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This week, Cindy Morgan, member of the GovNavigators Network and President of C.O. Morgan LLC, takes Robert and Adam through her past work in federal acquisitions, the need for agency access to technology, and the value of cultivating your professional network. Plus, whether Cindy would ever consider making the return to government.  Thank you to Allocore for sponsoring!  Show Notes  Allocore.com Federal Register: Elimination of Time-in-Grade OPM: OPM Finalizes Rule Removing Governmentwide Time-in-Grade Barrier to Promotions Federal Register: Administrative Leave for Workforce Realignment and Other Purposes OPM: Memorandum on Revised Administrative Leave Regulations YouTube: I’ll alert the media Nextgov/FCW: Inaugural ‘GSA Labs’ cohort identifies $229M in potential savings, agency says GSABlog: GSA Labs Turns Employee Ideas Into Nearly $229 Million in Potential Savings Obama White House Archives: Office of Federal Procurement Policy Service Contract Inventories HHS: HHS Divisions GSA: Procurement Acquisition Lead Time (PALT) YouTube: Kramer Becomes the Moviefone Man NCMA: National Contract Management Association EWG: Executive Women in Government What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  October 27th   Granicus Building the Federal Experience Ecosystem, Arlington, VA  October 29th   Potomac Officers Club 2026 FedCiv Summit, Pentagon City, VA  Oversight 2.0: The Case for a Reimagined Oversight Function Roundtable October 30th   PSC Defense Conference, Arlington, VA

Put me in, coach! This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam bring in Rai Moyers, Director of Coaching at Former Gov, to discuss her work setting former federal workers up for success as they figure out what’s next. From her roots as a park ranger with the Forest Service, to her exit from government, to her coaching practices, Rai details her human-centered approach to helping people discover themselves as “the person behind the mission.”  Plus, the power of community for public service professionals.   Thank you to our friends at Allocore for sponsoring this episode!  Show Notes  Allocore.com GAO: 2027-2032 Strategic Plan YouTube: Something About Mary (Thanks, Adam) WaPo: Lower the US Deficit Interactive FedScoop: AI slop responses to RFPs, RFIs are overwhelming federal agencies GAO: Oready, LLC  WSJ: The Moment Katie Zacharia Found Out Her Five-Day Stint as Press Secretary Was Over  FormerGov.com  Soul Shine Coaching LLC FEDWeek: Under-30 Share of Federal Workforce Remains Low, Says MSPB (2023) FNN: Trump administration expands push to hire early-career federal employees FedsForward.org Wearewellfed.com iPEC: Energy Leadership Index Assessment  What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  October 17th-21st   2026 ICMA Annual Conference, Long Beach, California October 20th  Google Public Sector Summit 2026, Washington, D.C. October 21st   FEDInsider’s Innovation Summit, Washington, D.C.

Hope everyone’s enjoying a well-deserved day off! On this pop-up episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam run through the news and events of last week, recapping an exciting conference on federal lending and discussing new compliance guidance from OMB. Plus, some presidential action on SI (we got the new name straight eventually).   Special thanks to Allocore for sponsoring!  Show Notes  Allocore.com White House: Columbus Day, 2026 ACT-IAC: Federal Loan Systems Modernization Forum OMB: Draft Compliance Supplement WSJ: New AI Czar Unveils Goals, Members of White House Task Force  White House: Trump Accounts Put 70 Million Kids on the Path to Financial Freedom

Drumroll, please! This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam sit down with Mary Peterman, the newly hired CEO of AGA. Learn about Mary’s longstanding involvement in the organization, her view on the role AGA should play in public policy issues, and her thoughts on the impact of AI in government financial management. Plus, how AGA is here to help you adjust to an evolving federal landscape and the rapid technological transformation sweeping the field.   Thank you Allocore for sponsoring this episode!  Show Notes  Allocore.com America.gov: America.gov FNN: How the Trump administration has been building toward the America.gov launch NYT: At White House, Trump Asks A.I. Titans to Police Themselves White House: Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence White House: Restoring the United States Department of War HHS: HHS Cracks Down on Years of Unchecked Audit Findings HHS: HHS Single Audit Resolution Division NASCIO: Annual Conference AGA: agacgfm.org AGA: AGA Names Mary E. Peterman Chief Executive Officer White House: M-25-30 Ensuring Accountability: How we Oversee, Audit, and Improve Congress.gov: Defense Primer: FY2025 Department of Defense Audit Results What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  October 8th   ACT-IAC's Federal Loan Systems Modernization Act of 2026 Forum, Reston, VA October 12th-14th   AUSA 2026, Washington, D.C. October 14th-15th   SAP Public Sector Summit, Washington, D.C.

