The White House directed all federal departments and agencies on Wednesday to prepare for widespread workforce cuts, continuing President Donald Trump‘s overarching goal of shrinking the federal bureaucracy.

The White House told federal agencies to submit plans by March 13 for “large-scale reductions in force,” the first phase of an effort to drastically reduce the size of the US government.

The White House is directing federal agencies to prepare for large-scale layoffs, so-called reductions-in-force (RIF), according to guidance sent out by the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management on Wednesday.