Shows / The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton provides expert insights on current events in the federal community. Read more interviews to keep up with daily news and analysis that affect the federal workforce. The Federal Drive is found at FederalNewsNetwork.com and 1500 AM in the Washington D.C. region.
Episodes
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
USDA employees facing relocation weigh whether to stay or go. Some are eligible for incentives either way
The Agriculture Department’s sweeping plans to relocate employees are coming into focus. Employees are starting to receive their relocation notices. In the…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Everybody studies government contracting, can outsiders actually move it
There’s no shortage of analysis about how government contracting works and where it’s broken. What’s harder to pin down is who actually has the leverage to…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Federal contracting is heading into a different kind of environment, more controlled, more structured and less forgiving
A series of changes across policy and regulation are reshaping the federal marketplace at the same time. Together, they point toward a system with tighter…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Sovereign AI systems built by national governments are hard, expensive and absolutely necessary
As countries race to adopt artificial intelligence, the challenge is building capability they actually control, without falling behind or over‑relying on…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Everybody studies government contracting, the open question is whether anyone outside the system can actually move…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Federal workforce losses had steeper impact on probationary employees
At most agencies, probationary employees left their jobs at a higher rate than other federal workers in 2025. That’s according to analysis of about two dozen…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
House NDAA provision could derail Army data center projects
The Army is warning that an amendment in the House Armed Services Committee’s version of the 2026 defense policy bill could discourage technology companies…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Agencies are doubling down on AI upskilling, but new research suggests they may be solving the wrong problem
There’s a growing push to build new skills across government, especially in AI. But if the surrounding systems don’t support that learning, the investment may…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Congress is at a pivot point on reconciliation and the defense bill
Questions about the future of another reconciliation package are rippling through Congress, with implications for how and when lawmakers take up the annual…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Monday, June 15,
Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton When the rules change, people will change how they work Agencies are doubling down on AI upskilling, but…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
When the rules change, people will change how they work
The rollout of Schedule Policy/Career and a proposed government-wide nondisclosure agreement are putting new pressure on how federal employees think about…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
AI directive focuses patching efforts on ‘highest risk’ vulnerabilities
The emergence of artificial intelligence-driven cyber threats is forcing a shift in how agencies manage software vulnerabilities. In a new directive released…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
White House polices hitting small business contractors hard, Senator says
New data from Democrats on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee shine fresh light on just how rough its been for many small business…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
A lot of health AI isn’t where you think it is and it’s not overseen the way you might expect
From administrative decisions to care management, health AI tools are influencing outcomes in ways patients may never see. But many of those systems fall…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
ARPA‑H is testing a model to make research faster, more repeatable and less dependent on where or with whom you work
The limits of biomedical research often come down to access, tools, networks and where the work happens. ARPA‑H is piloting a system meant to level that out…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Friday, June 12, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton ARPA‑H is testing a model to make research faster, more repeatable, and less dependent on where or with whom you…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The people who rely on Medicaid helped design a plan to curb fraud without putting their own care at risk
A new report on Medicaid fraud starts from the ground up, built with input from the people who depend on those services every day. It lays out ways to tighten…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
GSA reexamining data that shows no building is meeting minimum occupancy target
The General Services Administration, the landlord for much of the federal government, says none of the owned or leased buildings it has data on meet the…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
HASC challenges Trump’s EO ending bargaining rights for DoD workers
The House Armed Services Committee is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s executive order that removes collective bargaining rights for civilian…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Bringing more students into public service starts with giving them a way in and a reason to see themselves there
A new program at Arizona State University is connecting students to federal service while they’re still in school, through a model that blends coursework with…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Federal hiring problems may start with how the jobs are defined
Efforts to improve federal hiring and pay often run into the same problem. The system that defines jobs has stayed largely the same, even as the work itself…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Thursday, June 11, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Bringing more students into public service starts with giving them a way in and a reason to see themselves there…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
What looks like stability in today’s workforce may actually be caution
This moment in the labor market looks stable on the surface, but underneath it’s driven by caution and constrained choices. Workers are holding on rather than…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
OPM details changes for federal employees in Schedule Policy/Career
More details are emerging about the practical implications of Schedule Policy/Career. New guidance from the Office of Personnel Management comes as agencies…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Three highlights in latest DHS spending bill
Congress just passed fiscal 2026 appropriations for most of the Department of Homeland Security in May. But lawmakers are already moving forward with crafting…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
A long-running federal river program delivers real returns, but now it’s on the chopping block
For more than two decades, the Army Corps of Engineers has worked with partners to change how dams are operated, reducing flood risk and boosting local…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry GertonThe government wants more of your seafood to come from U.S. waters and it’s standing up a new office to help make…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The government wants more of your seafood to come from U.S. waters
Seafood isn’t usually top of mind at the Agriculture Department, but that’s starting to change. A new Office of Seafood is meant to help grow domestic…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The systems that keep water flowing are more connected than ever, and more exposed to cyber risks
Cyber threats are moving beyond data and into the systems people depend on every day, including water and wastewater infrastructure. A new GAO report finds…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
OPM details the changes for federal employees in Schedule Policy/Career
More details are emerging about the practical implications of Schedule Policy/Career. New guidance from the Office of Personnel Management comes as agencies…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
