GSA’s Bold New Mandate: Emily Murphy on Rebuilding Trust, Talent & Tech in Federal Procurement

Former GSA Administrator, Emily Murphy, joins Francis to break down the implications of an executive order tasking GSA to once again become the government’s central buying authority. Murphy shares her insights on what it will take to successfully transition procurement functions from multiple agencies into GSA, including the structural, personnel, and cultural shifts required to make it work.

Francis and Emily explore the lessons learned from early pilots with SBA and OPM, the complexities of retraining 1102s, and how GSA must retain its hard-won customer-first culture to avoid the pitfalls of the past. She underscores the importance of speed, agility, and agency collaboration to meet mission needs—warning that savings alone mean little if agencies can’t get what they need, when they need it.

In addition, Emily shares candid reflections on GSA’s physical footprint, including the historical yet aging headquarters at 1800 F Street, and how the agency can remain operationally effective even if it relocates. She also discusses the ongoing federal property disposal process, the challenges of building decommissioning, and the future of the Public Building Service.

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