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The article discusses the U.S. General Services Administration's efforts to balance, privacy, convenience and security of online customers' identity information through the website www.login.gov that will replace www.connect.gov in 2016.

The article presents information on the plans of the U.S. General Services Administration to award Networx Universal and Networx Enterprise contracts to government agencies in 2007. Networx Universal will offer a broad range of common services, whereas Networx Enterprise will cover a narrower selection of more localized offerings. Transition means various things to different agencies. Depending on which firms finally win the multiple-award contracts, some organizations might not switch providers. They still need to make some changes, however, their transitions will be less demanding than those agencies that change providers, whether by choice or necessity.

This article ponders on alternatives to the Networx telecommunications contract of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The Treasury Communications Enterprise (TCE) contract is Exhibit A. TCE was long envisioned to be Treasury's successor to the Treasury Communications System, a contract to address the agency's specific needs and bring it performance-based contracting and managed services in a big way. Treasury officials talked up the contract for almost two years before finally awarding it to AT&T late in 2004. But a series of protests and increasing pressure from Representative Tom Davis (R-Va.) led Treasury officials to surrender. As GSA officials enter the home stretch of evaluating bids before awarding Networks, observers point to Davis' effort to change Treasury's mind as evidence that no agency will be able to issue any kind of a competing contract without good reason. INSET: 'Mandatory' revisited.

This article discusses the Networx contracts awarded by the U.S. General Services Administration. According to Tony Bardo, assistant vice president of government solutions at Hughes Network Systems LLC, the company wanted to become a subcontractor to several of the Networx primes. Meanwhile, Viack Corp. provides collaborative services, primarily instant messaging and related audio and video services. Susan Zeleniak, vice president of Verizon Federal, the interaction between prime contractors and their partners flows two ways.

This article offers reorganization tips for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The agency released its final reorganization plan in August 2005. GSA has not managed the planning phase of its reorganization efforts well. Many GSA employees involved in making the transition have not been adequately informed about what to expect. The planned reorganization has been complicated by the loss of talented leaders. GSA have tried to involve industry in the planning process. It has listened to the concerns of the industry and incorporated many suggestions into the final plan.

The article informs that the U.S. General Services Administration is preparing to revise baseline standards of Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). Topics discussed include need to revise standards, impact of change in standards on business of cloud service providers and guidance for tailoring security standards for specific requirements.

The article focuses on the role of deputy chief executive officers (CXOs) during the transition period in the U.S. government. With the U.S. elections taking place in 2010, the career CXOs will be managing different government agencies while waiting for the appointment of new political executives. David Bibb, General Services Administration's (GSA) acting administrator, said that he is working on the briefing papers for the next GSA administrator. A framework for transition is already set at the Social Security Administration.

This article reports on the steps being taken by the companies which received the Alliant contracts, a massive information technology services contract in the U.S. The contract may be worth as much as $50 billion and could span 10 years. A five-year base period was set by the U.S. General Services Administration with one optional five-year extension. Two government-wide acquisition contracts will be replaced by the Alliant contract. These are Millenia and the Applications'N Support for Widely-diverse End-user Requirements contracts. The first order of business at General Dynamics Corp. is ensuring that all of the frontline business and line managers are aware of the contract.

The article discusses the competition among telecommunications companies for the U.S. General Services Administration's contracts. Industry observers of the two contracts, Networx Universal and Networx Enterprise, provide insights on how the companies involved will fight it out to hold onto their federal business and acquire more. Frank Dzubeck of Communication Networks Architects Inc. shares that the key point of the competition for the Networx contract is the bottom-line price. Warren Suss of Suss Consulting believes that most agencies will vie for the Universal contract. Diana Gowen of Quest Communications International Inc. states that the Enterprise will prove useful in some cases. INSET: Level 3: the dark horse..

The article discusses the opportunities available for small businesses to get involved with the Networx Universal contracts. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has awarded the Networx Universal program to three companies namely AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Qwest International Inc. in March 2007. Small businesses eager to get a piece of the 10-year contract have little chance to get involved early in the program unless they have something unusual to offer. Industry observers pointed out that the winners of the contract will reward their partners first before letting other small businesses in the program.

