GSA’s people first, mission centered approach drives government forward

GSA's people-first, mission-centered approach drives government forward

I've been a big fan of GSA for many years. I started as a customer, then became an employee in 2016 and again in 2021 as I served in multiple presidential administrations. As I begin to wrap up my time at GSA, I've been thinking about why GSA is so successful. It all comes down to keeping people and mission at the center of everything we do.

Telling the GSA story isn't easy. I often explain our mission by saying that we're the backbone of the federal government. We're part of the infrastructure that helps people get whatever government services they need. And our work ensures that the entire federal government works well for all Americans.

Accomplishing our mission of delivering effective, efficient government requires us to start by putting people first. Team GSA thinks about how every action, every decision, will impact our customers and the American people - and how we can make their lives a little easier.

To do this, we meet people where they are, find out what they need, and either break down barriers or build systems to help them get the services they need and deserve.

In my role as Chief Operating Officer for this amazing 13,000-person workforce, I've focused on three key things: maintaining the good work we've done for over seven decades; exploring opportunities to take our mission a step further; and supporting our customers' growth, whether by serving as a thought leader for other agencies or as a partner for the people we do business with.

When I came back to GSA in 2021, building trust and focusing on people were our top priorities. We were still in a global pandemic and we were working to balance the needs and safety of our workforce with the needs and safety of our customers.

GSA's mission-centered, technology-focused approach gave us a head start on navigating this. For a long time, we've prioritized finding ways to achieve our mission, regardless of where that work happens.

We were perfectly placed to be a prime example of how to accomplish the mission both in a hybrid posture and in safely returning to the office. That's part of why we were picked to lead the safer federal workforce task force where we shared everything we'd learned so other agencies could craft their own plans and make it work for them.

As things began to get back to normal, we remained focused on maintaining the excellence that people expect from GSA: public buildings that deliver government services and enrich the communities they inhabit, acquisitions that get government the best price and best value for taxpayer dollars, and technology services that empower agencies and enable mission delivery.

We didn't stop there. We also looked forward and explored ways we could take our mission to the next level.

We knew that federal workspaces needed to evolve to ensure the workforce was efficient and productive in a 21st century environment. That's why we developed innovative workplace solutions: our Workplace Innovation Lab at our 1800F headquarters where government leaders experience a variety of adaptable workspaces; our Federal Coworking Spaces in Tacoma, Philadelphia, Kansas City, and elsewhere; and the tools, trainings, and technologies needed for people to thrive in a hybrid environment. Those efforts made GSA leaders in shaping the future of federal work.

We focused on investing in our own workforce - actively developing the talent pipeline, improving workforce planning practices, and upskilling GSA personnel.

A prime example of this is our Acquisition Talent Development program. Over the course of two years, we brought in over 100 early career professionals. We then trained them to work the full range of contracting activities across our mission - including policy-related work, price and cost analysis, contract negotiation, and much more. Not only has this effort grown our workforce in ways that were long overdue, it also made us better equipped to deliver on our mission more efficiently.

So, not only did we make federal workspaces a magnet to recruit, develop, and empower public servants, we also kept our focus on ensuring that all people could engage with the government without burden. We drew on fundamental concepts and best practices that are inextricably woven into GSA's ability to build trust with the people we serve - human-centered design, good CX, and accessibility.

In my roles as Deputy Administrator as well as Vice-Chair and Chair of the U.S. Access Board, I saw that accessibility, whether physical or digital, is more than a legal requirement. It's a way we add value and better serve our customers.

That's why we began our own initiatives and worked with the U.S. Access Board to adopt public right-of-way guidelines that ensured people with disabilities had equitable access to government buildings and could get the government services they needed.

We also emphasized digital accessibility, focusing on everything from sign language interpretation, assistive technologies, and Section 508 compliance to conducting equity studies that have helped millions of people easily access government services online.

Those efforts, and so many others, led to a positive impact for our customers and for our own workforce. I'm convinced that's one of the reasons we've gotten the top Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey scores for DEIA since that metric was added a few years ago.

We also focused on supporting our customers in ways that advanced economic opportunity. We looked to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions that helped us develop a pipeline for the next generation of federal talent while helping them succeed in the federal marketplace. We strengthened meaningful partnerships with Tribal Nations and Native American-owned businesses to foster America's overall economic growth while ensuring national security along our borders.

We also continued supporting a diverse range of American-owned small businesses. They like working with us, as proven by GSA getting an A grade or higher on our Small Business Administration scorecard over the last 14 years. We love working with them - which is why we've spent almost $12 billion with them over the last four years - because we've seen how they create more jobs in their communities.

Between our work in the Federal Acquisition Service and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, we've been getting more folks on contracts and more contracts signed and out the door. By bringing small businesses together, we're giving them a space to increase the business growth that will keep America's economy flourishing.

In my over 20 years in government, I've seen again and again how groups of committed public servants, working together, can have a positive impact on people's lives. You can count on Team GSA to drive government efficiency and economic growth, help agencies accomplish their own missions, and provide services that help ensure full participation in American life.

GSA is delivering for America - and will keep doing so.