GSA’s chief acquisition officer to leave for private sector

The General Services Administration's chief acquisition officer announced Wednesday that after three years in government, she is leaving for a private sector law firm.

Emily Murphy told Government Executive that she is going to work with Angela Styles, a former head of procurement policy at the Office of Management and Budget, in the government contracting practice of the Washington law firm Miller & Chevalier. Murphy, who has served for two years as GSA's first full-time acquisition chief, said she was looking for a new challenge and the timing worked out well.

She noted that because she is a political appointee, "On Jan. 20, 2009 … I turn into a pumpkin."

Murphy said her final day at GSA has not been determined. She notified GSA Administrator Lurita Doan on Tuesday night.

"This is a wonderful organization," Murphy said. "The policy staff here are wonderful to work with. They embody what it means to be a civil servant."

The acquisition chief lists as two of her top accomplishments surviving audits of GSA's assisted services regional contracting shops by the Defense Department inspector general and establishing herself in the new full-time chief procurement officer position.

"The people I work with bring so much to the table every day that I could go on and on about the accomplishments of the office, and more than anything they deserve the credit for it," Murphy said. "I would say that [my successor] will be very lucky to work with the people I work with."

In an attempt to smooth over disputes between GSA and the Pentagon, which is GSA's largest customer, Murphy signed an agreement in December 2006 establishing that GSA would honor Defense's interpretation of appropriations law when placing orders for Defense buyers.

Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Murphy clashed with GSA chief Doan. But Murphy said she was not going to talk about that. "She is my administrator and I support her," Murphy said.

Stan Soloway, president of the Professional Services Council, an Arlington, Va.-based contractor association, said Murphy came into GSA at a difficult time when the agency was facing a lot of scrutiny.

"Given all of those circumstances, she did a good job of getting the agency into order," Soloway said. "There is still a long way to go. But she made some real headway in getting some consistency in acquisition practice."

Styles said Miller & Chevalier is working to build a government contracting practice and Murphy will be an asset to that effort. She said Murphy contacted her earlier this month about opportunities.

"She has energy and enthusiasm and unparalleled expertise," Styles said. "She is going to be a key piece of our practice going forward."

Murphy was tapped as GSA's chief acquisition officer in January 2005 by Stephen Perry, the agency's administrator at the time. Previously she worked at the Small Business Administration as senior adviser in the Government Contract and Business Development Office. Before entering public service, she was a legal counsel in the private sector. Murphy graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2001.