First came telemedicine, now the Army medical logistics community is embracing telemaintenance for equipment
As agencies look for ways to operate faster and more efficiently, The Army’s medical logistics community is embracing telemaintenence. It’s a bit like…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
USPS axing its regulator is on the table, as it looks for ways to avoid running out of cash
The Postal Service, on the verge of running out of cash early next year, is pricing out a wide range of possible reforms that, if passed by Congress, could…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
After a marathon markup, the House has shaped its version of the NDAA, but the final outcome is still very much in play
The House has moved its defense policy bill out of committee, mixing acquisition changes with broader policy fights. But with the Senate still to act and…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Agencies are under pressure to move quickly and enforce the rules, they still have to document the process, SBA may have missed a case
A recent case involving the suspension of an 8(a) contractor is raising questions about how agencies document their decisions. An SBA appeals judge sent the…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Congress and multiple administrations keep coming back to the idea of fixed-price contracts, but it's more complicated than that
Fixed‑price contracting is often treated as the answer to cost control in federal acquisition, and it works when requirements are clear and outcomes are known…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton After a marathon markup, the House has shaped its version of the NDAA, but the final outcome is still very much in…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
HASC advances right to repair proposal, industry pushes back
The House Armed Services Committee adopted an expansive right-to-repair amendment Thursday over the objections of the committee’s chairman and several…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Stanton is driving a new teamwork mindset at DISA
Lieutenant General Paul Stanton is redefining the concept of team work at the Defense Information Systems Agency. The director of DISA says the interdependency…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
A proposed NDA for federal employees is drawing attention to how information moves inside government and who feels safe sharing it
A proposal to create a governmentwide nondisclosure agreement for federal employees is raising new questions about transparency and accountability. The…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Congress makes headway on ICE and CBP funding, but not much else
After late-night votes and a contentious markup, Congress is inching forward on some of its highest-profile priorities, including ICE and CBP funding and the…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - Monday, June 8, 2026
Coming up today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Congress makes headway on ICE and CBP funding, but not much else There’s a new temporary selection to…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
There’s a new temporary selection to lead U.S. intelligence and it’s a good moment to look at what that job demands and how the process works
The appointment of an acting DNI brings up bigger questions about how the intelligence community is led and coordinated. That includes what kind of experience…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
CISA close to issuing new cyber AI directive
Agencies will soon get their first set of marching orders from President Donald Trump’s executive order on artificial intelligence from earlier this week. The…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Forest Service offers separation incentives to employees ahead of relocations
The Forest Service is offering separation incentives to employees ahead of an agency reorganization that will move hundreds of positions across the country…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
CMMC has moved from planning to enforcement and contractors are feeling it
After years of preparation, cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors are now being enforced in real time. That shift is exposing gaps between what…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Friday, June 5, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton CMMC has moved from planning to enforcement and contractors are feeling it When it comes to inflation, playing it…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
When it comes to inflation, playing it safe isn’t always the safest investment move
For federal employees and retirees, inflation is changing the math on everything from retirement income to basic savings strategy. Some of the choices that…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
AI executive order sets stage for new cybersecurity directives
The White House is moving toward a voluntary process for reviewing frontier artificial intelligence models for cybersecurity risks. The review process is laid…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Trump moves about 8,000 federal positions to Schedule Policy/Career
The Trump administration has taken the final step to make Schedule Policy/Career a reality. Close to 8,000 career federal employees will be moved into the new…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Building more missile defense capability means rebuilding the industrial base behind it
A new production center in Alabama reflects a larger effort to expand U.S. munitions capacity, but the real story runs through suppliers, hiring and how…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Getting from a patent to a product is still where many ideas get stuck
Even with the Bayh‑Dole framework in place, moving a federally funded discovery into the market still depends on licensing, capital and timing. A new report…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
New research suggests some of the states most closely tied to the federal government may not be the ones you expect
For years, rankings of state dependence on federal spending have focused largely on government transfers. A new study from the Pioneer Institute takes a…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Thursday, June 4, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Getting from a patent to a product is still where many ideas get stuck Building more missile defense capability…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
An excerpt from "Your Federal Life," with Karen Lee, co-founder of FedsForward
After upheavals across the federal workforce, and hundreds of thousands of public servants leaving their jobs, grassroots organizations have been rising to…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
OPM to crack down on ineligible health insurance enrollees
Enrollees in the government’s health insurance programs will soon face tighter requirements when adding family members to their plans. A new final rule from…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Helping disaster survivors recover is one of FEMA’s most visible missions, GAO reviews the results
Delivering disaster assistance at scale is one of FEMA’s toughest operational challenges. A GAO review looks at where the system struggles to match survivor…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Telehealth expanded quickly, oversight is still catching up
An HHS inspector general audit found that targeted system edits and clearer coding guidance could have prevented a share of improper Medicare payments tied to…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton - - Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton Helping disaster survivors recover is one of FEMA’s most visible missions. A new GAO review looks at how well that…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Two changes moving through the House would reshape how agencies buy, from who gets a shot to how fast decisions get made
The House is trying to give the “Rule of Two” more legal weight, even as it pushes agencies to move faster on acquisition. One effort tightens expectations…
- The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
FEMA begins limited hiring campaign after wave of departures
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is hiring again. With Atlantic hurricane season officially underway, FEMA is trying to fill hundreds of open positions…