The article discusses the Veterans Technology Services contract issued by U.S. President George W. Bush in October 2004 through Executive Order 13360. Three percent of contracts must be with service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses. The General Services Administration (GSA) must create a list of qualified contractors to help agencies in identifying these businesses. As of 2007, there are 43 listed companies. The Veterans Affairs Department plans to set up a Veterans Pavilion at the GSA Expo for May 2007 in Orlando, Florida.

The article provides information on the reorganization plans of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). John Okay of Topside Consulting Group said that more than the internal restructuring, GSA will have to ensure that they can improve the quality of their service. The GSA Modernization Act created the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) and the Acquisition Services Fund. GSA Administrator Lurita Doan released an order that will implement the reorganization plan with some provisions, like the abolition of six FAS zones.

The article reports that the U.S. General Services Administration asked for comments on how to make the Alliant information technology services contract more accessible and useful to medium-sized businesses. The GSA expects to award Alliant to several vendors in 2007 and its plans to have a companion contract set aside for small businesses. Phil Foote, chief operating officer at STG, said that the problem with Alliant is that small business get a hand with a contract guaranteeing that they compete only with each other, while medium-sized businesses have to compete with larger companies.

This article focuses on the impact of the resignation of Stephen Perry as administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) on the federal procurement community and the agency's realignment. The repercussions of Perry's resignation reverberate in two directions. Outward, his absence will affect the larger procurement community. Inward, he leaves the agency when it is in the midst of a makeover and already missing experienced leaders following a wave of retirements as of October 10, 2005. Although Perry will be leaving the agency when much work remains, he said he is confident that it will continue along the path he paved. But Perry has his share of critics. Some consultants and others close to the procurement community and GSA say that the reorganization is not going smoothly, and that many employees have low morale and are unsure of their futures. Observers are also concerned about the absence of anyone connected to procurement policy with influence from the administration of President George W. Bush.

The article deals with the advantage of a proposed change to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to the SmartBuy enterprise software licensing program of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). If accepted, agencies would have to consider relevant SmartBuy agreements when making software purchases. The SmartBuy license would become a part of agencies' procurement strategies. GSA will release the proposed change for comment soon. The proposal is of the agency's effort to make SmartBuy more compelling to agencies and vendors considering the initiative.

This article reports on a reorganizational plan released by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) as of August 8, 2005 which calls for merging GSA's two acquisition services into one. GSA has already taken some steps toward implementing the plan. Meanwhile, observers offered mixed reviews of the plan. One important element is creating six zones that include multiple regions. However, some observers are concerned that regional employees will still have too little supervision. The new plan might bring its own problems, said Phil Kiviat, a consultant with Guerra, Kiviat, Flyzik and Associates. Not all observers agree that merging the services is a good idea. Jim Kane, president and CEO of the Systems and Software Consortium, said he is not sure that GSA leaders appreciate the more than subtle distinction between policy and process. He said GSA's plan discusses the importance of consistent, efficient and effective process on one page, and then the words about their processes never appear again. In presenting the plan August 4, 2005, Stephen Perry said GSA held discussions with various constituents throughout the design process. Perry said that he does not see a bill passed by the U.S. Senate that forbids GSA to spend money on reorganization activities as a setback.

The article provides updates on the commissioners of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Deidre Lee will transfer to GSA, as assistant commissioner for integrated technology services, from the Department of Defense. The news of her arrival at the procurement agency has received positive response from industry analysts. But the same procurement analysts cheering her decision to leave the Defense Department for GSA are also concerned about Neal Fox's planned departure. Fox, GSA's assistant commissioner of the Office of Commercial Acquisition, announced his planned departure, although no specific date has been set, he said he will leave the agency for the private sector. Fox's announcement came not long after Donna Bennett, commissioner of GSA's Federal Supply Service, which oversees the GSA contracts, retired July 3, 2005. When Fox leaves, no one involved in GSA's reorganization effort will have hands-on knowledge from the senior-level on the schedule program, said Larry Allen, executive, executive vice president of the Coalition for Government Procurement. The program porvides lists pf pre-approved vendors and offers products at prenegotiated prices, which agencies use to purchase many items. It allowas for relatively quick procurements because the competition has already been completed. But the contracts also demand sound management. INSET: One schedule to rule them all.