The oracle is back, and he's not holding back. This week on The GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome the return of Charles Cooper, Founder and Managing Partner at Brumidi Group, for a deep dive into the state of play on Capitol Hill with just weeks to go before the midterms. Will there be a government shutdown? What does a lame duck Congress actually get done? And is divided government secretly good? Charles breaks it all down with the kind of context only a seasoned congressional insider can provide, from redistricting math to the seats nobody's watching... yet. Thank you to Allocore for sponsoring this episode. Show Notes: Source: GSA, HHS Uncover $1.2 Billion in Suspected COVID-Related Contract Fraud Source: Trump Administration to Remove 760,000 ACA Enrollees Over Fraud Claims Source: OPM Gives Agencies Authority to Give Bonuses Up to $25,000 Source: Public Trust in Government Falls to 27% — Partnership for Public Service Events on the GovNavigators' Radar: September 27th – 30th: NASCIO 2026 Annual Conference, San Diego October 8th: MeriTalk Tech Tonic October 19th: FAR Revolutionary Overhaul Public Comment Deadline

Who knew Jaws could come up in a conversation on data? This week, Robert and Adam sit down with Nick Hart, President and CEO of the Data Foundation to debrief their GovDATAx conference and discuss the many factors at play in the national data ecosystem. Learn what progress Nick believes has been made in the federal data sphere and hear what he thinks is still left to be done. Plus, insights on the challenges of balancing representation and data privacy, and how data is the key to fighting fraud.   Thank you Allocore for sponsoring!  Show Notes  Allocore.com Data Foundation: Website OPM: SF-86 PBS News: Patel testifies in Senate hearing, defending changes to FBI hiring standards on prostitution, bestiality PBS News: WATCH: Patel explains why FBI no longer considers bestiality an automatic hiring disqualifier America’s Pulse: Website Congress.gov: H.R.2069 - Stop Secret Spending Act of 2025 White House: Congressional Bills H.R. 1276, H.R. 2069, H.R. 2196 and H.R. 5366 Signed into Law Congress: Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA) Data Foundation: GovDATAx Conference Congress.gov: H.R.4174 - Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 FedScoop: A government data policy deadline is nearing. Data leaders are looking to help HHS: HHS Cracks Down on Years of Unchecked Audit Findings BFS: Do Not Pay Congress.gov: H.R.8463 - Pre-Payment Fraud Prevention and Treasury Data Access Act Data Foundation: Data Foundation Welcomes House Passage of Pre-Payment Fraud Prevention and Treasury Data Access Act Congress.gov: The Privacy Act of 1974: Overview and Issues for Congress ACF: Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking (CEP) Census.gov: Robert M. Groves Grants.gov: Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 Data Foundation: Datum Awards NCSES: The National Secure Data Service Demonstration Congress.gov: H.R.150 - GREAT Act Data Foundation: Data Foundation Launches Community-Led Strategy to Define a Shared Vision for America’s Data Future Data Foundation: The People’s Data 100 What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  September 21st – 25th   Defense Scoop’s Defense Tech Week September 22nd   ACT-IAC's Digital Transformation Summit, Reston, VA September 22nd and 23rd  AGA’s Internal Control & Fraud Prevention Training, Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, D.C. September 25th   POGO and Arnold Ventures's Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act 20th Anniversary Celebration September 30th  FedRAMP Day, Arlington, VA

