September 07, 2006
SENATE APPROVE LEGISLATION TO MODERNIZE THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate has approved a bill to modernize and make more efficient the General Services Administration (GSA). The bill would merge the Federal Supply Service and the Federal Technology Service into a new Federal Acquisition Service supported by a single Acquisition Services Fund. Similar legislation has been approved in the U.S. House. “This new unified structure should more efficiently and effectively leverage federal buying power for IT solutions as government procurements of technology increasingly includes more than just the hardware and software of computing systems,” said Senator Collins. “These purchases encompass a variety of office technology solutions and support services that extend beyond the boundaries created by the old GSA structure. GSA’s structure should not drive the way the government purchases these integrated solutions.” Senator Lieberman said, “The merger of the Federal Supply Service (FSS) and the Federal Technology Service (FTS) into the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) should strengthen GSA's ability to provide efficient acquisition services and improve the agency’s financial controls. GSA’s procurement structure must move into the 21st century to best accommodate the evolving needs of GSA’s customers, particularly for information technology products and services.” The bill will also allow GSA to create regional zones to administer the Federal Acquisition Service. It is hoped that this new structure will be more responsive to agency customer needs, and reduce GSA’s operational costs. GSA will also continue its “Get It Right” campaign that insures that federal dollars are being used appropriately. ####
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