DoD’s acting Inspector General, Steven Stebbins, is set to conduct a thorough review of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s utilization of the commercial messaging app Signal for discussing operational airstrike details in Yemen. This review aims to ascertain the degree to which the defense secretary and other Department of Defense personnel adhered to established policies regarding the use of commercial messaging applications for official communications. Additionally, the evaluation will delve into compliance with classification and records retention mandates. This memo follows requests from two prominent Senate lawmakers for an investigation into an incident that has raised eyebrows in Washington.
Scrutiny of Federal Data Usage
In a parallel development, Democratic lawmakers are intensifying their inquiries into the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) methods of accessing and utilizing federal agency data. This week, House Oversight Committee Democrats introduced a resolution of inquiry aimed at investigating how DOGE employs data and artificial intelligence across federal agencies. The committee has a 14-day window to vote on the resolution, or it will automatically gain privileged status on the House floor. Lawmakers are particularly interested in determining whether DOGE is leveraging AI to identify potential spending cuts. On the Senate side, Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-Mich.) has sought answers from 24 agencies regarding DOGE’s access to their data, amid growing concerns that DOGE teams may be bypassing privacy and security regulations to access data repositories.
Changes in Performance Standards
In a significant shift, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is instructing agencies to revise their performance review processes for Senior-Level, Scientific, and Professional positions. The upcoming changes closely mirror OPM’s recent updates to performance evaluations for Senior Executive Service members, which were announced in February. Under the new guidance, adherence to the President’s policies will become the “most critical element” in performance assessments. Agencies are expected to implement this revised performance review system for Senior-Level and Scientific and Technical employees by September of the following year.
New Contract Reporting Requirements
The Defense Department has issued new guidance mandating that military services, combatant commands, and DoD agencies publicly report any canceled or terminated contracts associated with the Trump administration’s efficiency initiatives. This directive provides contracting officers with explicit instructions for reporting all qualifying contract terminations and cancellations. Released by the office of defense pricing, contracting, and acquisition policy, this guidance applies to both Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contracts and Other Transaction agreements. To date, the Defense Department, in collaboration with the Department of Government Efficiency, has identified 0 million in expenditures deemed wasteful.
Identity-Proofing Changes at the SSA
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is moving forward with plans to tighten identity-proofing requirements. The agency will discontinue the option for individuals to verify their identity over the phone when applying for retirement benefits or requesting changes to direct deposit. Instead, individuals will be required to verify their identity through the SSA’s “my Social Security” online platform or visit an SSA field office. This decision follows a retraction of earlier proposals that would have also affected disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. Additionally, the SSA is exploring a partnership with the Postal Service to allow beneficiaries to verify their identity at nearby post offices.
Nominees Under Fire
During a recent nomination hearing, two of President Trump’s nominees poised to influence federal workforce issues faced a barrage of questions from Senate committee members. The nominees for the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget expressed support for Trump’s initiatives aimed at significantly reducing the federal workforce. Scott Kupor, nominated for OPM director, indicated plans to overhaul the performance management system for federal employees. Meanwhile, Eric Ueland, nominated as OMB deputy director for management, highlighted numerous “opportunities” arising from the recent cancellation of most agencies’ union contracts.
Army Contract Plans Abandoned
The Army has decided to abandon its plans for a multi-award contract potentially worth up to billion, intended to address its software development requirements. Following three rounds of draft Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and industry feedback, the Army issued a brief notice last week stating its determination to cease pursuit of the solicitation and award for the 10-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract. Officials have yet to announce their next steps, having previously aimed to award contracts to a select pool of 10 to 20 vendors.
Concerns at the Institute of Museum and Library Services
In a move that has raised concerns, the Trump administration has placed employees at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on administrative leave. The agency’s board is now seeking clarity on how it will fulfill its statutory obligations, specifically in terms of grant disbursements and other essential functions. As the largest source of federal funding for museums and libraries, the IMLS is under scrutiny following President Trump’s call for the elimination of the agency and other smaller entities in a recent executive order, which would retain only those functions mandated by law.
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