Government not actively hiring sufficient tech professionals, claims former DOGE official

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been a hot topic of discussion, with the tenure of Sahil Lavigna, a senior adviser to the Chief of Staff, making headlines.

Lavigna worked on a "contract muncher" tool to support the VA's goal of reviewing and terminating unnecessary contracts. However, according to reports by ProPublica, the AI tool in the "contract muncher" frequently exaggerated the size of contracts that it flagged for disposal.

Despite this, Lavignia expressed his commitment to improving the federal government system. He stated, "I think there's a huge amount of value in trying to make the federal government system better, and I would like to do so every four years for the rest of my life."

One of Lavignia's projects was the development of software to help the VA process benefits claims faster. Unfortunately, he was removed from his position before he could complete the project.

The VA has undergone significant changes under various administrations. Under the Trump administration, the VA spearheaded a "Tech to Gov" initiative to recruit private-sector tech workers to join the federal government. However, the governmentwide hiring freeze, which has been extended to last until Oct. 15, may have impacted this initiative.

In a surprising turn of events, Ryan Cote's nomination to serve as the VA's chief information officer was withdrawn by Trump. Allegedly, this was due to donations he made to Sen. Mitch McConnell's reelection campaign in 2019, according to a congressional staffer.

The VA has faced criticism for its handling of employment. It was reported that the VA fired 2,400 probationary employees, but later rehired about 1,400 of them. The VA is no longer planning to eliminate 83,000 jobs, instead expecting to shed nearly 30,000 jobs by the end of fiscal 2025 through attrition.

Lavignia's experience working for the VA was largely positive, and he expressed a willingness to consider joining the federal government for another tour of duty. He also disagreed with the General Services Administration's decision to shutter its tech shop 18F and lay off its employees.

In 2023, the VA approved a Special Salary Rate to narrow the pay gap between the private sector and the federal government. Under the Biden administration, the VA has hired more than 14,000 employees so far in fiscal 2025, according to the department's recent data. The VA has also reduced the claims backlog by 37% under the Trump administration.

Despite media reports, Lavignia clarified that Elon Musk was not heavily involved with DOGE, and few DOGE employees have spoken publicly about their experience. There are no search results indicating which agency Lavignia represented during his time at the Digital Service under President Trump.

In a controversial move, the Trump administration has instructed agencies to hire one new employee for every four that leave the federal government after the hiring freeze lifts. This decision has sparked debate about the future of federal employment and the government's ability to efficiently serve its citizens.

As the VA continues to evolve, the role of individuals like Sahil Lavignia will undoubtedly remain a point of interest for those following the department's progress.

Government not actively hiring sufficient tech professionals, claims former DOGE official