Meet the
Technology Modernization Fund
Breaking the cycle of legacy IT
The U.S. federal government is the largest purchaser of IT products and services in the world, spending over $100 billion each year. Nearly 80% is spent maintaining existing IT, including legacy systems that are decades old.1 These outdated systems require rare skills to fix and maintain, are difficult to secure and scale, and stand in the way of agencies delivering on their missions.
Efforts to replace this legacy IT tend to continue this pattern, with waves of costly, risky overhauls that can go untouched for years. With only 13% of large government software projects succeeding, we must break this cycle.2
Setting up agencies for long-term success
To solve the underlying issue, we must go beyond replacing technology. At TMF, we know that to modernize effectively is to adapt continually in the face of changing needs.
Agencies need to be equipped with new tools, infrastructure, and capabilities accordingly. Our investments don’t just modernize IT—they drive change in the agency itself, paving the path for long-term success.
TMF—
a fresh model for federal IT modernization
Our model features responsible funding, careful oversight, and vital support for agencies.
Proposals are vetted by a Board of federal technology executives who have seen what it takes for modernization to succeed. Only the highest impact projects with measurable return on investment and high likelihood of success are funded.
To best steward taxpayer dollars, agencies receive incremental funding, unlocking transfers only by successfully completing project milestones.
Agencies gain access to invaluable coaching and guidance from the Board, be it technical, operational, or organizational. They also enter a community of forward-thinking agency leaders who share insights, resources, and learnings with one another.
Agencies repay the fund, often through cost savings or other benefits, which we go on to invest across our federal landscape.
“Funding and support from the TMF have been essential to achieving a modern, secure IT infrastructure that protects our agency’s mission and the data we hold. The TMF has empowered us to make impactful improvements we could not have realized on our own.”
Erica Barker
Secretary and Chief Administrative Officer
An ongoing partnership
The work of TMF represents a close partnership between the TMF Board, the General Service Administration (GSA)’s TMF Program Management Office (PMO), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
TMF Board
The Board is made up of leaders across the federal government with extensive, hands-on experience with technology development, financial management, cybersecurity, privacy, and acquisition.
Board members evaluate proposals and offer their expertise for project success.
TMF PMO
The PMO is a team of technologists, operations experts, analysts, designers, and communications experts within the General Services Administration (GSA).
Led by Executive Director Larry Bafundo, the PMO is carefully designed to serve critical phases in the lifecycle of our investments, from outreach to proposal development, and from investment management to insights.
OMB
OMB issues guidance for TMF and brings deep expertise in the federal budgeting process, policy, and regulations.
OMB partners with GSA and the TMF PMO during the full lifecycle of investments, from review of proposals through completion of investments.