CMS Expands Office Footprint and Rebuilds Technology Workforce

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is expanding its office footprint while seeking to rebuild internal capacity in program integrity and technology. The agency’s fiscal year 2027 congressional budget justification says it plans to bring on in-house subject matter experts, including software and hardware engineers, data scientists, and artificial intelligence and machine learning specialists. CMS described the hiring focus as a way “to raise our internal capabilities,” linking workforce plans to the agency’s operational and technology priorities rather than announcing a specific acquisition.

The office expansion is already underway in several locations. CMS opened a satellite office in Salt Lake City with three employees in September, and it expanded its Washington, D.C., footprint by more than 25% this year. A renovation also increased capacity at the agency’s San Francisco office by more than two dozen staff. CMS is exploring additional space in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York, while separate September communications said the agency was considering acquiring offices in Charleston, South Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee. The reporting also noted that external recruiting was paused in the first three cities, although internal promotion opportunities remained available.

For contractors, the development is an early market indicator, not a current bid opportunity. No solicitation, contract amount, procurement schedule, or defined requirement is identified in the available reporting. Potential areas to watch include office leasing and fit-out, facilities operations, workplace technology, IT infrastructure, and technical services aligned with CMS’s program-integrity mission. Vendors should avoid treating planned locations or hiring priorities as funded procurements until CMS issues acquisition plans, notices, or solicitations.

The workforce strategy follows substantial staffing reductions. Office of Personnel Management data cited in the report show CMS lost more than 900 employees in fiscal 2025, leaving a headcount of 5,628; the article says staffing increased slightly in fiscal 2026 but the available source text does not provide the revised total. CMS has highlighted modernization of Medicare claims processing, fraud reduction, and improved health data sharing as technology objectives that the Salt Lake City location could support. Deputy Administrator Kimberly Brandt previously said the agency sought high-skilled talent in tech-heavy cities including Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston, targeting both experienced professionals and recent graduates. Companies serving health agencies should track CMS budget and acquisition announcements and assess whether their facilities, engineering, data, AI/ML, and program-integrity capabilities match these stated priorities.

• CMS opened a Salt Lake City satellite location with three employees in September, with technology initiatives among its intended areas of support.
• The agency expanded its Washington, D.C., footprint by more than 25% this year and added capacity for more than two dozen staff at its renovated San Francisco office.
• CMS is exploring office space in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York; external recruiting was paused in those cities, while internal promotion opportunities remained available.
• Separate September communications said CMS was considering office acquisitions in Charleston, South Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee; these are considerations, not confirmed procurements.
• The fiscal 2027 budget justification prioritizes program-integrity and technology staff, including software and hardware engineers, data scientists, and AI/ML experts.
• CMS lost more than 900 employees in fiscal 2025, bringing headcount to 5,628, according to Office of Personnel Management data cited in the report.
• CMS identified Medicare claims-processing modernization, fraud reduction, and improved health data sharing as technology initiatives that could benefit from added capability.
• Kimberly Brandt cited Seattle, San Francisco, and Boston as technology-heavy talent markets and described plans to recruit experienced workers and new graduates.
• No solicitation, contract value, or procurement timeline is reported; contractors should monitor CMS budget, acquisition, and facilities announcements before committing pursuit resources.