Are you a fired federal worker in the US? You may get in touch with Mark Cuban as he is hiring to fill void; here's what he plans to do
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), launching a venture to address tech gaps left by mass layoffs and dissolved federal teams. Cuban, a vocal Trump critic, is funding startups led by former staffers from the General Services Administration (GSA) and White House tech units like 18F and the US Digital Service (USDS). These teams, once tasked with modernizing critical systems like Login.gov (used for Medicare and Social Security access), were gutted after being labeled “non-critical” by the Trump administration.
Cuban believes private-sector agility can outperform Musk’s DOGE, which relies heavily on Tesla and SpaceX loyalists. His plan hinges on startups selling tech solutions back to the government, despite skepticism about profitability. Federal contracting rules limit outsourcing, and agencies under Musk show little interest in reviving scrapped programs.
A former 18F staffer noted Cuban’s firms might need to target state and local contracts first, waiting for a friendlier administration to reopen federal opportunities.
The challenge is steep. Musk’s DOGE has stacked agencies with Silicon Valley allies, prioritizing loyalty over institutional knowledge.
GSA’s leadership now includes ex-Salesforce and Tesla executives, while Cuban’s model depends on recruiting displaced federal tech experts. Critics argue the government’s public-service ethos clashes with Cuban’s profit-driven approach, especially after 18F’s financial struggles. The unit, designed to sustain itself through agency fees, reportedly racked up multi-million-dollar deficits, fueling its dissolution.
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