GSA Employees Express Concerns Over Procurement and Return-to-Office Mandate
In a recent meeting, employees of the General Services Administration (GSA) voiced their concerns regarding the agency’s approach to technology procurement, its return-to-office policy, and issues of transparency within the organization.
Calls for Better Technology Procurement
One notable sentiment expressed during the discussion was a desire for the GSA to focus on acquiring superior tools rather than creating subpar alternatives. A colleague remarked, “When there are great tools out there, GSA’s job is to procure them, not make mediocre replacements.”
Concerns Over AI Tools and Resource Availability
Questions about the utilization of AI for staff reductions prompted engagement from attendees, with one federal employee asking, “Did you use this AI to organize the [reduction in force]?” In addition, frustrations were voiced over the temporary unavailability of critical software. One employee inquired, “When will the Adobe Pro be given back to us? This is a critical program that we use daily. Please give this back or at least a date it will be back.”
Resistance to Return-to-Office Mandate
As the GSA looks to enforce a return-to-office policy, many employees questioned its necessity. One staff member asked how such a move would enhance collaboration, noting, “How does [return to office] increase collaboration when none of our clients, contractors, or people on our [integrated product teams] are going to be in the same office?”
Questions Surrounding DOGE Team
The identity of the DOGE team also sparked skepticism among employees. When asked about the team’s existence, GSA official Ehikian responded, “There is no DOGE team at GSA.” However, employees, including those who had observed the presence of young team members in the office, remained unconvinced of this assertion. One employee noted, “Like we didn’t notice a bunch of young kids working behind a secure area on the 6th floor.”
Interestingly, recent sightings of young staff, including Luke Farritor and Ethan Shaotran, added to the speculation. Farritor, a former SpaceX intern, and Shaotran, a recent member of the Harvard mountaineering club, were reportedly seen in the office wearing sunglasses.
GSA’s Organizational Goals and Financials
During the meeting, Ehikian presented a slide outlining the agency’s strategic goals, including right-sizing, streamlining operations, and enhancing IT innovation. He highlighted reported cost savings of $1.84 billion alongside the use of generative AI tools by 1,383 employees, which supposedly saved 178,352 hours through automation. Additional claims included the cancellation of over 35,000 credit cards and the termination of 683 leases.
However, these statistics have been met with skepticism. An employee raised an important point stating, “Any efficiency calculation needs a denominator. Cuts can reduce expenses, but they can also reduce the value delivered to the American public. How is that captured in the scorecard?”
The Future Direction of GSA
Looking toward the future, Ehikian outlined goals such as optimizing the federal real estate portfolio and centralizing procurement. Subcategories under this vision included reducing the compliance burden to foster competition and enhancing accessibility to data across teams.
Employee Concerns About Leadership Integrity
Despite the outlined initiatives, employee sentiment remained cautious. In an online discussion, one employee questioned whether Ehikian would avoid working on federal contracts post-termination, especially regarding AI and IT software. However, this concern went unanswered.
Conclusion
The feedback from GSA employees signifies a growing need for improved communication, transparency, and responsiveness from leadership as the agency navigates its future endeavors.