Registration System for Federal Motor Vehicles In Development at GSA
GSA # 10455
February 25, 2008
Contact: Jen Millikin, (202) 501-1231
jennifer.millikin@gsa.gov
WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) today announced it is developing the Federal Motor Vehicle Registration System, which will register all federally-owned and commercially-leased motor vehicles that display official U.S. government license plates.
The system, under development by GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy and the GSA Fleet Program, will also hold a complete inventory of all U.S. government license plates manufactured, including those held by federal agencies for future use.
“With efforts by our first responders to protect our communities and neighborhoods, they should not have to second guess whether a government vehicle is authentic. This new registration system will give our state and local law enforcement the added tools they need to help ensure the public’s safety,” said Kevin Messner, Acting Associate Administrator of GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy.
The Vehicle Registration System will be accessible to law enforcement officials at the federal, state and local levels through the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets). Nlets is a non-profit organization, owned and governed by the states.
Nlets provides a computer-based message switching system that links together state, local, and federal law enforcement and justice agencies for the purpose of information exchange. Law enforcement agencies have access to Nlets for motor vehicles displaying state-issued license plates.
Entering the federal vehicles in Nlets will enable law enforcement officers to quickly identify and verify federal motor vehicles, including valid licensing and operational location. GSA is championing this initiative to improve national security through a government-wide database of federal motor vehicles and federal license plates for law enforcement.
Over the past year, GSA met with federal agency representatives to review security concerns, identify resource and budget impacts, develop system specifications, and worked with state departments of motor vehicles and law enforcement agencies. It was determined that a new plate design should also include the use of license plate expiration dates. The GSA Fleet Program owns approximately 200,000 of the federal government’s 620,000 non-tactical motor vehicles, leasing most of these vehicles to other federal agencies on a cost reimbursable basis. GSA Fleet’s expertise in the operation of motor vehicle fleets and extensive automation accomplishments in this area makes their operation a perfect fit for the Vehicle Registration System.
In March 2003, the GSA Fleet Program entered into a cooperative agreement with Nlets to ensure that law enforcement personnel had access to vehicle information for all GSA leased vehicles. Agencies will start entering owned vehicle data into the Vehicle Registration System in late 2008, with full implementation in January 2009.
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Founded in 1949, GSA serves as a centralized procurement and property management agency for the federal government. GSA manages more than one-fourth of the government’s total procurement dollars and influences the management of $500 billion in federal assets, including 8,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 208,000 vehicles. GSA helps preserve our past and define our future, as a steward of more than 425 historic properties, and as manager of USA.gov, the official portal to federal government information and services. GSA’s mission to provide superior workplaces, expert technology solutions, acquisition services, purchasing and eGov travel solutions and management policies, at best value, allows federal agencies to focus on their core missions.
Did You Know? GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy’s authority covers the areas of personal and real property, travel and transportation, information technology, regulatory information and use of federal advisory committees.
