FFRDCs

[Anonymous]

How’s IDA doing? Any more layoffs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How’s IDA doing? Any more layoffs?

I don’t know about layoffs, but their remaining DOTE support people are back at work, reportedly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How’s IDA doing? Any more layoffs?

Work is starting to pickup again. We're fine.

[Anonymous]

Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

This is evidence that MITRE and RAND are poorly managed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

This is evidence that MITRE and RAND are poorly managed.

I haven't been a fan of Jason for a couple decades, but MITRE had/has FFRDCs for DoD, but also a FFRDCs for the Civil Federal Govt, HHS/Treasury/VA/... By January, about 40% of MITRE staff-hours were Civil FFRDC-based/related. From inception, those FFRDCs were intended by the Feds to support Federal Enterprise modernizations and staffed as long-term enterprise-level SIs/SETAs rather than research/prototype/development FFRDCs. DOGE/Project 2025 primary impact has been on Civil Agencies and Federal Agency modernization projects, so hardly a surprise that MITRE's been hit really hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

This is evidence that MITRE and RAND are poorly managed.

Correct

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

What’s the secret over there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

What’s the secret over there?

If I tell you...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

What’s the secret over there?

At least part is due to better management that sticks to the intended role of an FFRDC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

What’s the secret over there?

At least part is due to better management that sticks to the intended role of an FFRDC.

RAND's board needs to clean house with the current leadership team. It's not the same institution that it once was, and that's not just about the external environment. The internal culture has shifted, and it's starting to show in the work. The focus seems to have drifted from rigorous, objective analysis to whatever is fashionable or will bring in a few dollars. When you lose that core identity, you lose what makes you valuable to policymakers. They need to get back to the basics: hard-nosed research, intellectual honesty, and a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom, even when it's uncomfortable. If they don't, they risk becoming just another think tank, and that would be a profound loss for the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aerospace is solid, we have a strong pipeline of defense work. Some of our NASA work of course is slowing, but no layoffs AFAIK. I assume many civilian staff will move over to defense, maybe golden dome efforts.

What’s the secret over there?

Aerospace is very hard science and in the weeds with technical systems.

Rand makes policy research papers.

Mitre is one generation behind IT support for Feds 3 generations behind.