In Depth interviews – May 10

On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to the interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day and links to additional resources.

This is the In Depth show blog. Here you can listen to the interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day and links to additional resources.

Today’s guests:

Tor OpsahlExecutive Vice President, CCSi

Tor Opsahl, the executive vice president at IT contractor CCSi, joined Industry Chatter to discuss his company and how it does business with federal agencies.

Creative Computing Solutions, Inc. Provides program and project management as well as IT solutions for the federal government.

Click here for the full Industry Chatter interview


Michael RhodesDirector of administration and management for the Defense Department

Public Service Recognition Week got a little specific at the Pentagon yesterday. DoD recognized 34 civilian employees that display the core qualities of honor, integrity and excellence in their everyday service.

The “Spirit of Service” event in the Pentagon Center Courtyard included Air Force Secretary Mike Donley, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Army Assistant Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Thomas Lamont and Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Vice Admiral Harry Harris.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter spoke at the event, as did Director of Administration and Management Michael Rhodes. Rhodes tells In Depth that Public Service Recognition Week is important at the Pentagon because of who it honors.


Arnold PunaroCEO, Punaro Group

The Pentagon is in “cut” mode, and that’s even before Defense officials started planning for sequestration.

So far, the cuts lawmakers have proposed are coming mostly from weapons systems and the number of uniformed personnel. Some experts say the civilian workforce isn’t feeling much of the pain the rest of the agency is feeling.

Arnold Punaro, the chief executive officer of the Punaro Group and a member of the Defense Business Board, tells In Depth how the civilian structure at the Pentagon has changed over the past few years and what it looks like now.

Punaro also discussed whether DoD’s revamped strategy and budget proposal go far enough ni addressing the civilian workforce.

Defense budget casualties light on civilian side (Washington Times)

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily DoD Report brought to you by United Health Military and Veterans Services. For more defense news,

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The Homeland Security Department’s Science and Technology Directorate is allowed to make acquisitions through something known as “other transaction” agreements. But since 2007, that ability has been renewed on an annual basis through appropriations legislation which has added a layer of uncertainty to procurements made with this tool.

That has led to a steady decline in the number of “other transactions” requests made. Even though the authority is not being used as often, DHS has been lacking in some of the procedures it’s supposed to follow, according to a recent Government Accountability Office review.

Bill Woods, the director of Acquisition and Sourcing Management Issues at GAO, joins In Depth to discuss the report, which outlines some of the agency’s shortcoming.


Also on the show:

Analysis: In sequester, managers should start planning for workforce reductions

OPM finalizes rules for new intern, hiring programs

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