Being tasked with people’s safety is no small calling, especially when the people are across borders in sometimes hostile countries. When a crisis happens overseas, it’s Michelle Bernier-Toth’s job as managing director of Overseas Citizens Services at the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs to contact US nationals and get them out of theRead… Read more »
On the program today for Thursday May 17, 2012 When times are tough — there is a terrible situation overseas… Egypt, Syria, Haiti — we’re going to talk to the person who helps Americans get out of danger… and she is a SAMMIES finalist. Keeping your morale up as you focus on your careerRead… Read more »
It’s an exciting time of year…we are gearing up to welcome our next class of USG-funded international high school exchange students. Wanted to bring to your attention the importance of youth exchange and the rewarding opportunities of hosting these future leaders from around the world. This DipNote blog says it all… Posted by J. AdamRead… Read more »
Duplication — multiple organizations doing the same thing. There is a question as to whether, in this age of austerity, the government can afford to have multiple programs doing the same thing and some argue that duplication makes it more difficult to assess if programs are actually working. Yet we also know that most ofRead… Read more »
In line with its mission to ensure the careful use of Federal funds, OMB issued guidance on 5/11/12 to Federal agencies that requires them to make more efficient use of existing government real estate — in effect, “freezing the Federal footprint.” In a roundabout way, this is good news for Telework fans. By requiring agenciesRead… Read more »
Weston Florida is an affluent suburb 25 miles northwest of Miami. When Weston was incorporated in 1996, its residents approved a charter that states the city must use contractors as opposed to city employees to perform traditional government services, unless four out of five councilmembers vote to make an exception. As a Governing article reportsRead… Read more »
Efficiency is the path to bigger profits. Efficiency is good. Everyone needs to be efficient. Right? Wrong! Efficiency sucks! For knowledge workers – you and me – the case against efficiency is overwhelming. ‘Efficiency’ is one of the weasel-words of management-speak, constantly misused and we are all worse off for this. In an effort toRead… Read more »
What is awesome – in a negative sense – about what is described in this post is the fact that abusive cultures such this are allowed to flourish in the first place. Over the past month and a half I have been working with Serene Teffaha and others as a result of disclosures that pointRead… Read more »
Last week, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Darrell Issa, held a hearing entitled “Where Are All the Watchdogs? Addressing Inspector General Vacancies.” The purpose of the hearing was supposed to be why there are so many vacant Inspector General positions (the Presidentially appointed, Senate confirmed ones anyway). The Project onRead… Read more »
On Today’s Program for Tuesday May 15, 2012 Suspensions and debarments — it is the ultimate way if there are problems with a government contractor, but it can also wreak havoc to government contracting. A panel at the ACT-IAC Excellence in Acquisition conference recently, and we’ll hear highlights… Do more with less — weRead… Read more »