Management
Internal Documents Show Federal Agencies Supported the WHO Before Trump Was Against It
In a battle between China and the U.S. over global leadership, American diplomats and aid officials cited U.S. funding of the World Health Organization as key and relied heavily on the agency for help. When Trump cut its funding, he upended all that.
Workforce
Office of Special Counsel to Federal Employees: We’re Here to Protect You
As the office takes steps to protect its own employees, OSC has created a coronavirus task force to handle the rise in whistleblower disclosures and charges of retaliation.
Management
The Army Corps of Engineers' Race to Convert Hotels and Convention Centers to Hospitals
The agency's first makeshift hospital was in New York’s Javits Center, and it is building or has built close to 30 similar projects around the country.
Nextgov
VA to Distribute Thousands of Facebook Portals to Vets and Caregivers in Isolation
The devices will be distributed in pairs to connect qualifying veterans and caregivers during the pandemic.
Tech
GovExec Daily: Oversight and the JEDI Contract
Frank Konkel joins the podcast to explain the Pentagon IG report on the huge defense cloud contract.
Workforce
Millions of Essential Workers Are Being Left Out of COVID-19 Workplace Safety Protections, Thanks to OSHA
Even as the federal worker-safety agency has been inundated with complaints, it has rolled back safety standards and virtually eliminated non-health care workplaces from government protection.
Route Fifty
Prospect of Steep Service Cuts Looms as Virus Batters State and Local Budgets
“The longer this persists, the deeper it will be for state and locals and state and local cutbacks,” one expert noted this week.
Workforce
Restarting the Economy Too Soon Could Damage It More
Preventing people from getting sick with COVID-19 and saving lives is better for the economy than reopening businesses too soon, a new paper finds.
Nextgov
How a Slice of Spectrum Split the U.S. Government
The head of the Federal Communications Commission wants to allow a satellite company access in the interest of 5G despite objections from Defense, Commerce and other departments and agencies.
Route Fifty
States Start Hiring Battalions of Contact Tracers to Track Covid-19
As governors look to loosen coronavirus restrictions, a key benchmark will be improving the ability to track and isolate new cases. That will include more “contact tracers,” investigators who track down those who’ve come in contact with infected people.
Management
Impasses Panel Imposes Steep Cuts to Official Time, Other Rights for Administrative Law Judges
Union that represents administrative law judges at the Social Security Administration vowed to take “all necessary legal action” to protect members, as multiple lawsuits proceed.
Workforce
USDA Is Relocating Its Food Inspectors From One Hot Spot to the Next As More Employees Get Sick
Now employees are required to continue working even after known coronavirus exposure as government seeks to avoid food supply disruptions.
Nextgov
Judge Grants Pentagon’s Request for Corrective Action on JEDI Cloud Contract
The Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract could be on hold for up to four months as the Pentagon reconsiders aspects of it.
Management
Trump Administration Releases Guidance to Clarify Coronavirus Relief Act’s Contracting Provisions
Agencies can use CARES Act funds to reimburse contractors from March 27 to September 30, 2020.
Nextgov
Medical Consortium Aims to Create Network of Virtual Critical Care Wards
The group seeks to support patients in need of critical care in hospitals and other ad-hoc locations using cloud-based communication technology.
Workforce
VA Instructs Coronavirus-Exposed Staff to Continue Working, Places Those Who Don’t in AWOL Status
"This is the absolute worst-case scenario of anything I have ever experienced in my nursing career," according to one registered nurse.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Americans ‘Overwhelmingly’ Trust the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Oversight
Congress Is Investigating Whether a Ventilator Company Is Gouging the U.S. — and Why the Government Is Letting It Happen
A congressional subcommittee is questioning a federal decision to pay quadruple the price for the commercial version of a ventilator Royal Philips N.V. had developed with taxpayer funds.
Defense
What’s Wrong With the Air Force’s ‘Connect Everything’ Project
In a new report, GAO watchdogs say officials can’t say how much it costs or if it’ll even work
Management