OPM Axes Entire Procurement Unit, Setting Up a Federal Crisis

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The Office of Personnel Management abolished its entire procurement unit in a sweeping Reduction In Force separate from recent for-cause firings, setting up a major federal crisis.

Affected employees will be terminated from federal service effective 23 April 2025 with severance pay.

This is part of Donald Trump’s intention to merge OPM with the General Services Administration. GSA handles federal properties, including buying and negotiations. OPM Procurement handles all rest of the negotiations and “buying.” Health insurance provides an example of the crisis Trump is precipitating in just one area.

Federal employees and retirees are in a federal health insurance program. For many, it is a significant reason for staying in jobs that pay less than the private sector because its coverage is better for the price. OPM is responsible for it. GSA’s procurement people know nothing about health insurance.

Trump can choose not to contract for any more employee health benefits to put the squeeze on workers, or dump the crisis on Congress to make them merge OPM and GSA in accordance with his wishes.