The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

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After returning to the office, federal employees report low productivity, morale Jul 22, 2026

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More than a year after a governmentwide return-to-office mandate, federal employees are reporting lower productivity, diminished morale and increasing strains on their work-life balance. A recent survey conducted by Federal News Network finds that many feds are experiencing distracting workspaces, long commutes and inadequate resources. Here with more on the latest survey results, Federal News Network’s Drew Friedman.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Jul 22, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton . . .

Government spends a lot of time measuring compliance. But does accountability actually help programs succeed?
If accountability depends on honest assessments of performance, are agencies using the tools Congress gave them to make those assessments?
Federal agencies measure everything from staffing levels to performance goals. But those metrics don't always tell leaders whether they actually have the capacity to accomplish their mission

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Government measures compliance, but does accountability help programs succeed? Jul 22, 2026

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When people hear the word accountability, they often think about assigning responsibility after something goes wrong. But my next guest says accountability starts much earlier. It begins with creating the conditions for success. Joining me is Dr. Abraham Wandersman, senior scientist at the Wandersman Center at Fors Marsh.

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Federal agencies measure everything from staffing levels to performance goals, but can that predict mission accomplishment? Jul 22, 2026

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Agencies collect enormous amounts of information about performance. But those measures don't always answer a fundamental management question: does the organization have the capability to accomplish its mission? My next guest believes federal leaders need a better way to assess readiness. Joining me is John Mullins, founder of Mullins Consulting.

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If accountability depends on honest assessments, are agencies using the tools from Congress to make those assessments? Jul 22, 2026

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Knowing whether a program is succeeding requires more than good intentions. It requires a disciplined look at results. Congress strengthened federal performance-management requirements in 2024, but a new GAO review finds important pieces still haven't been fully implemented. Here to explain what GAO found is Lori Atkinson, acting director for strategic issues at GAO.

Read the report here: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-26-108516.pdf

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Space Force welcomes first part-time guardians Jul 21, 2026

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The Space Force has officially welcomed its first part-time service members, launching a first-of-its-kind personnel model that allows Guardians to move between full-time and part-time service without transferring to the National Guard or Reserves. Service leaders say the approach will help recruit and retain skilled workers, particularly those with expertise in the commercial space and technology sectors. But the new model also raises questions about how the military will manage a more flexible workforce and whether its aging personnel systems are ready to support it. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.

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DLA rethinks how it does business as it pursues its first clean audit Jul 21, 2026

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Federal agencies are facing growing pressure to replace heavily customized legacy business systems with commercial off-the-shelf platforms that are easier to maintain, update and secure. At the Defense Logistics Agency, officials are treating their enterprise resource planning modernization project as more than just a technology upgrade. DLA says it’s using the transition as an opportunity to rethink how it does business as DoD pursues its first clean audit. Adarryl Roberts is DLA’s chief information officer. He talked about the work with Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman.

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As agencies rethink cybersecurity requirements, how will they manage AI risks Jul 21, 2026

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GSA is taking another run at what could become the federal government's first acquisition clause focused specifically on large language models. After significant industry pushback, the agency revised its proposal and is now reviewing feedback on a new draft. Here to breakdown the feedback from last week's public listening session is Dan Ramish, partner at Haynes Boone.

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Contractors face uncertainty with cybersecurity regs, AI rules and acquisition policies Jul 21, 2026

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Federal contractors are navigating uncertainty on several fronts, from evolving cybersecurity requirements to ongoing questions surrounding overseas programs. The common challenge goes beyond mere compliance to making business decisions when policy direction is still taking shape. Here with more on what PSC members are seeing, is the council's president, Stephanie Kostro.

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The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, July 21, 2026 Jul 21, 2026

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Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton

The Defense Department has paused part of its cybersecurity certification program, but contractors still have cybersecurity obligations. So who's currently responsible for proving compliance
As agencies rethink cybersecurity requirements, they're also working through how to manage risks associated with artificial intelligence. GSA's latest AI contract clause is getting a better reception from industry, but key questions remain
If there's a common thread running through debates over cybersecurity requirements, AI rules, and other acquisition policies, it's uncertainty. Contractors are still trying to understand what government expects of them

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