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Anonymous wrote:My take is that a lot of these FFRDCs are just sucking up budgets w/o bringing extra value. A lot has happened which require change and big 4s and FFRDC are the one that need to cut the fat the most.

Don't disagree at all. The idea behind FFRDCs isn't bad, the recent implementation has been pretty bad.

Anonymous wrote:My take is that a lot of these FFRDCs are just sucking up budgets w/o bringing extra value. A lot has happened which require change and big 4s and FFRDC are the one that need to cut the fat the most.

Anonymous wrote:My take is that a lot of these FFRDCs are just sucking up budgets w/o bringing extra value. A lot has happened which require change and big 4s and FFRDC are the one that need to cut the fat the most.

Anonymous wrote:Mitre recently furloughed many people - without pay - in lieu of a formal layoff. Management seems to be hoping a bunch of the lost work will return in coming months.

Anonymous wrote:I expect Mitre will formally layoff some people already on furlough in mid/late-January after they realize much of their lost civilian work is not coming back.

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Anonymous wrote:RAND's CEO in the news...again.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/technology/3781667/howard-lutnick-cuts-biden-chips-act-funding-dispenser/

The article is not Jason's fault because it stems from his previous position in the Biden administration, but his incompetence as a leader is still undeniable. Nobody trusts his leadership, a fact that is universally acknowledged at RAND.

Long time RAND staffer here and new poster with no relationship with Jason, other than he runs my company. I don’t hear anyone blaming him for RAND’s current troubles, which are (obviously to everyone but some posters here) attributable to changes in Federal priorities that have hurt ALL companies offering science and analysis consulting.

I have some complaints about his management, focus and choices, but he is not why we are suffering right now.

Is it obvious to everyone? Jason's failures to manage the internal and reputational fallout during the external industry crisis due too Trump is the reason for RANDs very serious troubles right now.

I have no idea what you mean by the "internal and reputational fallout during the external industry crisis". The market for science and analysis changed very abruptly and very dramatically. Projects were not just not renewed, they were cancelled over the coarse of a couple months. All related firms experienced this. Was RAND hit more? I have no information to suggest that is true, but information is scarce, so maybe? Seems like our competitors were hit hard and took earlier losses.

As I said before, I am not uncritical of Jason’s choices and management. President and CEO Jim Thompson had all research division directors report to him. Too many direct reports? Maybe, but he loved the research, and wanted to know what was interesting and important that RAND was doing. Michael Rich was deeply involved in research unit activities until he became president, and created a layer between himself and the units. But he still wanted to be involved in Division reviews where divisions could highlight their interesting work and important challenges.

From what I hear (possibly wrong) Jason does not participate in Division reviews, and has minimal one-on-one contact with division leaders. Unlike prior presidents, he reportedly does not help vet and shape research briefings for our Board of Trustees. I worry that if these are true, he may be too far removed from our research strengths and current challenges to effectively design a value proposition that distinguishes us from Booz Allen. If we stop publishing (it’s happening), if we stop trying to have our work make impact through press releases, Congressional outreach, op Ed’s and commentaries, I don’t know how we are different and worth the higher costs. Publication keeps us transparent, honest, and critically reviewed. Publication is what allows us to hire the best young people who aspire to make names for themselves in the academic and policy worlds.

So, I hope it’s clear I am not an apologist here. I just don’t think the market can be blamed on Jason.

So, your CEO is checked out?

Anonymous wrote:Trump's AI Czar shared an article criticizing Effective Altruism and RAND over AI safety policy. Thank you Jason and Jeff.

https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/1987708953921249319

Anonymous wrote:https://www.effectivealtruism.org/opportunities/recdpEZzcEJn0RwpR

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CNA just laid off more staff today. All from IPR.

As IPR shrinks, CNA will need to find some way to cut overhead expenses. Otherwise, the FFRDC might become too expensive for its DoN customers.

One of the original reasons CNA created IPR (which is the part of the company outside the FFRDC) was to spread the overhead costs across a larger number of employees.