18F

18F was an office of federal employees within the General Services Administration (GSA) that collaborated with other agencies to improve the user experience of government services by helping them build and buy technology. The group worked with government organizations to define a strategy and work towards a solution for their modernization efforts. 18F used agile and lean methodologies, open-source code, and user centered design approaches. 18F was co-founded on March 19, 2014 by former Presidential Innovation Fellows Greg Godbout, Aaron Snow, and Hillary Hartley.{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtech.com/civic/What-is-18F.html|title = What is 18F?|date = August 6, 2016}}

18F's practices and methodologies influenced the creation of digital service teams across numerous state and local governments, including California, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York State, and major cities like New York City, Boston, and San Francisco. These teams often adopted 18F's approaches to agile development, user-centered design, and open-source practices.

In 2024, 18F consisted of approximately 91 distributed employees working remotely across the United States. The organization previously peaked at over 250 employees in 2018. While staff numbers decreased, 18F's influence grew through alumni who continued working in government technology, with 85% of departing staff in 2023 moving to other government technology positions.

Its name referred to its office location in northwest Washington, D.C., on 18th and F Streets. 18F was within Technology Transformation Services, part of the Federal Acquisition Service.

18F has developed several notable initiatives that have since become independent programs within the federal government. The U.S. Web Design System (USWDS), created in 2015 through collaboration between 18F and the U.S. Digital Service, provides a design system for federal websites. The USWDS was developed with input from multiple agencies including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Department of Education, Internal Revenue Service, and GSA. It is now maintained by GSA's Technology Transformation Services' Office of Solutions.{{Cite web|url=https://designsystem.digital.gov/about/|title=About - U.S. Web Design System|website=designsystem.digital.gov|access-date=2024-01-08}}

Three other major platforms initially developed by 18F have become independent programs within GSA's Technology Transformation Services:

• Cloud.gov, which emerged from 18F's early need to solve cloud operations bottlenecks, offers cloud hosting services for federal agencies. Initially prototyped by 18F, it has evolved into an independent service that helps government agencies deliver digital services efficiently while meeting security and compliance requirements.{{Cite web|url=https://cloud.gov/docs/overview/cloudgov-team/|title=The cloud.gov team|website=cloud.gov|access-date=2024-01-08}}
• Login.gov, which launched in 2017 as a shared service, provides secure access to participating government websites. Originally incubated as an 18F project in 2016, it was developed in partnership with the United States Digital Service and now operates independently within TTS.{{Cite web|url=https://www.login.gov/about-us/|title=About Us - Login.gov|website=login.gov|access-date=2024-01-08}}
• Analytics.usa.gov, created through a collaboration between GSA's Digital Analytics Program, based on unified Google Analytics data for many .gov domains.