This article reports on the issuance of an audit guidance by the Defense Contract Audit Agency in the U.S. in April 2004 and its impact on government contractors. Companies that hold General Services Administration (GSA) schedule contracts could find their bottom lines affected by the audit guidance that appears to restrict their ability to charge their own rates for services their subcontractors provide. The guidance could prevent contractors from charging more than the subcontractors' standard rates for services. The guidance was issued to address possible confusion about pricing under some schedule contracts. GSA schedule contracts generally permit vendors that form a Contractor Teaming Agreement to bill for services at the contractors' own rates. The schedules also allow a prime contractor to bill at its rate in a prime/subcontractor arrangement. But some GSA schedule contracts also contain a Federal Acquisition Regulation clause that specifically limits the amount a prime contractor can charge beyond the subcontractor's rate and that has been a source of confusion. The clause has created uncertainty among auditors and contractors about the allowable rates for reimbursing a prime contractor for subcontractors' work. INSET: Alliant has become latest focus of FAR controversy.

This article reports on the efforts of General Services Administration (GSA) officials in analyzing the requests for proposals for the Networx contracts in the U.S. Officials at companies preparing to bid on the contract are not resting either. Since the documents were released earlier this month, company officials have been analyzing requirements, conditions and specifications. Most vendors are uneasy with some aspects of the solicitations, but say they can work with what the Federal Technology Service (FTS) of GSA has created. The solicitations favor companies that already have contracts through FTS programs and thus have already made some of the infrastructure investments, keeping Broadwing Communications out of the hunt. Networx Enterprise, the smaller of the two contracts, is intended to draw smaller and newer companies that cannot offer the broad swath of national services required of bidders on the larger Networx Universal. The final solicitations also reveal for the first time the selection criteria that the agency will use to evaluate proposals. The contract allows Enterprise providers to add additional services to their offerings, but they must wait twenty four months after the initial contract award. INSETS: FTS reduces Networx billing elements;Mandatory and optional.

This article reports on the impact of a legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Tom Davis (R-Va.) on the reorganization of the General Services Administration (GSA). Apparently, the legislation would merge the agency's two acquisition arms, namely the Federal Supply Service (FSS) and the Federal Technology Service (FTS). The bill would combine the organization's funds and encourage experienced federal employees to take new jobs in acquisition roles. The House Government Reform Committee passed the General Services Administration Modernization Act with unanimous support and no debate. Davis, chairman of the committee, sponsored the bill. Representative Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, co-sponsored the bill. During a markup session of the bill, Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the committee's senior minority member, said he would have preferred to have had more time to analyze the problems of the agency, but he said that he supported the legislation. Apparently, if Congress passes it, the bill would provide a statutory framework for the agency's internal reorganization efforts so that changes will be reflected in federal law. The bill proposes to abolish FSS and FTS, two of the agency's three major divisions, and replace them with a single Federal Acquisition Service. INSETS: ASIA redux;Davis bill addresses retention, management.

This article reports on the documents released by the U.S. General Services Administration in April 2005 related to two new government-wide acquisition contracts. Because the new contracts, known as Alliant and Alliant SB, will replace widely used but older contracts, interest in the Alliant draft requests for proposals is high, industry officials say. Alliant and its small-business companion, Alliant SB, will replace older government-wide acquisition contracts, including Millennia and Applications 'N' Support for Widely Diverse End-User Requirements. The request for proposals are open for public comment until June 3, and some procurement experts have predicted that General Services Administration officials expect to award up to 20 Alliant and up to Alliant SB contracts in mid-2006. Although General Services Administration officials have worked on the contract requirement for more than a year, some parts of the request for proposals remain unclear, said Phil Kiviat, a consultant at Guerra, Kiviat, Flyzik and Associates. Some industry observers have said the $2,500 guaranteed minimum revenue under both Alliant contracts is too small to be significant for most companies. But the small-business subcontracting goal for the larger Alliant contract is unusually ambitious, said Karen Wilson, vice president of consulting at Federal Sources.

