Fed Gov Today

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com

The Thrift Savings Plan is updating its digital experience to make it easier for participants and beneficiaries to find information and manage their accounts. Jim Kaplan, director of external affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, explains how participant feedback and usage data are shaping a redesigned TSP.gov, virtual assistant Ava and the new Life Events Hub. Kaplan also discusses how the hub brings greater transparency to beneficiary processes and what participants should consider as the calendar year winds down. Plus, he explains why FRTIB has spent less than 90% of its budget for five consecutive years.Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

GAO’s Alex Winograd joins Fed Gov Today to examine the Army’s push to modernize battlefield communications through C2 Fix and Next Generation Command and Control. Winograd explains how the Army is using an iterative acquisition approach that incorporates soldier feedback and adapts to changing technology and battlefield conditions. But GAO sees challenges ahead, particularly around long-term costs and scheduling. NGC2 cost approximately $3 billion in the most recent fiscal year, and the Army plans to field the technology across 11 divisions and four corps by the end of fiscal 2032. Winograd explains why better planning will be critical.Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

Federal agencies are rapidly expanding their use of artificial intelligence, but legacy infrastructure, acquisition processes and workforce challenges can complicate adoption. Former FBI CIO Gordon Bitko, now executive vice president for public sector at the Information Technology Industry Council, explains why agencies should focus on practical AI use cases instead of waiting for complete modernization. He discusses using AI to better understand government data, rethinking business processes, moving successful pilots to scale and preparing for unexpected resource demands. Bitko also explains why data integration and workforce readiness are critical measures of progress as agencies layer new AI capabilities onto legacy systems.Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com

Former federal executive Robert Shea joins Fed Gov Today to examine how agencies are changing their approach to fraud prevention. Shea says government has made progress recognizing the scale of the problem, but gaps in identity verification and payment controls remain. He discusses how tools like Do Not Pay, Login.gov and private-sector data verification can help agencies determine eligibility faster without making benefits harder to access. Shea also explores the role of artificial intelligence in analyzing data, the risks of relying too heavily on AI and how agencies should measure whether their fraud-prevention efforts are actually working. Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

Former Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Director Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan (Ret.) joins Fed Gov Today ahead of a House Select Committee on China hearing focused on the U.S.-China AI competition. Shanahan explains why rapidly advancing frontier AI models are creating new risks and why sustained dialogue between Washington and Beijing could help manage them. He discusses the need for stronger testing, red teaming and independent verification as AI moves into military environments. Shanahan also pushes back on the idea that regulation automatically stifles innovation, pointing to aviation as a model for balancing safety, oversight and technological progress. Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

The Fed Gov Today TV Show airs on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. E.T. on ABC 7. You can also watch on Demand on Youtube. Listen to Fed Gov Today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anytime at FedGovToday.com

Arnold Punaro argues the Pentagon can learn from the landmark Goldwater-Nichols reforms as it tackles acquisition and management challenges. The retired Marine Corps major general and CEO of The Punaro Group explains why the 1986 reforms successfully reshaped military operations, while parts of the Pentagon’s management structure remain unfinished. Punaro discusses Congress’s role in making reforms permanent, changing incentives across the acquisition workforce and driving cultural change inside the department. He also examines what recent military operations reveal about emerging technology, unmanned systems and why people will remain essential to the future of warfare.Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com

GAO is taking a closer look at billions of dollars in savings claimed by the Department of Homeland Security following hundreds of contract terminations. Chris Currie, Director of Emergency Management and National Preparedness Issues at the Government Accountability Office, explains why canceling a contract does not automatically translate into savings. DHS reported $10.7 billion in savings after terminating or partially terminating 438 contracts, but GAO found the department had actually deobligated about $92 million. Currie breaks down how contract savings should be calculated, why IT services often shift to other contract vehicles, and what GAO will examine next. Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com