GSA Creates New Service to Help Agencies Transform their Technology

May 03, 2016

WASHINGTON — Today, Administrator Denise Turner Roth of the U.S. General Services Administration announced the creation of the Technology Transformation Service. The new service builds on the success of technology initiatives such as 18F, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program, and the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, establishing a permanent home for innovation and technology modernization inside GSA.

“Improving technology services is one of the federal government’s biggest shared challenges,” said Administrator Roth. “By creating the Technology Transformation Service, we are demonstrating our long-term commitment to help agencies create accessible, efficient, user-centered and secure technology.”

“We are in an unparalleled period of innovation that is producing a smarter, savvier, and more effective government. By harnessing the collective power of 18F, the team at the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, and the Presidential Innovation Fellows, the Technology Transformation Service will strengthen the way federal agencies develop, buy, and share cutting-edge solutions, and continue the significant progress we’ve seen over recent years in enhancing the way government uses technology to serve the American public.” – U.S Chief Information Officer Tony Scott

Federal agencies are increasingly looking for technologists’ assistance in identifying the best solution, best tools, or the best path to successful implementation of transformative technology and innovative solutions. Creating a dedicated service to meet this need will enable GSA to help partner agencies better build, buy, and share technology, and thereby improve the public’s experience with government. It will also provide GSA with a platform for future emerging technology efforts.

The Technology Transformation Service is GSA’s third service line. Like GSA’s Public Buildings Service, focused on real estate, and the Federal Acquisition Service, focused on acquisitions, the Technology Transformation Service will be led by a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner. Phaedra Chrousos, former Associate Administrator of the Office of Citizen Services, Innovative Technologies and 18F, is the new service’s first Commissioner, and Aaron Snow, Executive Director of 18F, will serve as Deputy Commissioner. The Service will house the Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, 18F, and the Presidential Innovation Fellows program and will be the home of new, emerging technology initiatives at GSA. This new service complements GSA’s current technology efforts, bolstering the strong support the agency already provides to partner agencies and allowing us to deliver transformative technology solutions. The Federal Acquisition Service will still lead when it comes to the acquisition of IT products and services outside of emerging technologies. The Office of Government-wide Policy will continue to coordinate interagency IT policy and benchmarking to drive better outcomes, and GSA IT will continue to lead GSA’s internal IT strategy and operations as well as be a test bed for many emerging technologies.

GSA’s mission places it at the forefront of solving government’s common challenges, from improving the way the government buys products and services to adopting the latest and most efficient concepts on workplace design. In technology, GSA has been a leader and an early adopter. GSA was the first civilian agency to provide access to the internet from every desktop and the first agency to transition to the cloud.

 

Join the conversation online @USGSA #InnovateGov

Additional Resources:
Blog: Delivering the next generation of digital government

Editor’s Note: This page was updated at 3 p.m.

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