Q. When we first use an acronym or initialism like FMCSA we put it in parentheses after the spelled-out version. If the spelled-out version is possessive, does the acronym/initialism need to be possessive too? Example: the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA’s) new rule or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) new rule?
A. Either of those is just too awkward. Reword the sentence to avoid the possessive: the new rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). See CMOS 7.17.