_posts/2014-09-18-getting-to-work-for-the-american-people.md
---
layout: post
date: '2014-09-18T15:21:00-04:00'
tumblr_url: http://18fblog.tumblr.com/post/97827848353/getting-to-work-for-the-american-people
title: "Getting to work for the American people"
image: /assets/blog/getting-to-work/18fdc-pif.jpg
description: Over the last six months, 18F has embarked on a mission to transform the way the U.S. Government builds and buys digital services. We’re currently working with more than half a dozen agencies to help them deliver on their missions in a design-centric, agile, open, and data-driven way.
excerpt: Over the last six months, 18F has embarked on a mission to transform the way the U.S. Government builds and buys digital services. We’re currently working with more than half a dozen agencies to help them deliver on their missions in a design-centric, agile, open, and data-driven way.
authors:
- hillary
- aaron
- greg
tags:
- how we work
- 18f
---
Over the last six months, we've embarked on a mission to transform the
way the U.S. government builds and buys digital services. We’re
currently working with more than half a dozen agencies to help them
deliver on their missions in a design-centric, agile, open, and
data-driven way.
### How do we say yes to a project?
We ask ourselves:
- Is there an opportunity to improve the interaction between
government and the people it serves?
- Does it align with the 18F core principles of staying focused on
user needs while being agile, open, and data-driven?
- Is the partner agency motivated to modernize how they research and
build services?
- Does it fit within our project focus areas?
- Does it contain an opportunity to build a cross-government shared
platform, service, or module?
### Agile development already underway
For our first year, 18F projects focus on:
- Providing cross-functional teams to government agencies, with a
focus on user-centered agile product development (agency
modernization)
- Making government more transparent and accessible to the American
people (open government)
- Saving government time and money by optimizing internal purchasing
processes (procurement)
- Creating shared tools and platforms to be used by multiple
government agencies (shared services)
### 18F’s current project list and innovative partner agencies
**Agency modernization**
- MyUSCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
- MyRA: My Retirement Account (Department of Treasury)
- PeaceCorps.gov (Peace Corps)
**Open government**
- [FOIA
Modernization](https://18f.gsa.gov/2014/09/04/a-new-look-at-the-freedom-of-information-act/)
(Department of Justice)
- [OpenFEC](https://18f.gsa.gov/2014/08/21/creating-an-open-fec/)
(Federal Election Commission)
- Income Verification Pilot (Department of Treasury)
- U.S. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (Department of
Interior)
**Procurement**
- Common Acquisition Platform Tools (General Services Administration)
- [FBOpen](http://fbopen.gsa.gov/)
- Mirage - [OASIS](http://www.gsa.gov/oasis) market research tool
(General Services Administration)
**Shared services**
- [api.data.gov](http://api.data.gov/)
- [/Developer
Program](https://18f.gsa.gov/2014/05/29/announcing-the-developer-program-a-new-hub-for/)
- [Midas](https://18f.gsa.gov/2014/07/16/midas-a-marketplace-for-innovation-in-government/)
- MyUSA
Attracting great digital talent
-------------------------------
<figure>
<img src="{{ site.baseurl }}/assets/blog/getting-to-work/18fdc-pif.jpg" alt="18F's DC troop">
<figcaption>The DC team at GSA HQ</figcaption>
</figure>
Since launching in March 2014, we've grown from a small group of
[Presidential Innovation Fellows](https://wh.gov/innovationfellows) into
a team of almost 60 designers, developers, product managers,
researchers, writers, and specialists. This growth is entirely due to
the demand by agencies to work with 18F, as was described above. And we
continue to be inspired and amazed by the number of experienced
technologists eager to move into public service.
This month, the [fall 2014 cohort of Presidential Innovation
Fellows](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/innovationfellows/meet-the-fellows#section-round-3)
also joined 18F, bringing our total number to almost 90. That’s 90
people right now that are collaborating with government agencies to
deliver smart, cost effective user-centered digital services. Ninety
people who’ve come to us from both government and industry, having
worked at the State Department, NASA, NOAA, the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Pivotal Labs, Linden Labs,
IDEO, The Washington Post, The New York Times, IndieGogo, Sunlight
Foundation, Groupon, and more.
### On two coasts and growing
Although 18F is headquartered in Washington, DC at 1800 F St. NW, we’ve
also got a team working in GSA’s 50 UN Plaza in the heart of San
Francisco (adjacent to the city’s tech heavy mid-Market area). Twitter,
Square, Uber, Zendesk, Yahoo!, and Code for America are nearby.
Regardless of where, we work as cross-functional teams dedicated to
specific projects that will improve how citizens and businesses interact
with government.
Please stay tuned! Follow 18F on [our blog](https://18f.gsa.gov),
[Twitter](https://twitter.com/18f), or [sign up to be notified by
email](https://18f.gsa.gov/#contact) as we share more about these
projects in the coming weeks.