Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 13704: Presidential Innovation Fellows Program

President: Barack Obama

Made the Presidential Innovation Fellows program a continuing federal initiative housed at the General Services Administration.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 13704 still in effect? Yes. Active GSA Presidential Innovation Fellows program; a 2026 class was announced.

What does Executive Order 13704 do?

EO 13704 gave the Presidential Innovation Fellows program a continuing place within GSA. Fellows with technology and service-design expertise work on time-limited federal projects under agency supervision and ordinary personnel, ethics and security rules. GSA announced a 17-person class on April 23, 2026, confirming that the program continues, although each cohort’s assignments can change.

Administration position: Fellows advise and build within government teams; appointment does not confer independent regulatory authority or bypass ethics and personnel rules.
SignedAugust 17, 2015
Administrative homeGSA
2026 class17 fellows announced in April

Before and after

Before the order

The fellowship existed as an administration initiative without a standing executive-order framework.

After the order

GSA received continuing responsibility to recruit fellows and support agency projects.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
GSARecruit select and support fellowsContinuing
Host agenciesDefine projects and supervise workContinuing
FellowsDeliver technical and service improvementsTerm-limited

What happened next

EO 13704 formalized the program.

GSA announced a new 17-person class.