GSA announces combination, realignment of some functions in FTS, FSS units.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has announced its intent to improve its procurement processes by combining and realigning certain functions currently carried out in its Federal Supply Service (FSS) and Federal Technology Service (FTS). The changes will enable GSA to efficiently meet the rapidly growing needs of its customer agencies for assistance in the procurement of Information Technology (IT) products, services and professional services.

"This realignment is part of our overall effort to make positive changes throughout GSA to provide best value solutions to Federal agencies and it is responsive to President Bush's Management Agenda directives to improve the performance of each government agency," said Stephen A. Perry, GSA Administrator. "I applaud the efforts of all those who have been involved in developing this solution, including Donna Bennett, Commissioner of FSS and Sandy Bates, Commissioner of FTS, for their leadership in guiding our GSA team through this challenging work."

"It's always a challenge for an organization to look within itself and make changes to the way it operates, said Donna D. Bennett, Commissioner of FSS. "I feel we have taken an objective approach, with a strong customer focus, to collectively develop the best plan of action for improving GSA's overall procurement process."

"Our customer agencies' requirements for GSA's expert assistance in the procurement of IT and certain professional services continues to grow and we are taking the steps necessary to improve our organizational capability to efficiently meet these requirements," said FTS Commissioner, Sandra N. Bates. "I'm pleased that this will also provide associates with new opportunities for personal growth as we work to meet our customers' emerging needs."

GSA will continue to use GWACs and Multiple Award Schedules to provide customer agencies the procurement services they need. However, effective January 12, 2003, development and maintenance of GSA's Government-wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) currently in FTS, will be combined into FSS contract development centers to ensure appropriate coordination and to efficiently meet the rapidly growing needs of our customer agencies. The contract development and maintenance functions for GWACs of the four FTS Solution Development Centers in the Regional Offices of Atlanta, Kansas City, Fort Worth and San Francisco will be transferred to the FSS GWAC Centers within the same four Regional Offices.

Also, the contract development and maintenance functions for GWACs of the Federal Computer Acquisition Center (FEDCAC) will be transferred to the FSS IT Acquisition Center in the Central Office. To provide oversight of GSA's contract development and maintenance functions, a GSA Contract Vehicle Review Board will be established in January, 2003. The Board will review GSA's IT contracting vehicles to assess their continued value and effectiveness and determine the need for modification or replacement. The Board will be comprised of representatives from FSS, FTS, the Office of Government-wide Policy and the regional offices.

GSA will combine and realign FSS and FTS Market Research, Marketing, Customer Account Planning and Sales function relating to the procurement of IT and professional services. This will eliminate overlaps and provide a better focus for GSA interaction with customer agencies when determining and responding to their needs for procurement of IT and professional services. Effective January 12, 2003, FSS will have primary responsibility for Market Research and Marketing, including IT and professional services as well as all products and services.

The market research and marketing functions of the FTS Office of Strategic Planning and Business Development will be combined into the FSS Office of Marketing, and report to the FSS Assistant Commissioner of Marketing. FTS will have primary responsibility for Customer Account Planning and Sales relating to the procurement of IT and professional services and will therefore be the primary point of contact with customer agencies for their procurement of IT and professional services.

This realignment is the result of an extensive study that focused primarily on the processes used by FSS and FTS in the procurement of IT and professional services. GSA commissioned this study to explore opportunities to improve the current process. GSA associates participated to identify best value solutions for customer agencies and taxpayers.