up on-side inspections. Each PBM has their own list of items to send in or provide the on-site auditor: Fraud, Waste and Abuse training certificate or Log I recommend only sending the Pharmacist in charge, not the entire staff HIPAA training certificate or log I recommend only sending the Pharmacist in charge, not the entire staff Specific pharmacy operational policies and procedures Pharmacy licenses Pharmacist-In-Charge License Other miscellaneous requests All in the effort to validate the attestation that was submitted in the fall were correct   Does anyone look at these documents? Good question. There are 26,000 plus independent pharmacies submitting documentation. Just the volume of documents is huge. The server size to store the data year after year will be in the terabytes. But I do know they do a random checks.   Are there any penalties? Yes, if you falsify an attestation, the pharmacy is in jeopardy of losing all Part D reimbursements for the period or year in question. Plus the pharmacy is in breach of contract and will be drop from the contract. It really can't get much worse than that.   OK, what was this NCPDP credentialing about in August? This has been on my radar. I met with NCPDP in 2016 about this project and then again at the NCPA convention in Orlando this year. NCPDP developed a platform to help pharmacies report one time, rather than multiple times each year. The concept is good. But there are challenges and concerns. First, the development was with chain pharmacies with no independent involvement. The reason was NCPDP had a massive test pool with the same organizations. It's logical, but there are more independents than chain pharmacies. This program works with the PBMs but not with the PSAOs who still are requesting the same information. So it does reduce the amount of reporting. Now my major concern is NCPDP is sharing the information they are collecting with different organizations. They are updating your NPI information. OK, that is good. But they are also sending it to the National Supplier Clearinghouse. Here is the concern. If the data submitted to NCPDP differs from the CMS 855S Medicare Enrollment Application, NSC's process is to deactivate the PTAN. If you catch it right away, the pharmacy can re-activate the PTAN with no issue. However, if the pharmacy does not catch it because they are not reconciling their reimbursements on a weekly basis and PTAN is deactivated for a period of time, the pharmacy must reactivate their PTAN from scratch. If the pharmacy had “Exempt” status, depending on the length of time, the pharmacy loses the exemption and they must start over with accreditation to continue to dispense DMEPOS products. I have seen this done already. It is as simple as changing your hours of operation, updating the NCPDP credentialing website and not updating your Medicare 855S and your PTAN is deactivated. This is a very costly error that no one thought about.   Jeff, how can you prevent that from happening? Don't let just anyone complete these attestations and credentialing documents. Complete them all the same way, every time. Keep copies so you are consistent. Always know what your CMS 855S Medicare Enrollment Application states. When a change is made on the NCPDP website, make the same change on the CMS 855S application.   Is there anything else the pharmacies need to be aware of for Credentialing? Yes, one very important item. Continuous Quality Improvement Certificates are required for Medicare Part D. Every pharmacy is required to have a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program. The CQI certificate is generated by an organization certifying the pharmacy has an active CQI program. This is normally through a Patient Safety Organization. We talked about a PSO on our last podcast with the Alliance for Patient Medication Safety. We can see the PBMs looking at the CQI certificates more closely in 2018. For my clients, make sure you continue with the PQC+ entries so you can pull the CQI certificates when these requests start in January and February. If you are not sure if you have a CQI program or how to get your CQI certificate, the process is not a week or two quick fix program. There are a number of items that are required to be completed. Check out our last podcast on Patent Safety. There are not a lot of organizations talking about these subjects, especially the CQI programs and certificates. I keep my podcast factually based, but on the Continuous Quality Improvement program, certificates and enrollment with a patient safety organization, this is part of our standard pharmacy compliance program that we offer. To my knowledge, no other consulting firm offers these services.   Jeff, so wrapping up, on our conversation today, you always bring items to us that no one is talking about. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every fall we hear the PBMs sending out requests for Attestations for Fraud, Waste and Abuse, and HIPAA Compliance. Why do they all keep asking for the same information? When Medicare Part D came into play, the Pharmacy Benefit Managers were given the regulatory authority to manage the Medicare Part D program. Part of this program was ensuring pharmacies were properly training their staff. It initially started with annual: Fraud, Waste & Abuse Training, OIG Exclusion Verification, and HIPAA Compliance Training Then each fall, everyone had to attest they accomplished these requirements for Medicare Part D. Unfortunately, a lot of pharmacies and organizations signed off of the attestations and really didn’t do it. The attestation is a legal statement where the individual, the pharmacy owner and/or the pharmacist-in-charge were legally attesting they were accomplishing the training and had no documentation to support their claim. Legally this was a false claim under Medicare Part D and the PBM can and did recoup all Part D reimbursements from the pharmacy, which was devastating. The PBMs then added to their requirements over the years making them a sticker and more overbearing. Most especially is the OIG Exclusion verification requirement. Only pharmacy in all of the healthcare must accomplish this task every month. It started with just one database, the Office of Inspector General, then was added to the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Systems for Award Management (SAM). The GSA and SAM have publicly merged into one, but as of today, we are still receiving a database from each of them. In addition, individual states are developing their own exclusion lists that must be checked. There is no standard for the lists. Some are managed by the health departments, others by the Attorney General or the Treasury Department.

