GSA Launches FPDS 'Next Generation' Redesign

Friday October 10, 2003


GSA Launches FPDS 'Next Generation' Redesign

GSA #10047
Contact: Viki Reath (202) 501-1231
viki.reath@gsa.gov

Washington, DC -- The General Services Administration today announced the launch of the Federal Procurement Data System's (FPDS) "Next Generation," the first major redesign since FPDS was created 24 years ago, in 1979.

FPDS-Next Generation (NG) culminates more than four years of effort, spearheaded by the Procurement Executive Council, now known as the Federal Acquisition Council, under the leadership of then Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Dee Lee and Department of Transportation Senior Procurement Executive David Litman.

All federal agencies participated in this development effort under the guidance of GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy. It is expected to save an estimated $10 million each year by eliminating agency feeder systems and is part of the foundation for the Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE) Program, one of the President's 24 E-Gov initiatives.

"FPDS Next Generation was up and running on Oct. 1," said David Drabkin, Deputy Associate Administrator for Acquisition Policy. "IRS registered 500 users who, for the first time, were able to submit data directly from contract writing software. FPDS Next Generation helps fulfill GSA's mission to help agencies focus on their core missions and better serve the public."

FPDS stores information on $250 billion worth of federal contracts awarded each year for goods and services. It provides detailed information on contracts above $25,000 and summary data on procurements below $25,000.

FPDS moved from a mainframe computer to a client-server system and the Oracle database in 1997and provided access to FPDS through a Web browser in 2002. Next Generation innovations enable agencies to submit information from their contract writing systems. Additional Next Generation firsts are ability to:

• Submit individual procurements as small as $2,500
• Reduce the opportunity for error by eliminating re-keying

GSA, a centralized federal procurement and property management agency with 14,000 associates, was created by Congress to help agencies improve efficiency and better serve the public. On behalf of federal agencies, GSA acquires office space, equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and services for more than one million federal workers in more than 8,000 buildings in 2,000 U.S. communities.