USDA: Another Federal Agency Seeks Input on Digital Strategy

By Dennis D. McDonald The U.S. Department of Agriculture has joined other Federal agencies in seeking input on how to proceed with development of its “digital strategy.” In Seeking Your Input for USDA’s Digital Strategy the USDA’s Amanda Eamich lists for comment 5 “first-move candidates” to make available as web Application Programming Interfaces (APIs): WorldRead… Read more »

Reforming the Public Service System?

Public administrators are facing the same challenges throughout the United States. Leading public organizations at all levels, lean, even effective and efficient public service and programs, are hearing public outcry to eliminate wasteful spending on programs and services during the current economic crisis. This outcry is making the news headlines on a continuous basis. Instantly,Read… Read more »

“Quick Win”

Day 1 of being in Santa Cruz, Calif. The maps around city hall are confusing, out of date, and the display cases are fogged up: City’s website is no better: CfA January training: “Look for quick wins.” I make a google map with all the city offices and their hours. I also draw a printableRead… Read more »

Just a Reminder

The GovLoop NFL Footbal pool is up and running in the NFL Pool discussion in The Break Room group. The first pick sheet of the season is up. Check it out for details. We would love to have you join in!

Project Management Terms – Project

A Project is a temporary set of actions which aim to create a unique, final deliverable. This concise project definition reveals the major differences between characteristics of projects and operations: Is temporary which means that is subject to change at a certain moment. In fact since it might change at any moment in time makesRead… Read more »

Incumbent Contractors: Never Assume Success When Re-Competing

here was a time when incumbent contractors had the luxury of assuming they would win a re-compete. This mindset was often founded upon the organic, year-over-year growth that had become common over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, contractors no longer have the luxury of basing their business development strategies on assumptions. Just because a governmentRead… Read more »

Don’t micro-manage the bureaucracy

Shortly after entering domestic government for the first time in my life, I spoke to a former classmate of mine about how to make bureaucracies more effective. This classmate has one of the deepest and most intricate understandings of the Federal bureaucracy of anyone I have ever known, and likely will ever know. He recommendedRead… Read more »

Political Party Conventions Have Several Purposes

Since our schools don’t teach this stuff, this is what the conventions are all about. This week and next, Americans will conduct the most intense stage in the presidential election process. The 2012 Republican National Convention is in progress in Tampa, FL until Thursday, August 30 and the Democrats will convene in Charlotte, NC fromRead… Read more »