A commission created by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is recommending many state agencies operate on a four-day work week to save money, a proposal unanimously supported by the Reform and Restructuring Commission. The commission said a shorter week would cut energy and custodial costs and improve employee morale. Employees would work four 10-hour days rather [...]

Department of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates earlier this week outlined 23 changes for how DoD contracts goods and services aimed at boosting efficiency and productivity in defense spending. The strategy is part of Gates’ efficiencies initiative created to save the department $100 billion over the next five years. “We have not seen the productivity [...]

Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra will be delivering the opening plenary address at the PMI Global Congress, discussing how the federal government is making progress in managing the complex projects for government IT. As a driver of unprecedented change in the federal government’s IT operations, including pioneering work to drive transparency and decrease the [...]

John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, recently discussed the progress made thus far on hiring reform implementation during a CHCO Council Full Council Meeting. “I am proud that all federal agencies have begun delivering on our commitment to improve the hiring process,” Berry said. “Hiring reform implementation is critical for us because [...]

Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III yesterday arrived in Belgium to discuss U.S. defense cybersecurity initiative with NATO leaders. “It’s an opportunity to convey the importance of cybersecurity to our NATO allies, as well as a chance to encourage them to secure NATO systems,” said Bryan Whitman, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for [...]

Department of Homeland Security announced last week Memphis International was one of eight airports receiving full-body scanners, which can detect hidden objects on a person. The scanners, also called Advanced Imaging Technology units, are being installed at four different checkpoints throughout the airport as an additional security measure. Currently, there are 194 full-body scanners at [...]

Department of Health and Human Services yesterday announced $31 million for awards to 10 communities in eight states and one award to a state health department to support public-health efforts to reduce obesity and smoking, increase physical activity and improve nutrition. The awards are part of the HHS “Communities Putting Prevention to Work program,” a [...]

NASA is hosting two national science competitions that challenge student teams to develop and prepare a microgravity experiment. “Dropping In a Microgravity Environment,” or DIME, is the competition for high-school student teams. “What If No Gravity?” or WING, is the competition for student teams in sixth through ninth grades. Both competitions are open to student [...]

In a White House directive to make federal agencies more environmentally friendly, the Department of Defense has vowed to cut use of fuel and water in the military by 20 percent over the next 10 years. The measures will include building improvement, using renewable sources of energy, and emphasizing telework and less air travel for [...]

In an unusual move, the Defense Intelligence Agency has entered negotiations with St. Martin’s Press to purchase all 10,000 copies of Operation Dark Heart, the controversial memoirs of former undercover operative Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer. The move is unusual because the book had already been cleared for publication by the U.S. Army. Also, it only [...]