• Working with the United States Digital Service to support the Internal Revenue Service and Department of the Treasury Direct File project that provides many taxpayers with a free, online, step-by-step tool for filing taxes on directfile.irs.gov.{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2024 |title=Eligible taxpayers in 12 states can file for free with IRS Direct File |url=https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/eligible-taxpayers-in-12-states-can-file-for-free-with-irs-direct-file}}{{cite web |title=Welcome to Direct File |url=https://directfile.irs.gov/ |website=Direct File |publisher=Internal Revenue Service |access-date=March 2, 2025}}
• Building weather.gov with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help members of the public and emergency managers find, understand, and act on weather information and guidance.{{Cite web |date=March 19, 2024 |title=At 10 years, GSA’s tech consulting team (18F) celebrates over 450 projects to make government work better |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/at-10-years-gsas-tech-consulting-team-18f-cele-03192024 |url-status=live}}
• Streamlining the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s civil rights violation complaint submission process.
• Launching get.gov with CISA, allowing government organizations at all levels in the United States request .gov domains. Overall, more than 11,000 government organizations use .gov domains.{{Cite web |title=18F practices in action (spoiler: this stuff works) |url=https://18f.gsa.gov/2024/04/03/18f-practices-in-action/ |date=April 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222040630/https://18f.gsa.gov/2024/04/03/18f-practices-in-action/|archive-date=February 22, 2025}}{{cite web |title=get.gov |url=https://get.gov/ |website=get.gov |access-date=March 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228123901/https://get.gov/ |archive-date=February 28, 2025}}
• Supporting a new case management system for the U.S. Tax Court which makes it easier for many taxpayers to submit online petitions.
• Creating a De-risking Guide to help both federal and state agencies avoid pitfalls in delivering successful custom technology projects.{{cite web |title=De-risking Guide |url=https://guides.18f.gov/derisking-government-tech/ |website=18F |publisher=General Services Administration |access-date=March 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217181651/https://guides.18f.gov/derisking-government-tech/ |archive-date=February 17, 2025}}
• Building ClimateCorps.gov to make it easier for any American to find work tackling the climate crisis, alongside AmeriCorps and USDS.
• Launched Notify.gov, a text messaging service that helps government agencies communicate with people.{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2023 |title=GSA launches pilot partnerships to help people get benefits through text messaging |url=https://www.gsa.gov/blog/2023/12/14/gsa-launches-pilot-partnerships-to-help-people-get-benefits-through-text-messaging}}{{cite web |title=Notify.gov |url=https://beta.notify.gov/ |website=Notify.gov |access-date=March 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222134836/https://beta.notify.gov/ |archive-date=February 22, 2025}}
• Working on COVIDtests.gov, which enabled Americans to order free COVID tests from the government.{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Matteo |date=2025-03-02 |title=‘It Feels Like It’s Chaotic on Purpose’ |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/03/doge-elon-musk-18f-elimination-efficiency/681894/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}
• Creating the U.S. Web Design System along with the United States Digital Service and 10x

18F's impact on government technology extends beyond its direct projects. By 2024, its practices and methodologies had influenced the creation of digital service teams across numerous state and local governments, including California, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York State, and major cities like New York City, Boston, and San Francisco.{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtech.com/gov-experience/gsa-tech-team-18f-marks-first-decade-eyes-future|title=GSA Tech Team 18F Marks First Decade, Eyes Future|date=January 2024|website=Government Technology|access-date=2024-01-08}}

The organization has helped transform how government approaches technology procurement and development.

Along with the United States Digital Service, 18F has been part of a broader movement to modernize government technology and improve the public's experience with federal services.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91165020/the-us-digital-service-ten-years-later-how-the-agency-cuts-through-web-design-bureaucracy|title=The U.S. Digital Service, ten years later: How the agency cuts through web design bureaucracy|date=January 2024|website=Fast Company|access-date=2024-01-08}} Key aspects of this transformation include:

• Promoting open source development in government
• Introducing user-centered design practices
• Establishing agile development methodologies
• Creating models for bringing technology talent into government service

18F's influence continues through its alumni network, with 85% of departing staff in 2023 moving to other government technology positions, spreading modern technology practices throughout government.

In March 2014, a group of Presidential Innovation Fellows started 18F to extend their efforts to improve and modernize government technology.

The United Kingdom had created a similar agency in April 2011, Government Digital Service, following their own healthcare IT issues,{{Cite news|last=Bracken|first=Mike |title=U.K. Official Urges U.S. Government To Adopt A Digital Core|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2013/10/23/240268497/u-k-official-urges-u-s-government-to-adopt-a-digital-core|access-date=2020-06-29|website=NPR.org|language=en}} which saves an estimated $20 million a year over previous methods. 18F runs on a cost recovery model where client agencies reimburse the digital agency for its work.

18F's creation was announced by GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini on March 19, 2014 with a mission to simplify the government's digital services. The agency started with 15 employees, including 11 former Presidential Innovation Fellows from both the private and public sectors.

Over its first decade, 18F has worked on several hundred partner projects including enhancing access to national forests, publishing critical data about waterways, improving federal website accessibility, streamlining federal election contributions browsing, creating new case management systems for the judicial branch, and simplifying Medicare fund applications for states.

