Author Archives: WatchBlog

Federal Smarter Buying Initiatives (podcast)

The federal government saved nearly $500 million over the past 5 years through “smarter buying”—such as by leveraging the government’s collective buying power for discounts on things like office supplies. But that’s small change compared to the billions of dollars … Continue reading

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Following the Money: The Audit Trail

You may remember from your elementary school civics class (or our previous Watchblog posts) that Congress allocates the money that executive branch agencies use to carry out their work. But who makes sure these agencies are spending this money correctly? … Continue reading

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Breast Cancer and Young Women

Young women account for 11% of all new cases of breast cancer in the United States. They tend to be diagnosed at a later stage and experience worse outcomes and unique issues—such as fertility concerns. Listen to Marcia Crosse, a … Continue reading

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How the Government Engaged the Public to Help Rebuild After Sandy: The Rebuild by Design Competition

Today we’re pleased to share a blog post written by one of our 2016 summer interns, Lauren Shaman, a graduate student at Indiana University. As the fourth anniversary of superstorm Sandy draws near, let’s take a look at one of … Continue reading

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National Save for Retirement Week

The U.S. population is changing and so is retirement. Boomers are aging, traditional pensions are shifting to voluntary contribution plans, and Social Security faces important financial challenges. Planning—and saving—for retirement is more important than ever. For National Save for Retirement … Continue reading

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The Great Shake Out: What You Need to Know About Earthquake Preparedness

Earthquake preparedness helps protect lives and property from the devastation that earthquakes can cause. It’s particularly important for earthquakes that are difficult to predict or arrive with little warning. The Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are happening tomorrow—are you prepared? To … Continue reading

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Measuring Federal Employee Performance

For many federal employees, October means another cycle of performance appraisals and ratings. Federal agencies need employees who do good work, so today’s WatchBlog looks at what it takes to rate federal employees, how they measure up, and what to … Continue reading

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Thinking about Joining Medicare Advantage?

If you have Medicare, this time of year always brings an opportunity to switch health plans during the annual open enrollment period, which starts this weekend and runs through December 7. About 30% of Medicare participants choose Medicare Advantage plans—the … Continue reading

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Veterans’ Health Care Physician Credentials (podcast)

Are our veterans always being treated by qualified physicians? Millions of vets rely on the Veterans Health Administration to provide them with health care services, and VHA contracts out some of these services. How much does VHA know about these … Continue reading

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Federal Disaster Assistance (infographic)

Hurricane Matthew is one of the strongest storms to impact U.S. shores in decades. The federal government has a role in helping the nation respond to and recover from hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and other major disasters or emergencies. Our infographic … Continue reading

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