From inside the House, it’s Christian Hoehner!   This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome their good friend Christian Hoehner, Policy Director for the Majority staff at the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Christian walks us through the committee’s expansive work, including their new legislation addressing the “dire problem” of fraud and improper payments. Plus, an inside look at the Prepayment Fraud Prevention and Treasury Data Access Act, and the payoff of bipartisan cooperation.  Special thanks to our friends at Allocore for sponsoring this episode!  Show Notes  Allocore.com AP: US marks 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks GovExec: What does 9/11 mean for young public servants who hardly remember it? PBS: Anthropic researcher's resignation sends warning about the dangers of AI development WSJ: Congress Is Suddenly Waking Up to the AI Doomsday Threat GSA: GSA Expands OneGov AI Offerings with Discounted, Consumption-Based Access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Politico: Viral AI researcher’s warning ‘scary as hell,’ Cruz says The British Museum: The Bayeux Tapestry GAO: Payment Integrity GAO: Fraud Risk Management House Oversight: Chairman Comer: Congress Must Stop Fraud to Protect Taxpayers House Oversight: House Passes 11 Oversight Committee Bills to Stop Fraud in Federal Programs Congress.gov: Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 Congress.gov: Pre-Payment Fraud Prevention and Treasury Data Access Act Bureau of the Fiscal Service: Do Not Pay DOJ: Privacy Act Data Foundation: Data Foundation Endorses Pre-Payment Fraud Prevention and Treasury Data Access Act Ahead of Markup Data Foundation: Data Foundation Welcomes House Passage of Pre-Payment Fraud Prevention and Treasury Data Access Act Congress.gov: Stopping Fraudulent Payments Act Congress.gov: Fraud Prevention and Accountability Act What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  September 14th  Socure Fraud Briefing on Capitol Hill September 15th   The Data Foundation’s govDATAx, George Washington University National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) Lunch for John Bernard, America’s Pulse  Senator Lankford and Senator Hassan’s Roundtable on Executive-Legislative Relations

Happy Labor Day!   On this pop-up episode, Robert and Adam wish a happy holiday to all, with a special shoutout to our federal workforce. Plus, some quick updates from Congress and upcoming events to tie you over through the long weekend.  Show Notes:  Allocore.com Federal News Network: House passes short-term funding bill to avoid a shutdown before the election Bloomberg Government: House Cancels Two September Session Weeks Ahead of Midterms  What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  September 9th   GovNavigators Policy Wonk Happy Hour, benefiting the Senior Executives Association, The Exchange, Washington D.C., 5-7 PM September 15th   The Data Foundation’s govDATAx Conference, George Washington University

Christina Ho knows some people would describe audit as “painful,” so what if there was a way to make it “faster, better, and cheaper?”  In this episode, Robert and Adam sit down with Christina Ho, former PCAOB Board Member and Chief Assurance Officer at Oath to discuss her new project using AI to improve the auditing process by testing 100% of transactions. Plus, learn about her vision for a “whole new category” of independent verification, and how the current view of audit as a compliance exercise is not producing the value it is intended to.  Thanks to our sponsors at Allocore!  Show Notes:  Allocore.com Variety: Dolly Parton, Queen of Country Music, Dies at 80 The Washington Post: Red Tape Newsletter Piece Treasury: Treasury Announces the Quantum-Readiness Task Force DOJ: Department of Justice Announces Launch of National Fraud Detection Center to Combat Fraud Against Taxpayer-Funded Programs FedScoop: Draft OMB memo mandates agency use of Login.gov on government websites Federal CDO Council: DCAT-US v3.0 Schema Implementation Guide WSJ: Former Audit Regulator Helps Set Up Accounting Firm Targeting 80% Automation PCAOB: Christina Ho Oath Verified: oathverified.com HHS: HHS Cracks Down on Years of Unchecked Audit Findings OMB: M-25-30 OMB: Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust OMB: Driving Efficient Acquisition of Artificial Intelligence in Government  What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  August 31st   The House is back in session September 9th   GovNavigators and Senior Executives Association Policy Wonk Happy Hour, The Exchange, Washington D.C., 5-7 PM September 14th   The Senate is back in session September 15th   The Data Foundation’s govDATAx, George Washington University