Major initiatives have included analytics.usa.gov, launched in March 2015,{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2015/03/19/turning-government-data-better-public-service|title=Turning Government Data into Better Public Service|date=March 19, 2015|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|access-date=March 21, 2015}} the U.S. Web Design System which standardizes federal website design, and cloud.gov which simplifies cloud adoption for government agencies. All of 18F's projects are open source, meaning anyone can review and suggest updates to the code.{{Cite web|url=https://18f.gsa.gov/press/|title=18F: Digital service delivery {{!}} Press|website=18f.gsa.gov|access-date=2016-12-17}}

At the end of January 2025, members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) infiltrated the GSA, which manages federal real estate and technology. Wired magazine reported "an effort to use IT credentials from the Executive Office of the President to access GSA laptops and internal GSA infrastructure".{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Makena |last2=Schiffer |first2=Zoë |date=January 31, 2025 |title=Elon Musk’s Friends Have Infiltrated Another Government Agency |url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-general-services-administration/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Wired}}

In an all-hands meeting with the Technology Transformation Services (TTS) in early February, Thomas Shedd, the new TTS director and an associate of Elon Musk and DOGE, told 18F and TTS staff that "you all are one of the most respected technology groups in the federal government," saying the staff "are so key and critical to this next phase" of building federal software.{{cite news |last1=Koebler |first1=Jason |last2=Cox |first2=Joseph |last3=Maiberg |first3=Emanuel |date=February 4, 2025 |title='Things Are Going to Get Intense:' How a Musk Ally Plans to Push AI on the Government |url=https://www.404media.co/things-are-going-to-get-intense-how-a-musk-ally-plans-to-push-ai-on-the-government/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |work=404 Media}} Around the same time, Musk targeted 18F by tweeting "that group has been deleted" while also retweeting criticism of 18F being aligned with left-leaning politics.{{Cite news |last=Musk |first=Elon |date=February 1, 2025 |title=@elonmusk on twitter |url=https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1885575202358092099 |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |work=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}} Another post Musk retweeted was from The Daily Wire writer Luke Rosiak proclaiming 18F was “a far-left agency that viciously subverted Trump during his first term."

On March 1 at 1am Eastern Standard Time (EST), Shedd sent an email to all 18F staff, describing them as "non-essential" and "non-critical", and eliminated the office "under direction from the White House".{{Cite web |last=Alms |first=Natalie |date=March 1, 2025 |title=GSA eliminates 18F |url=https://www.nextgov.com/people/2025/03/gsa-eliminates-18f/403400/ |access-date=March 1, 2025 |website=NextGov}}{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2025 |title=Dozens of Government Technology Specialists Fired |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/03/us/politics/18f-technology-specialists-fired.html?unlocked_article_code=1.1E4.otpu.9VilR_uyha_s&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare |url-status=live |website=The New York Times}} The email with the news indicated that more TTS programs will be impacted.{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2025 |title=Email shows that Musk ally is moving to close office behind free tax filing program at IRS |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/01/musk-close-irs-free-filing-system?utm_source=pocket_shared |url-status=live |website=The Guardian}} The former employees of 18F said in a joint statement that they had been abruptly locked out of their computers and email at midnight EST, with "no chance to assist in an orderly transition in our work."{{cite news |last1=McCurdy |first1=Will |title=DOGE Deletes Agency Behind Login.gov, IRS Direct File, Other Tech Projects |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/doge-deletes-18f-agency-behind-logingov-irs-direct-file-other-tech-projects |access-date=March 2, 2025 |work=PCMag |date=March 2, 2025}}{{cite web |title=We are dedicated to the American public. And we aren't done yet. |url=https://18f.org/ |website=18F |access-date=March 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250302014255/https://18f.org/ |archive-date=March 2, 2025}} The 18F website was taken offline the same day.{{Cite web |last=O'Keefe |first=Ed |last2=Tarrant |first2=Rhona |date=2025-03-02 |title=General Services Administration shutters its technology unit - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/general-services-administration-shutters-technology-unit-trump-doge/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}} Within hours of receiving the reduction in force notice from Shedd on Saturday, employees of 18F created a website, archiving some of the guides and resources other parts of government could use on 18F.org and stating "We came to the government to fix things. And we’re not done with this work yet."{{Cite web |last=Moynihan |first=Don |date=March 4, 2025 |title=Requiem for 18F |url=https://donmoynihan.substack.com/p/requiem-for-18f}}

