New GSA administrator vows better ideas, performance from her agency

The General Services Administration must know its clients, meet their needs through innovation and do it well, Martha Johnson, the new GSA administrator said in a speech after her swearing-in ceremony.

“As I’ve been preparing to join GSA, I’ve been thinking hard about how GSA could extend itself, deepen our operational performance and also become better known for innovation and for customer intimacy,” she said.

Johnson said GSA must be innovative as it tries to make federal buildings and fleets of vehicles more environmentally friendly.

“We can and should and must focus on helping the government dramatically reduce its environmental footprint,” Johnson said Feb 16.

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GSA also has to be open with its information, which Johnson said will make GSA more intimate with its clients.

“We can and will take advantage of emerging technologies for sorting, sharing, networking, collective intelligence and using that information,” she said.

Johnson also said GSA was forced to offer better services in 1990s when the Clinger-Cohen Act ended its status as the mandated company store for the government. She said the law was a gift to the agency, even though it shocked some at the time.

“It has helped us grow up and made it necessary for GSA to play in the competitive arena and the real market. Our challenge now is to win in that market,” she said.

Johnson was sworn in as administrator by John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management. The Senate confirmed Johnson Feb. 4.