The GovNavigators Show

This week on The GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome Tyler Davey, CEO of ClearGov, to talk about how technology can finally make city budgets accessible to the people paying for them. The show digs into the problem with the traditional 300-to-500-page budget book, why context is the key to real citizen engagement, and how ClearGov's AI-powered chatbot and Engagement Studio turn complicated financial reports into community conversations. Tyler explains why government at the local level is what ends up impacting us the most, sharing a story of a case study where a new engagement platform encouraged input and surfaced citizen priorities. The episode also covers compliance and privacy considerations across state and local jurisdictions and why reaching the "silent majority" matters as much as responding to the loudest voices in the room. Plus, Robert and Adam share the latest updates on quantum, the Supreme Court, and FASAB. 
Show Notes: 
White House: Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation (Executive Order) 
White House: Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks (Executive Order) 
OMB: Memorandum M-26-15, Execution of the Migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography 
SCOTUS: Trump v. Slaughter 
SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court Allows Trump to Fire FTC Commissioner, Overturns Humphrey's Executor 
The Hill: Trump Cancels Housing Bill Signing Over Senate Inaction on SAVE Act 
The Hill: House Republicans Vote to Block NDAA Rule Over SAVE America Act 
Federal Register: Notice of Issuance of Staff Implementation Guidance 64.1 (FASAB MD&A Guidance) 
ClearGov: Website 
Businesswire: ClearGov Financial Engagement Platform Launch Announcement 
ClearGov: Rochester Hills, Michigan Case Study 
 
What's on the GovNavigators' Radar? 
July 8th: 
GSA FY26 Small Business Contracting Opportunities and Category Management Forum, National Industries for the Blind, Alexandria, VA 
July 16th: 
GovExec Government Efficiency Summit, JW Marriott, Washington, DC 
July 21-23rd: 
AGA Professional Development Training (PDT) 2026, Washington, DC

On this Independence Day pop-up episode of the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam mark America's 250th birthday by surfacing some lesser-known milestones in the history of government management. From pre-Declaration government auditing, to a revolutionary-era grievance against King George that sounds surprisingly familiar to anyone who's worked in federal bureaucracy, to the creation of the Treasury Department in 1789, the roots of government management run deep. Plus, some recommendations from America’s Song Book and a shoutout to special 250th “best of” lists. Happy Independence Day!

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam are joined by Maureen Klovers and April Harding, co-founders of We the Doers, who tackle the big question: How do we make government more efficient and effective? They discuss their project to measure success in government based on what matters to citizens and use that framework to see what changes make a difference. Maureen and April also describe their initiative to map out the convoluted employment termination process across agencies and usher in “Fast But Fair Firing.” The episode digs into the importance of data standardization, problem definition and implementation of reforms, and why biannual budgeting might be the key to fixing Congress. Together, they figure out how to, as Robert puts it, “Stop the crazy, restore sanity.” 
Show Notes: 
NCHSA: Bipartisan Bicameral Housing Reform 
DOL: Unemployment Insurance Fraud Prevention 
Jen Pahlka: Recoding America Book 
Senate Committee on Finance: The Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act 
NOTUS: The Trump Administration Keeps Ghosting Its Congressional Watchdog 
Gary Bass (Of the Gary Bass Rule of Three): Biography 
We the Doers: wethedoers.org 
POPVOX Foundation: Departure Dialogues Project 
We the Doers: Workshop Report 
DOL: Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 
 
What's on the GovNavigators' Radar? 
June 22nd: 
National Academy of Public Administration Celebrating the American Public Servant Gala (GovNavigators sponsor) 
 
June 23-24th: 
2026 Senior Executive Leadership Summit 
 
June 24th: 
Celonis Process Intelligence Day (GovNavigators sponsor) 
GovExec SAP NOW 250

This week on The GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam welcome Larry Allen, Associate Administrator for GSA's Office of Government-wide Policy, now 15 months into the role. Larry brings a big update on the historic FAR overhaul, with the first four chapters expected to be out for public comment within the next two weeks. He describes the enthusiastic engagement from the acquisition workforce and shares what it will really take to relieve the burden on contracting professionals as agencies rebuild after staffing losses. The show digs into AI's growing role in acquisition, the administration's ambitious executive order agenda, and how GSA has maintained its momentum through the transition to a permanent administrator. Larry also covers the complete overhaul of the Federal Property Management Regulations, a revamp of the Federal Travel Regulations, and drops some breaking per diem news for FY27. 
Show Notes: 
GSA Office of Government-wide Policy: OGP Overview 
GAO: The Nation's Fiscal Health Report 
Social Security Trustees: 2026 Annual Report Summary 
FISA Section 702: U.S. Intelligence FISA Section 202 Overview 
Financial Data Transparency Act: Final Rule Details 
FAR Overhaul: RFO 
DEI EO 2025: Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing 
DEI EO 2026: Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors  
Firm-Fixed Price Contracting EO: Promoting Efficiency, Accountability, and Performance in Federal Contracting  
GSA: Edward C. Forst Sworn in as GSA Administrator 
GSA: Federal Managment Regulation 
GSA: Federal Travel Regulation 
EO on Gold Standard Science: Restoring Gold Standard Science 
House Armed Services Committee: FY27 NDAA House Version 
What's on the GovNavigators' Radar? 
June 16th: 
VeeamOn Tour DC 2026 at Convene, Washington DC (Adam moderating) 
Defense One Tech Summit, Arlington, Virginia 
June 22nd: 
National Academy of Public Administration Celebrating the American Public Servant Gala, Library of Congress (GovNavigators sponsor) 
June 23rd: 
ACT-IAC Insights to Action for Procurement Market Dynamics (Robert co-moderating) 
June 24th: 
Celonis Process Intelligence Day 
GovExec SAP NOW 250

This week on the GovNavigators Show, Robert and Adam are joined by Andrea Sampanis, Director of the Grants Quality Service Management Office (Grants QSMO) at HHS, and Stacie Massey, Deputy Director for Grants and Financial Reporting at the Office of Budget and Management for the state of Ohio. Andrea takes us on a deep dive into the new SIN launch for grants management services, walking us through what the new Special Item Number (SIN 518210GM) means for federal agencies and how cooperative purchasing opens it up to state, local, and tribal governments as well. Stacie brings the recipient side of the equation, sharing what it's actually like to manage $11 billion in grants across a patchwork of systems and agencies, and why this SIN changes the game. They also dig into the shift from compliance-heavy grants management to outcomes-focused oversight, the proposed Uniform Grants Regulation and what it means for the field, and why data standards are the foundation everything else is built on.

Show Notes:
Federal News Network: Grants QSMO Shifting Approach to Meeting Market Demands
OMB: Proposed Uniform Grants Regulation (UGR) — Comments Due July 13, 2026
OPM: Policy Career (formerly Schedule F)
Policy/Career Executive Order: Implementing Schedule Policy/Career in the Excepted Service
AI Executive Order: Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security
What's on the GovNavigator's Radar?
June 10–11th: Government Service Delivery 2026 Conference
June 11th: GovExec 35th Annual Government Procurement Conference
July 21–23rd: AGA Professional Development Training (PDT)