GSA reopens its Deferred Resignation Program and finalizes location consolidation

The General Services Administration is again offering its remaining employees deferred-resignation deals following a series of cuts in personnel, restructuring of priorities and a reduction in the agency’s physical footprint.

GSA employees will have through April 18 to opt into the program.

“There are no excluded positions at GSA, and employees are still eligible if they are on RIF lists,” according to a Friday memo authored by acting administrator Stephen Ehikian and obtained by Government Executive. The memo also extended the window for voluntary early retirement and voluntary separation incentives to April 18.  

Last month the Trump administration reported that more than 75,000 federal employees have accepted the “Fork in the Road” offer, which purportedly pays those who accept it full pay and benefits until Sept. 30, 2025. The Office of Personnel Management emailed the initial deferred resignation offer — which was challenged in court — to more than 2 million federal employees on Jan. 28, with an initial deadline of Feb. 12.

GSA’s move to reopen its employees to deferred resignations follows a similar move at the Defense Department on Friday. More than 20,000 defense civilians accepted the earlier offer, according to The Associated Press. 

“Per President Trump’s directives concerning the federal workforce, we are undertaking a multi-step approach to restructuring the federal workforce and consolidating redundant operations,” Ehikian said. “I know these decisions are deeply personal to each of you, and it is my job to provide you all with the pertinent facts for you to make the best decision for you and your families.”

In September 2024, GSA had approximately 12,000 employees across the country. In recent months, it’s laid off nearly 1,000 people, including about 800 in the Public Building Service, 100 or so in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and the entire 18F tech office. Despite the cuts, GSA has already absorbed contracting responsibilities for OPM and the Office Management and Budget, and aims to quadruple its volume of centralized procurement across government following a March 20 executive order.  

“The word of the day around here right now is ‘right-sizing,’” one GSA official told Government Executive Saturday. 

New duty stations as GSA’s operations and workforce consolidate

A second Friday memo from Ehikian to GSA staff obtained by Government Executive revealed where the agency will consolidate its remaining operations and workforce as it does away with its regional model in favor of one “grouped by centralized functions.”

New primary locations for consolidated GSA operations and workforce are Washington, D.C., Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Norfolk, Orlando, Raleigh, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Tacoma, Colorado Springs and Denver/Lakewood. 

For GSA employees designated as “Wave 3” for return to office, “We will first try to match your duty station with a hub affiliated with your geographic location and the department you are assigned,” the memo states. If no duty stations are within commuting distance, “you will be assigned a new duty station and we will address each individual case so you fully understand your options for return to office.”

“We considered a number of factors in making decisions about GSA’s footprint including: Proximity for current GSA employees, access to customers and to talent, capacity at our available real estate footprint, and cost to the taxpayer,” Ehikian said. “Please note that more than 75% of our existing employees live within a 50 mile radius of these locations, and that was one of the top factors used to assign duty stations for the Return to Office in Wave 3. If you were part of Wave 1 or Wave 2 your duty stations remain unchanged.”