The General Services Administration (GSA) has shut down its 18F program, a team of tech consultants and engineers that developed open-source tools to improve digital services across the federal government. The announcement came overnight, marking another step in the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce. Thomas Shedd, a mechanical engineer and former Tesla employee recently appointed as the director of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS), announced the program’s termination early Saturday morning.
A GSA spokesperson confirmed the terminations, stating that members of the 18F office “were notified yesterday that they had been identified as part of GSA’s Reduction in Force (RIF) and reorganization plan and were being separated from federal service.”
The spokesperson added, “No other TTS programs were affected. GSA is committed to fully supporting impacted employees as they transition from federal service. GSA will continue to support the Administration’s drive to embrace best in class technologies to accelerate digital transformation and modernize IT infrastructure.
18F program terminated abruptly
This includes understanding what solutions are the most effective and necessary to meet the needs of our customer agencies and the American taxpayer.”
Shedd’s email cited recent executive orders as the reasoning for the program’s termination. He pointed to guidance stating that GSA should cut “non-essential consulting” functions, identifying the 18F Office as non-critical.
“This decision was made with explicit direction from the top levels of leadership with both the Administration and GSA,” Shedd continued. “There are no other TTS programs impacted at this time, however, we anticipate more change in the future.”
18F workers appear to have lost access to their government email accounts immediately after Shedd’s announcement, which was sent around 1 a.m. Employees then began calling each other in the middle of the night to discuss the news, according to sources familiar with the termination. On platforms like LinkedIn, now-former employees posted about the elimination of the program.
It remains unclear how federal agencies that expected assistance from the group will move forward. An internal review had shown 18F’s ongoing work with a series of projects across the federal government, including plans to improve weather.gov and collaborations with the Justice Department.
Image Credits: Photo by Kampus Production on Pexels
Johannah Lopez is a versatile professional who seamlessly navigates two worlds. By day, she excels as a SaaS freelance writer, crafting informative and persuasive content for tech companies. By night, she showcases her vibrant personality and customer service skills as a part-time bartender. Johannah's ability to blend her writing expertise with her social finesse makes her a well-rounded and engaging storyteller in any setting.
