Murphy to leave GSA for law firm

Emily Murphy, the General Services Administration’s chief acquisition officer, is heading back to the private sector after less than two years in her current position. She will join the law firm of Miller & Chevalier.

Murphy will help the firm develop advisory services for government contractors to add to its legal services, said Angela Styles, a partner at the firm. Murphy will work with Styles, former administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, in the government contracting division of the firm.

Her start date has not yet been set, but she is leaving GSA at the end of January. Murphy announced her departure to GSA officials Thursday at a morning meeting, according to sources.

Murphy was appointed CAO on Feb. 20, 2005. In May 2006, she took on added responsibilities as associate administrator for GSA’s Office of Performance Improvement.

Murphy will bring a deep understanding of how GSA works from a business perspective, Styles said. Murphy’s youth is rare in the government contracting marketplace, Styles added, another benefit for the firm.

Styles called Murphy’s departure “a significant loss for GSA.”

Murphy arrived when GSA needed to rework its business processes and better understand its market, Styles said.

Murphy's departure comes on the heels of Marty Wagner's planned retirement. Wagner, deputy commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, will retire on Jan. 31.

Before she was named CAO, Murphy served at the Small Business Administration as a senior adviser for government contracting and business development. She was also acting associate administrator for government contracting at SBA.

She worked as legal counsel in the private sector in Washington, D.C., and Virginia. She also handled procurement issues for the House Small Business Committee.