Congress passed a major bipartisan housing bill, and Robert has three daughters renting apartments, so this one is personal. This week, Robert and Adam are joined by Nicole Upano, AVP of Housing Policy and Regulatory Affairs, and George Ratiu, VP of Research, both at the National Apartment Association, to unpack what the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act does for Americans everywhere, and what comes next. From single-stairway buildings and inspection parity to opportunity zone updates, manufactured housing reform, and the role of private capital, they walk through a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation, and what implementation looks like across Treasury, HUD, FHFA, USDA, and beyond. They also flag what didn't make it in, and why the real work is just beginning. Thank you to Allocore for sponsoring this episode. Show Notes: NAA: Road to Housing Live Resources PageCongress: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644)Senate Banking Committee: Myth vs. Fact: ROAD to Housing ActWhite House: Statement of Administration Policy — H.R. 6644Treasury: Debt to the PennyPolitico: AI Slop Is Flooding Congress's Legislative Drafting OfficeEvents on the GovNavigators' Radar: August 26-27th: AFCEA INSA National Security Summit — Bethesda, MDAugust 27th: Merit Talks: Generative AI and the New Federal WorkflowSeptember 15th: Data Foundation GovDataX: George Washington University

Special thanks to Allocore for supporting this episode.  Ensuring politicians remain accountable to those who vote for them is no easy feat, but our guest this episode may have the solution. On this episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam try not to have too much fun talking with John Bernard, Founder, President, and CEO of America’s Pulse, as he takes us through his project to measure state performance and connect citizens’ priorities directly to their elected officials. Plus, learn how America’s Pulse is building a direct-input democracy that extends beyond elections, and how you can use it to make your voice heard.  Show Notes  Allocore.com Washington Post: Divers recover a bottle of Guinness from a 162-year-old shipwreck OMB: TikTok Memo M-26-17 White House: Expanding Capabilities to Combat Transnational Cyber-Enabled Crime Nextgov/FCW: Palantir calls on GSA to withdraw draft AI acquisition rule Washington Technology: Palantir’s no-bid pipeline just got bigger Treasury: FinCEN Permanently Ends Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for Millions of Small Business Owners Amazon: Government That Works: The Results Revolution in the States Amazon: Business at the Speed of Now  America’s Pulse: Americaspulse.org Harvard University: The 3.5% rule What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?   August 20th   AWS and Carahsoft Missions Made Possible: A FedTech Innovation Summit, Arlington, VA August 24th   A Hole in One with ACT-IAC, Leesburg, VA August 26th-27th   AFCEA and INSA’s 2026 Intelligence and National Security Summit, Bethesda, MD August 27th   The MeriTalk Mission Room on Agentic AI and the New Federal Workflow, Washington, D.C. August 27th   Potomac Officers Club 2026 Navy Summit, Falls Church, VA

Thank you to Allocore for supporting this week's episode of the GovNavigators Show. Are we all clear on opsec? This week, Robert and Adam are getting (almost) all the details on how the latest technologies are rewriting the rules of national security. Shelby Pierson, retired national security official and the newest member of the GovNavigators Network, talks us through her longtime career spanning across the CIA, NRO, NGA, and ODNI, and unpacks the real work behind the romantic Hollywood version of the Intelligence Community. Now, as a consultant, she is bringing her unique expertise and skill set to organizations looking to revolutionize the important work done in supporting of our warfighter. Show Notes: Allocore.comFederal News Network: VA's Cloud Security Memo FedRAMP: 20X InitiativeFederal News Network: OMB Revamps Cyber Event Logging Requirements (M-26-14)Supreme Court: Margolin v. National Association of Immigration JudgesWashington Post: VP Vance's Op-EdEvents on the GovNavigators' Radar August 9-12: DoDIIS 2026August 9-11: XChange August 2026August 20: Missions Made Possible Fed Tech Innovation Summit

