Buzz Factor

The most-read stories on FCW.com in the past two weeks

• By Michael Hardy
• Jan 14, 2011

1. Pay freeze won't stop all increases
Summary: The Office of Personnel Management says the two-year freeze on federal employees' pay applies only to cost-of-living allowances — not promotions, step raises or bonuses.
Outlook: The pay freeze enjoys wide bipartisan support, but federal managers still have some ability to give raises. (See related story, Page 18.)

2. DOD budget targets: Contractors, IT programs
Summary: Defense Secretary Robert Gates offered more details on the cost savings he’s planning through IT consolidation, workforce cuts and other measures.
Outlook: Gates’ plan still has a lot of hurdles to clear, but it’s a sure bet changes are coming soon.

3. White House steps up federal recruiting efforts
Summary: The new Pathways Programs offer three routes for talented young people to enter the federal workforce, while an older internship program criticized for circumventing competition gets nixed.
Outlook: Recruiting is a perennial difficulty for agencies, and the pay freeze can’t help. Time will tell if the new programs will have an effect.

4. Cuts to federal workforce outlined in bill
Summary: Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) has introduced a bill with a number of cost-cutting measures, including one that would reduce the federal workforce by 10 percent in 10 years.
Outlook: The chances of Brady’s bill passing might be slim, but individual provisions could find support among lawmakers and resurface in other legislation.

5. 7 social media resolutions to keep in the new year
Summary: We offer seven habits to cultivate so you can use social media more effectively for your agency.
Outlook: Social media is here to stay. Now it's time to adopt a consistent strategy for using it.

6. Coast Guard CFO takes blame for $138M in misspending
Summary: Rear Adm. Keith Taylor took the blame for the Coast Guard’s policy of improperly using maintenance funds to make up for a severe gap in construction and acquisition funds for shore facilities from 2003 to 2007.
Outlook: The Homeland Security Department's auditors believed a few other people were also responsible, but Taylor’s insistence on taking the fall leaves some parts of the investigation unresolved.

7. Fed employee pay freeze becomes law
Summary: It looked like feds might get a reprieve when the omnibus bill that included the pay freeze was withdrawn from Senate consideration. But the measure reappeared in a continuing resolution bill designed to keep the government running during the budget process, and President Barack Obama signed it.
Outlook: Other measures under discussion now could extend the freeze into a third year.

8. Google wins: Interior forbidden to award noncompetitive contract to Microsoft
Summary: Google won a major victory in its ongoing battle to have its cloud offerings considered alongside Microsoft’s for federal contracts.
Outlook: Some contracting officers seem to favor Microsoft by default, but Google is working hard to show that there are other serious contenders to consider.