The General Services Administration (GSA) has eliminated its entire tech team, known as 18F, which consists of around 90 employees. The decision was made due to a reduction in force ordered by the White House and aligns with executive orders targeting non-critical functions.
In an email sent at 1am on Saturday, Thomas Shedd, director of GSA’s Technology Transformation Services, informed staff that the office had been deemed “non-critical.” This decision comes as part of a larger effort to cull the federal workforce by offering delayed resignations and dismissing new employees. The GSA has also received direction from the Trump administration to cut non-essential consulting functions.
The 18F team was founded in 2013, the same year as the US Digital Service (USDS), which was later transformed into Elon Musk’s DOGE project. While the billionaire has expressed a desire to modernize government technology, some legacy USDS staff members have been fired or quit in protest.
The 18F team worked on various projects, including redesigning a Justice Department website and developing the IRS’ free tax filing system, Direct File. With approximately 90 employees impacted, two affected staff members reported that they were let go as part of the reduction in force.
Source: https://www.nextgov.com/people/2025/03/gsa-eliminates-18f/403400