GSA Realigns Office of Information Security

GSA # 9746

October 6, 2000
Contact: Bill Bearden (202) 501-1231
bill.bearden@gsa.gov

Washington, DC -- The U.S. General Service Administration's Federal Technology Service has realigned the Office of Information Security (OIS) into two distinct areas -- the Information Security Services Center and a newly created Office of Information Assurance and Critical Infrastructure Protection.

This realignment is a continuation of GSA's efforts to provide customers with innovative, value-added information technology solutions while expanding its leadership role in government-wide security initiatives.

"This is an important step which brings security into our IT Solutions business line and at the same time, allows us to continue to do the work we have done in National Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection," said FTS Commissioner Sandra Bates.

The realignment moves the customer service areas of OIS under the umbrella of the FTS Office of Information Technology Solutions.
The operational functions of the Information Security Services Center include service offerings such as the Safeguard Program, which provides information assurance products and services to agencies, and the Access Certificates for Electronic Services (ACES) Program, GSA's premier digital signature service offering based on public key infrastructure technology.

The ISS Center will employ a staff of government information systems security professionals. The professionals will offer GSA customers trusted neutrality for inherently government operations in the areas of vulnerability assessments, network engineering, risk analysis and security planning, acquisition and contract management, and other technical services on a fee-for-service basis.

"We believe these organizational changes will better position us to meet our customers emerging technology needs for classified and sensitive telecommunications and information systems," said Sallie McDonald, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the Center. "Our staff of information security and acquisition professionals have put together a comprehensive portfolio of innovative, cost-effective contracts and service offerings designed to help our customers address critical areas of information security."

McDonald will head the new Office of Information Assurance and Critical Infrastructure Protection until a successor is named. This office will report directly to the FTS Commissioner to ensure maximum visibility throughout the federal government.

The new office will focus on national information assurance and critical infrastructure protection issues from a broader government-wide perspective. They will continue their leadership role to the government's civilian agencies in federal public key infrastructure initiatives, provide cyber-attack incident warning and response services through the Federal Computer Incident Response Capability (FedCIRC), and serve as the government-sector lead under Presidential Decision Directive 63, the Clinton Administration's "Policy on Critical Infrastructure Protection."

For more information on GSA's Federal Technology Service, visit the website at http://www.fts.gsa.gov.