Frank Langfitt, an NPR National Correspondent, reflecting on whether 18F was eliminated because of their politics and inclusivity, stated, "if Elon Musk suggests that this decision might have been made because employees seemed too liberal, it makes it hard for the government to argue otherwise."{{Cite web |date=March 4, 2025 |title=A federal efficiency team was axed. They were working on one of Trump's goals |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/04/nx-s1-5317569/a-federal-efficiency-team-was-axed-they-were-working-on-one-of-trumps-goals |website=NPR}} Brian Merchant, technology reporter, stated "It’s the termination and removal of an entire office operating within the federal government on what appears to be the basis of its politics and its demography. No pretense made about performance deficiencies, or that this is about anything other than malice and punishment."{{Cite web |last=Merchant |first=Brian |date=March 3, 2025 |title=The mass firing of federal tech workers at 18F is one of DOGE's most overtly political acts yet |url=https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/the-mass-firing-of-federal-tech-workers}} Reporting also shows that 18F's role in safeguarding against unchecked technology spending may have also prompted the elimination with one previous employee stating, “Our whole approach was saving the government money and time, and building good quality public services. We never had an incentive to upsell.”{{Cite news |last=Washington |first=Jessica |date=March 19, 2025 |title=Musk Is Firing Federal Workers Who Prevent Bloated Tech Contracts |url=https://theintercept.com/2025/03/19/18f-tech-federal-workers-musk-trump-doge/ |url-status=live |work=The Intercept}}

Dan Tangherlini, who had previously overseen 18F when he was the GSA administrator, commented on the decision, saying "These were smart, technical, caring, dedicated, and patriotic public servants. Their dismissal with a late-night email demonstrates that this administration either doesn’t know how to effectively enhance government efficiency, or really doesn’t care."{{Cite web |last=Moynihan |first=Don |date=2025-03-02 |title=Skilled technologists are being forced out of government |url=https://donmoynihan.substack.com/p/skilled-technologists-are-being-forced |access-date=2025-03-02 |website=Can We Still Govern?}} Businessman Mark Cuban suggested that the former employees start a consulting firm, saying that they'd soon be needed "to fix the mess" that DOGE will "inevitably create". While reporting on the events, New York Times stated the 18F unit represented lost efficiency in the government by stating, "fixed technical problems and built products aimed at increasing efficiency for various federal agencies."

Despite the formal 18F office being "eliminated" by Elon Musk and DOGE, former staff have already redeployed the resources that were previously hosted on 18.gsa.gov so they can still be used.{{Cite web |title=18F: We are dedicated to the American public and we’re not done yet |url=https://18f.org/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=18f.org}}

On May 28, 2025, former 18F staff filed an appeal to the United States Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) stating that they were targeted because of "whistleblowing about DOGE's improper access to systems,"{{cite news |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/05/gsa-shutting-down-18f-was-retaliation-by-doge-former-staff-claim-in-appeal-for-their-jobs-back/ |title=GSA shutting down 18F was ‘retaliation’ by DOGE, former staff claim in appeal for their jobs back |first=Jory |last=Heckman |work=Federal News Network |date=May 28, 2025 }} perceived political affiliations, and the overreach of Elon Musk.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell |first=Billy |date=2025-05-28 |title=Former 18F employees file appeal of DOGE firings |url=https://fedscoop.com/former-18f-employees-file-appeal-of-doge-firings/ |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=FedScoop |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-05-28 |title=Fired federal tech staffers file retaliation claim to a panel whose chairwoman Trump also fired |url=https://apnews.com/article/18f-merit-systems-protection-board-967362b51799d3cb760706c89d0cb4c2 |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=AP News |language=en}}

• Civic technology
• Service design
• Technology Transformation Services
• United States Digital Service, at the Executive Office of the President
• Government Digital Service, for the UK's counterpart
• United States federal government targets of Elon Musk § GSA

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20250301115820/https://18f.gsa.gov/|name=Official website, archive date March 1, 2025}}
• [https://18f.org/ Unofficial website]
• [https://github.com/18F/ GitHub Repositories]
• [https://changelog.com/podcast/230 "The Changelog #230: 18F and OSS in the U.S. Federal Government"]. 2016-11-25.

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Category:General Services Administration

Category:Government agencies established in 2014

Category:Organizations based in Washington, D.C.

Category:2014 establishments in the United States

Category:Federal government of the United States