Did you know that government agencies are working hard to embed customer experience strategies in their operating plan and mindset? In this episode, Anahita Reilly, Chief Customer Officer for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), walks us through her customer experience maturity map and actions to unite the leadership team, map the customer journey and drive transformation.

 Show Topic:Farewell to I Can’t.  It’s time to say goodbye to “things look too hard, or long or challenging.”  We can begin to make the difficult do-able with a spirit of ‘I can’ in our lives!                Host Bio:  Linda Stephens-Jones is an ICFcertified Life Coach, assisting individuals & small groups live & via teleconference or Skype in 18 states, Sydney & Hong Kong.  Her specialty is helping women to overcome fears & navigate through major life challenges such as self-doubt, divorce, careers, grief, caregiving or overwhelm.  She helps clients to discover their strengths & true potential, create a vision & begin living with more clarity, confidence & fulfillment!                       Guest Bio:  Anita Banks, born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, is a Regional Account Manager with the General Services Administration (GSA).  Her extensive acquisition portfolio and background include serving as a Warranted Contracting Officer and Contracts Branch Chief in GSA before which she held progressive positions in various Department of Defense acquisition organizations. Anita is a graduate of Harvard University’s Senior Executive Fellows Program.  She holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Ohio State Univ and a Masters in HR Mgmt from Troy State Univ.  Anita and her late husband, Reginald Banks, Colonel, USAF Retired, have two daughters, and one granddaughter.  Anita is a member of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA.  And she is Chaplain of the Northern VA Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.  

Sonny Hashmi was the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Named as CIO in May 2014, Mr. Hashmi is responsible for managing the agency's $600 million Information Technology (IT) budget and ensuring alignment with agency and administration strategic objectives, information security and enterprise architecture.

CELEBRATING OUR 150TH EPISODE!The Guys are celebrating the 150th episode of the podcast which began on 4 September 2005. Thank you for listening and sharing with all of us!This week's news includes: The Generations Network, Inc., announced that Ancestry.com has launched the World Archives Project, "a global public indexing initiative to give everyone the opportunity to help preserve historical records" at http://www.ancestry.com/worldarchivesproject/; Geni.com (http://www.geni.com) announced that the firm has exceeded 1 million unique visitors to the site; the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), working through the General Services Administration (GSA), has announced plans to lease a new facility in St. Louis, Missouri, to house the Military Personnel records Center, with occupancy scheduled for March 2010; Ancestry.co.uk (http://www.ancestry.co.uk/) has been chosen to host the most comprehensive historical collection of London records -- 77 million names -- covering 500 years (ca. 1500-2006) online, beginning in early 2009. The Pew Internet & American Life Project has released new results about podcasting, reflecting significant increases in downloading podcasts. (See the PDF report at http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Podcast_2008_Memo.pdf.)Links that were omitted from the show notes in Episode #149 include:- Scottish genealogy records : http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk- Indexes to Scotland's censuses: http://www.ancestry.co.uk- The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS):     http://www.gro-scotland.gov.ukListener email this week includes: Randy bought a Sansa Fuse MP3 player to listen to the podcast; Amelia shared a podcast from BBC4 in England, at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/tracingyourroots.shtml; Barb shared another reason for the changing of names -- scandal (see http://www.rood.net/Gen1-2.pdf); Kay shares information about testing for Indian ancestry, and a genetic testing company called DNAPrint Genomics, Inc. (http://www.ancestrybydna.com); Sharon discovered a wonderful genealogist through a mailing list who shared huge amounts of genealogical data with her; and Barb discusses a "possible paternity event" in her husband's family.George reviews an excellent new book by Kevan M. Hansen, the new second edition of Map Guide to German Parish Records: Grandduchy of Baden, published by Family Roots Publishing Company.