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Government Agency

18F

Website:

18f.gsa.gov/
Location:

Washington, DC
Type:

Digital Services Agency
Parent Agency:

General Services Administration
Formation:

2014
Executive Director:

Brian Whittaker

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18F is a federal agency within the United States General Services Administration that provides technology and technology-related consulting services to other U.S. government organizations and agencies. Critics of the agency maintain that it hinders the profitability of private technology firms, which the government would ostensibly otherwise contract in lieu of working with 18F. 1

Background

18F derives its name from the location of the building that houses its main office within the General Services Administration Building in Washington, DC at the intersection of 18th and F Street. Aside from its main office in D.C., the agency also has offices in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. 4 In addition, as of February 3, the agency’s X account was deleted as well. 4

Criticism

Established information technology firms, which prior to 18F’s creation provided many of the same services to the government that 18F currently does, have criticized the agency’s existence as an economically unhealthy intervention into the market. At a congressional hearing hosted jointly by the House Subcommittees of Government Operations and Information Technology on June 10, 2016, representatives from the IT Alliance for the Public Sector, a trade group representing firms such as IBM, SAP, Xerox, and Microsoft, as  well as the Software and Industry Information Association, a trade group that includes firms such as Cisco, Accenture, and Adobe, testified that 18F hindered private tech firms’ profitability. 1

References

  1. “Home.” 18F, February 5, 2025. https://18f.gsa.gov/
  2. “What is 18F?” GovTech. August 8, 2016. Accessed May 4, 2020. https://www.govtech.com/What-is-18F.html
  3. Castro, Daniel. “The Rise and Fall of 18F.” FedSCoop. February 6, 2018. Accessed May 24, 2020. https://www.fedscoop.com/rise-fall-18f/
  4. King, Ryan. “Elon Musk claims ‘far left’ tech team that helped build Elizabeth Warren’s tax website has been ‘deleted.’” MSN: New York Post, February 3, 2025. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/elon-musk-claims-far-left-tech-team-that-helped-build-elizabeth-warren-s-tax-website-has-been-deleted/ar-AA1ym0jk?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=bad3326a227f40eef836704c5e672b00&ei=23
  5. Shueh, Jason. “IT Showdown: Tech Giants Face Off Against 18F” GovTech. July 1, 2016. Accessed May 24, 2020. https://www.govtech.com/civic/IT-Showdown-Tech-Giants-Face-Off-Against-18F.html
  6. Lobosco, Katie. “Treasury ends the myRA, Obama’s retirement savings program.” CNN Money. July 28, 2017. Accessed May 24, 2020. https://money.cnn.com/2017/07/28/retirement/treasury-myra-retirement-account/index.html
  7. Finch, Jay; Chris Cairns. “Announcing 18F Consulting’s Digital Economy Practice.” 18F. October 7, 2015. Accessed May 24, 2020. https://18f.gsa.gov/2015/10/07/digital-economy-practice/
  8. Fox, Marina; Gwynne Kostin. “Five factors for building a successful government-wide digital analytics program.” 18F. October 20, 2015. Accessed May 24, 2020. https://18f.gsa.gov/2015/10/20/digital-analytics-program-anniversary/
  9. Salazar Foreman, Dahianna; Andre Francisco. “TTS projects forward Open Government Partnership principles.” 18F. December 15, 2016. Accessed May 24, 2020. https://18f.gsa.gov/2016/12/15/tts-projects-forward-open-government-partnership-principles/
  10. Barnes, Emileigh. “How to design a government site for kids.” 18F. September 3, 2015. Accessed May 24, 2020. https://18f.gsa.gov/2015/09/03/every-kid-in-a-park/
  11. Chappellet-Lanier, Tajha. “Brian Whittaker takes over as acting executive director of 18F.” fedscoop. February 10, 2020. Accessed May 23, 2020. http://www.fedscoop.com/brian-whittaker-acting-director-18f-gsa/
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18F


Washington, DC