Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has shut down the technology consulting unit of the General Services Administration (GSA).

Known as 18F, the unit employed between 90 and 100 technology researchers, website designers, and product managers.

As reported by CBS News, 18F was responsible for managing the IRS' tax filing service, as well as designing and updating government websites, and helping government agencies build, buy, and share technology products.

The unit was founded in 2014, and among its major achievements is the establishment of Cloud.gov, which offers cloud hosting services for federal agencies. This is now an independent service.

The latest in DOGE's series of cutbacks, the elimination of 18F was revealed on Saturday morning in an internal email from GSA deputy administrator Thomas Shedd which noted that the team had been found to be "non-critical" and cuts were being made "in alignment with the President's Workforce Optimization EO and the recent memo from GSA per the Trump Administration requiring cutting 'non-essential consulting' functions."

Later that day, 18F's website was removed.

Dan Tangherlini, former administrator of the GSA wrote on LinkedIn on March 2: "18F was popular among the agencies; annoying to the contracting community; and frightening to the contractors and consultants who could charge unsuspecting agencies whatever they could get away with.

"Small, but mighty, 18F was the OG DOGE, but with a mission to create actual efficiency, and more importantly, effectiveness. These were smart, technical, caring, dedicated, and patriotic public servants. Their dismissal with a late-night email demonstrates that this administration either doesn’t know how to effectively enhance government efficiency, or really doesn’t care. We built it from scratch before. We will just have to do it again."

Billionaire Mark Cuban has also voiced his criticism. Cuban - who campaigned for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the most recent election race - wrote on BlueSky following the news: "If you worked for 18F and got fired, group together to start a consulting company. It’s just a matter of time before DOGE needs you to fix the mess they inevitably create. They will have to hire your company as a contractor to fix it. But on your terms. I’m happy to invest and/or help."

The GSA was founded in 1949 and helps manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The department has around 12,000 federal workers.

DOGE has been tasked with reducing federal spending and has thus far laid off thousands of federal government workers.

Last month, reports emerged that the Department of Energy was set to see 2,000 employees laid off, including in the Grid Deployment Office which looks to accelerate development of new and upgraded electric infrastructure across the country, the Offshore Wind Team, and the Office of General Counsel.

Around 350 employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration, which manages the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, were also impacted. DOGE later tried to reverse that decision, but it is unclear how many will resume their roles.

Cuts have also been seen across the US National Science Foundation's workforce. Around 12 percent were laid off, in a move that has been criticized by the Computing Research Association, describing it as "the very definition of being pennywise and pound foolish."