Michael Lynch becomes GSA deputy administrator again

The General Services Administration announced on Tuesday that it is naming Michael Lynch to serve as deputy administrator of the agency, elevating an official who previously held the role in a delegated capacity. 

Stephen Ehikian served as GSA’s acting administrator and deputy administrator from January to July of last year and delegated the deputy administrator’s responsibilities to his then-senior advisor Lynch in March. Ehikian then returned to just the deputy administrator role when Michael Rigas became acting administrator July 21, prompting Lynch to return to his role as senior advisor. Ehikian transitioned out of his position at GSA in September. 

“Since joining GSA, Mike has demonstrated exceptional business acumen, strong leadership, and a clear track record of results,” Ed Forst, the agency’s current administrator, said in a statement. “In addition to serving as the agency’s chief operating officer, Mike will lead the development and execution of GSA’s performance culture, oversee the delivery of our automation initiatives, and champion the agencywide artificial intelligence strategy.”

Prior to joining GSA, Lynch served as the chief executive officer at UK-based medical tech firm Zedsen and held senior leadership roles at SpaceX, Eli Lilly & Company and other tech companies.

The administration has expanded GSA’s responsibilities during Trump 2.0, with the agency taking on a more centralized role in the procurement of over $400 billion worth of federal goods and services. This includes oversight of the OneGov initiative, which was launched last April to provide federal agencies with discounted rates on private sector tech and software services.