diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 98a472e1..def8b3a2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -55,17 +55,10 @@ jobs:
         java-version: 8
     - run: java -version
     - name: Install artifacts to local Maven repository
-      run: |
-        source .kokoro/common.sh
-        retry_with_backoff 3 10 \
-            mvn install -B -V \
-                -Dmaven.test.skip -DskipTests=true \
-                -Dclirr.skip=true \
-                -Denforcer.skip=true \
-                -Dmaven.javadoc.skip=true \
-                -Dgcloud.download.skip=true
+      run: .kokoro/build.sh
       shell: bash
-    - uses: GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-opensource-java/linkage-monitor@v1-linkagemonitor
+    - name: Validate any conflicts with regard to com.google.cloud:libraries-bom (latest release)
+      uses: GoogleCloudPlatform/cloud-opensource-java/linkage-monitor@v1-linkagemonitor
   lint:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
diff --git a/.kokoro/build.sh b/.kokoro/build.sh
index 97ab43ba..34079b25 100755
--- a/.kokoro/build.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/build.sh
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ echo ${JOB_TYPE}
 
 # attempt to install 3 times with exponential backoff (starting with 10 seconds)
 retry_with_backoff 3 10 \
-  mvn install -B -V \
+  mvn install -B -V -ntp \
     -DskipTests=true \
     -Dclirr.skip=true \
     -Denforcer.skip=true \
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ javadoc)
     ;;
 integration)
     mvn -B ${INTEGRATION_TEST_ARGS} \
+      -ntp \
       -Penable-integration-tests \
       -DtrimStackTrace=false \
       -Dclirr.skip=true \
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ samples)
         pushd ${SAMPLES_DIR}
         mvn -B \
           -Penable-samples \
+          -ntp \
           -DtrimStackTrace=false \
           -Dclirr.skip=true \
           -Denforcer.skip=true \
diff --git a/.kokoro/dependencies.sh b/.kokoro/dependencies.sh
index c91e5a56..0fb8c843 100755
--- a/.kokoro/dependencies.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/dependencies.sh
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export MAVEN_OPTS="-Xmx1024m -XX:MaxPermSize=128m"
 
 # this should run maven enforcer
 retry_with_backoff 3 10 \
-  mvn install -B -V \
+  mvn install -B -V -ntp \
     -DskipTests=true \
     -Dclirr.skip=true
 
@@ -86,4 +86,4 @@ then
 else
   msg "Errors found. See log statements above."
   exit 1
-fi
\ No newline at end of file
+fi
diff --git a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.cfg b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.cfg
index f21f268c..0e363fd8 100644
--- a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.cfg
+++ b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.cfg
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ env_vars: {
   value: "docs-staging"
 }
 
+# cloud-rad staging
 env_vars: {
   key: "STAGING_BUCKET_V2"
-  value: "docs-staging-v2"
-  # Production will be at: docs-staging-v2
+  value: "docs-staging-v2-staging"
 }
 
 env_vars: {
diff --git a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh
index fcbefb71..d2fc3e90 100755
--- a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc.sh
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ python3 -m docuploader create-metadata \
   --version ${VERSION} \
   --language java
 
-# upload docs
+# upload docs to staging bucket
 python3 -m docuploader upload . \
   --credentials ${CREDENTIALS} \
   --staging-bucket ${STAGING_BUCKET_V2}
diff --git a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.cfg b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.cfg
index 4864edf0..a0609ba1 100644
--- a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.cfg
+++ b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.cfg
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 # Format: //devtools/kokoro/config/proto/build.proto
 
+# cloud-rad production
 env_vars: {
   key: "STAGING_BUCKET_V2"
   value: "docs-staging-v2"
-  # Production will be at: docs-staging-v2
 }
 
 # Configure the docker image for kokoro-trampoline
diff --git a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.sh b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.sh
index a03e5eaf..f5e1d63a 100755
--- a/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.sh
+++ b/.kokoro/release/publish_javadoc11.sh
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ python3 -m docuploader create-metadata \
  --version ${VERSION} \
  --language java
 
-# upload yml
+# upload yml to production bucket
 python3 -m docuploader upload . \
  --credentials ${CREDENTIALS} \
  --staging-bucket ${STAGING_BUCKET_V2} \
diff --git a/synth.metadata b/synth.metadata
index a6fcd327..504d6c2a 100644
--- a/synth.metadata
+++ b/synth.metadata
@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
       "git": {
         "name": ".",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/java-shared-config.git",
-        "sha": "048eafee55117aa91ec1c7d039948cd240821588"
+        "sha": "d9b2d4aab9a9bba1c2df6fcb52ac96ee8b001ad6"
       }
     },
     {
       "git": {
         "name": "synthtool",
         "remote": "https://github.com/googleapis/synthtool.git",
-        "sha": "2414b817065726eae0bc525346c7e874f969369d"
+        "sha": "6946fd71ae9215b0e7ae188f5057df765ee6d7d2"
       }
     }
   ],