How the IRS can get even more people to file electronically

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on the Federal Drive.

• The Thrift Savings Plan just wants you to stay the course. TSP has told enrollees to stick to their plans, and to not worry about distractions like Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. Stocks dropped around the globe with the news of the decision, and the pound fell to its lowest level in 30 years. While it’s important to monitor one’s investments, TSP said investors should not chase returns. (Federal News Radio)

• An IRS advisory committee said the agency should increase its efforts to get more people to file tax returns electronically. In its annual report to Congress, the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee said the agency could do more to prevent tax identity theft and also make it easier for people to use its digital service tools. (IRS)

• The Government Accountability Office has some suggestions on how Veterans Affairs can improve its electronic capabilities. A report from GAO said VA managers need to set clearer goals for getting its electronic health record system interoperable with the Defense Department’s. More planning is needed for implementing the Veterans Benefits Management System as well. (Government Accountability Office)

• The solicitation for the next massive government-wide acquisition contract is out. The General Services Administration is looking for large and small vendors to provide an assortment of every conceivable IT service available today and that could be available over the next decade. GSA released the request for proposals for the unrestricted and small business versions of the Alliant 2 GWAC. The IT services range from 3D printing to open source integration to web analytics. Proposals for the $50 billion multiple award unrestricted contract are due Aug. 29. Proposals for the $15 billion multiple award small business contract are due Aug. 22. (FedBizOpps)

• 61 percent of federal employees under age 35 said they’d prefer to stay in government. Of the 39 percent of young federal employees who say they want to leave, 45.6 percent say they expect to within one to three years. This is all according to the results of a Federal News Radio survey of 900 federal employees and managers. The Office of Personnel Management said it hired slightly more federal employees under age 35 in fiscal 2015 from the previous year. (Federal News Radio)

• The Drug Enforcement Administration gets a fresh look by the Senate Judiciary Committee. At last week’s hearing, Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz reports DEA is complying with the IG’s requests for documents. It took withholding of funds by Congress to force the issue. Horowitz’s office had been investigating how DEA officials respond to instances of sexual and other misconduct, especially outside the U.S. Horowitz said DEA has made several corrective actions. But five program investigations are still underway. (Senate Judiciary Committee)

• The Pentagon’s inspector general said it’s found no evidence that the Air Force Academy interfered with investigations into alleged sexual assault and drug use. The IG investigation was requested by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and John Thune (R-S.D.), who brought forward complaints that the academy’s superintendent had protected star football players from being questioned by the Air Force Office of Special Investigation. But the DOD IG found that the interviews investigators wanted to conduct were stopped not by academy officials, but by a series of missteps and miscommunications by Air Force investigators themselves. The IG also said the Air Force needs to do more to document its reasons when it declines to conduct basic investigative steps in criminal cases. (Department of Defense Office of Inspector General)

• A top Democrat in the House Armed Services Committee is a making a push for future base realignment and closures. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) is introducing a bill that will allow the Defense Department to make targeted reductions in excess infrastructure. Smith said DoD needs to find financial savings wherever it can. DoD said about 22 percent of its infrastructure is in excess of the military’s requirements. The department estimates it could save about $2 billion a year by closing some bases. (House Armed Services Committee)

• FBI Director James Comey has named Joshua Skule as the next executive assistant director for intelligence at the agency’s D.C. headquarters. Skule is the former assistant director of the bureau’s intelligence directorate. He’s also formerly held positions at the Washington Field Office such as special agent in charge of the Intelligence Division. (FBI)

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