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome Lauren Lombardo, Policy Director for Recoding America, to discuss her work driving collaborative and coordinated government management policy reform. Lauren walks us through how working on campaigns at 13 years old sparked an early interest in public service, and describes her professional path working as a data scientist in the private sector before pivoting to use her technology background as a staffer in Congress. She dives into her work with the Recoding America fund, building connections with think tanks and individuals passionate about government management reform, developing the narrative surrounding these issues, and administering grants to organizations doing policy development and advocacy work in the government management sphere. Plus, learn why Lauren believes problems attributed to technology in government often stem much deeper, and why bipartisanism is necessary for real policy change.   Show Notes  Allocore: allocore.com  New York Times: Accept Your Fate. Don’t Wear Shorts to the Office.   Congress.gov: House C.R.  The Hill: House passes reconciliation framework for Pentagon boost, voting restrictions  House Armed Services Committee: FY27 NDAA Resources  GSA: OneGov CORUS partnership  FedScoop: VA won’t require existing FedRAMP certification for cloud contracts  VA: FedRAMP memo  Nextgov/FCW: After Hugging Face breach, FedRAMP chief tells slow-to-patch vendors to stay out of government  Recoding America Fund: recodingamerica.org  HSGAC: Testimony of Anthony Fauci  C-SPAN: Dr. Anthony Fauci Testifies on Origins of COVID-19 Pandemic  The Washington Post: Rand Paul threatens to hold Fauci in contempt after he declines to answer questions    What’s on the GovNavigators’ Radar?  August 4th  TheXchange August Workshop on NASA's SEWP VI, Reston, VA August 5th   HSGAC Business Meeting, Washington, D.C. August 5th-6th   The 14th Annual Border Security and Intelligence Summit, Washington, D.C.

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome back Howard Mortman, Director of Communications at C-SPAN. Howard reveals what’s new with the network, the trends he’s been seeing, and how public affairs broadcasting has been changing. The episode dives into the role C-SPAN footage plays in spurring political conversation on social media, and the network’s new show aiming to bring tough policy questions and civil discourse that feeds solutions on air. Robert, Adam, and Howard also discuss C-SPAN programming, including America 250 festivities and a special initiative to send reporters to the field to augment 2026 campaign coverage. Plus, new developments on Howard’s podcast, Extreme Mortman, including an exciting name change, behind the scenes information on process, and the episodes he’s looking forward to the most.  Show Notes  House Appropriations: Continuing Resolution Press Release  Time Magazine: House Passes $1.15 Trillion Defense Spending Bill  House Armed Services Committee: FY27 NDAA Resources  HHS: Press Release on Deferring California and Minnesota Medicaid Payments  Reuters: US pauses $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California, Minnesota  C-SPAN: C-SPAN Website  C-SPAN: America 250  C-SPAN: Campaign 2026  The Hill: C-SPAN inks deal with YouTube TV, Hulu  C-SPAN: Ceasefire  C-SPAN: Extreme Mortman  What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  July 28th:  Digital Government Institute 14th Annual 930Gov Conference, Washington, D.C. July 30th:  ATARC NextGen Cyber Operations: AI in Action Summit, Reston, VA Potomac Officers Club 2026 Air and Space Summit, McLean, VA

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome Dana Fowler, member of the GovNavigators Network, to walk us through her career path and offer insights on government performance reform. Dana details her interesting start in the federal government as “basically a deckhand on a fishing boat,” before moving onto the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the CDC, the Performance Improvement Council within GSA, and the Department of the Interior, in a performance management field she never expected to be a part of. The show raises the importance of leveraging data for decision-making, measuring the right things for the right reasons, and the value of an outside perspective. Plus, Dana gives us a peek into her new projects that work on government reform from the outside, using the knowledge she’s collected as a “practitioner” within.  Show Notes:  House Budget Committee: Press Release on Reconciliation 3.0  The Hill: Key House committee advances framework for reconciliation 3.0  Congress.gov: Budget Impoundment and Control Act of 1974  The Washington Post: Wildfire smoke in DC  FedRAMP: FedRAMP 20x  DOW: Department of War Suspends CMMC Phase II Requirements  Federal News Network: Pentagon suspends CMMC phase two requirements  NOTUS: The Social Security Chief Keeps Sending Staff His Daughter’s Pretzels  Performance.gov: GPRA  IBM: IBM Center for the Business of Government  We the Doers: We the Doers website  House Oversight: Emerging Fraud Threats and the Evolving Fraud Landscape hearing  IMDB: Movie reference  What’s on the GovNavigators’ radar?  July 21-23rd:  AGA Professional Development Training (PDT) 2026, Washington, DC July 21st:  ACT-IAC Supply Chain Innovation Forum, Reston, VA July 23rd:  GovForward’s 8th Annual Carahsoft Summit on FedRAMP, Washington, DC