Trump Terminates Retirement and Disability Research Consortium (RDRC) Cooperative Agreements

Author: U.S. Social Security Administration
Published: 2025/02/21 - Updated: 2025/02/28
Publication Type: Announcement
Topic: U.S. Social Security - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: The SSA ends its RDRC cooperative agreements, citing cost savings and policy alignment with President Trump's executive order on DEI programs.

Why it matters: This announcement details the Social Security Administration's (SSA) decision to terminate its Retirement and Disability Research Consortium (RDRC) cooperative agreements, aligning with President Trump's executive order to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in government programs. SSA Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek stated that the move is intended to reduce waste and restore public trust. The termination will save approximately $15 million in fiscal year 2025. This decision may impact research efforts focused on Social Security, retirement, and disability policies, which are particularly relevant to seniors, individuals with disabilities, and researchers studying these populations - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

1: Social Security Slashes Cooperative Agreements

U.S. Social Security Administration announces termination of Retirement and Disability Research Consortium (RDRC) cooperative agreements to comply with President Trump's executive order.

Main Item

The Social Security Administration today (02/21/2025) announced the termination of their Retirement and Disability Research Consortium (RDRC) cooperative agreements. This action supports the President Trump's Executive Order, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing.

"Terminating our RDRC cooperative agreements aligns with President Trump's priorities to end fraudulent and wasteful initiatives and contracts," said Social Security's Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek. "We will continue to root out waste and abuse to earn back America's trust and confidence in our agency."

Social Security previously entered into RDRC cooperative agreements with research centers that included a focus on research addressing DEI in Social Security, retirement, and disability policy. Terminating these cooperative agreements results in about $15 million dollars in cost savings for hardworking Americans in fiscal year 2025.

For more information on the President Trumps' Executive Order, see Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing - The White House.

2: Social Security Announces Change to Improve Agency Operations and Strengthen Protections

The Social Security Administration is announcing an organizational realignment of the functions provided by its Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight (OARO). These functions remain critical to ensure the programs Social Security administers are of high quality and effective, that SSA uses the latest tools to recommend opportunities to improve the programs, and to detect and prevent fraud.

"President Trump has made it clear that good government must do better at identifying and eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse," said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. "Realigning functions previously under the Office of Analytics, Review, and Oversight, is an important, common-sense step in the right direction to further strengthen the integrity of the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs millions of people depend on."

Moving OARO functions to existing parts of the agency will streamline layers of management, increase data sharing with essential Social Security components, and speed the opportunities to identify fraud, waste, and abuse and implement needed solutions.

Acting Commissioner Dudek understands that government alone doesn't have all the answers. An important part of identifying fraud, waste, and abuse, is timely and meaningful engagement with a range of stakeholders, including many in the advocate community. Engagement with advocates will resume in earnest. With the realignment of OARO functions, Gina Clemons, formerly the Deputy Commissioner for OARO, will take the lead for SSA to engage directly with key outside stakeholders on topics including, protecting the integrity of our programs and identifying opportunities for efficiencies such as program simplification and technology. These improvements will build on recommendations that DOGE team members provide the agency and help to improve how Social Security serves America.

3: Social Security Administration Closes the Office of Transformation

Social Security Eliminates Wasteful Department - Action is Another Step to Enhance Operations...

The Social Security Administration today, (25 Feb. 2025), announced the closing of a component within the agency, the Office of Transformation. Employees in this office will be put on administrative leave effective today.

"President Trump has mandated the Federal government eliminate wasteful and inefficient offices and the Office of Transformation was a prime example," said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “This redundant office was created under the previous administration and we are righting that wrong."

In Addition:

The Social Security Administration today also announced the closing of a component within the agency, the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity. Employees in this office will be put on administrative leave effective today. SSA will transfer responsibility for processing Equal Employment Opportunity complaints, reasonable accommodation requests, and other statutorily required functions to other SSA components to ensure compliance with existing legal authorities.

Editor Note:

From "SSA Organizational Manual: Chapter TS - The Office of Transformation" Functions

"The Office of Customer Experience (OCX) (TSB) champions the needs and expectations of agency customers and the employees who serve them. Conducts comprehensive customer research and oversees the Voice of the Customer (VoC) program, ensuring that customer feedback is heard and reflected in all agency solutions. Implements mechanisms to collect and analyze customer feedback, identifying opportunities, pain points, and other insights to drive service improvement. Ensures people facing barriers, including those with disabilities, are well represented in research and valuation. Collaborates with other SSA offices and product teams to foster a customer-focused culture and practices using customer personas, journey maps and other deliverables."

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

While the administration touts fiscal responsibility and public trust as justification for ending DEI-focused research, critics warn that curtailing studies on equity in Social Security could leave vulnerable populations - such as seniors, disabled individuals, and marginalized communities - without data-driven protections. The decision underscores a growing political divide over whether DEI programs represent necessary safeguards or bureaucratic excess, with advocates arguing these cuts prioritize short-term savings over long-term policy fairness. Transparency claims will face scrutiny as stakeholders assess how reduced research funding impacts accountability in disability and retirement systems

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by U.S. Social Security Administration and published on 2025/02/21, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, U.S. Social Security Administration can be contacted at ssa.gov NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.