The article reports the agreement of U.S. General Services Administration officials to revise their requirements for the Networx telecommunications solicitation. Major changes will include significant reductions in the number of billing elements vendors must track and the number of plans and reports they must submit to the administration's Federal Technology Service (FTS) or other agencies. The revisions are extensive enough that officials will not release the requests for proposals (RFP) until May 2005. Most of the changes are the results of comments administration officials received on draft RFP released last October 2004 and testimony from vendors during a House of Government Reform Committee hearing. Potential bidders have complained about the number of data elements they would be required to track and the government-specific nature of those elements, which could require vendors to buy or build new information technology systems to comply with the requirements. FTS officials will award two Networx contracts. Networx Universal will give agencies a contract vehicle through which they can choose one supplier to provide a full range of service offerings with national and international availability. Networx Enterprise will provide a range of services, service providers and opportunities for small and midsize businesses. INSET: Networx on South Beach diet.

This article reports on the plan of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) officials to award the Networx telecommunications contracts to as few as seven companies while noting that the contract is still not finalized and that the numbers could change, as announced in March 2005. According to GSA Administrator Stephen Perry, as of now, the telecom industry can expect that two companies will get places on the Networx Universal contracts. Many telecom officials still worry that the contract will be too costly and will offer too small a guaranteed return. A few industry officials said they have not decided whether to bid on the opportunity. According to Anthony D'Agata, vice president and general manger of Sprint's government system's division, he cannot recommend to senior management of Sprint that their shareholders assume the risks inherent in the current draft request for proposal. Echoing his counterparts at other companies, D'Agata summarized his reporting concerns. Networx would require contractors to deliver up to 240 reports per agency to GSA and customer agencies. Several industry officials said that GSA should create stronger links between the Universal and Enterprise portions of Networx. Another concern is that industry officials still lack some critical information for making decisions about Networx. INSET: Small business identify Networx barriers.

This article presents an update on the plans of the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush to reorganize the General Services Administration (GSA) as of February 2005. After months of speculation about how the GSA might be reorganized, the ink is dry on a specific proposal: Merge the Federal Supply Service and Federal Technology Service into a single Federal Supply and Technological Service. The proposal is part of the administration's fiscal 2006 budget request. According to budget documents, the proposed change makes sense because the way agency officials buy technology has changed over time. They once bought information technology products, other types of products and services separately, but it's now common for officials to buy solutions--a mix of products and services bundled together to meet a particular need. Therefore, separate supply and technology organizations within GSA are no longer necessary. However, the impact on the clients of GSA--the agencies--is uncertain. GSA officials formed a steering team shortly before the budget documents were released earlier in February to oversee the process of developing a transition plan. The team will assemble working groups to tackle reorganizing specific parts of the organizations.

This article discusses the plan of U.S. Representative Tom Davis (R-Va.), chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, to examine the General Services Administration's structure and consider changes. Davis wants better coordination among the Federal Supply Service, Federal Technology Service and Public Buildings Service. Davis has not proposed legislation, but word of his interest has sparked speculation about the results of his inquiry. The possibilities range from subtle changes to a sweeping reorganization. However, observers agree that the General Services Administration merits more scrutiny. Attorney Angela Styles, former administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, was more willing to predict sweeping changes, which could include merging the Federal Supply Service and the Federal Technology Service, two of the three largest divisions of the General Services Administration. Larry Allen, executive vice president of the Coalition for Government Procurement, said his offices, in some ways, misplaced within the government. Although Allen's organization supports merging the Federal Supply Service and the Federal Technology Service, he does not think it will happen. While Warren Suss, president of Suss Consulting, said Davis is likely to consider whether the regions need more adult supervision from headquarters. INSET: Davis' review has history.

This article reports that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) issued a memorandum on October 29, 2004, which requires Defense agencies to set specific procedures for reviewing and approving the use of contracts managed by other agencies by January 1, 2005. It is not clear whether this will lead to a drop-off in the use of General Services Administration (GSA) contracts or other non-DOD vehicles. Although the provision called for in the memorandum do not become effective until the beginning of 2005, Defense officials have been paying closer attention to where they spend their money since at least 2001, according to an official at the U.S. Navy. This increased scrutiny was due to several cases of contract abuse, including the hiring of interrogators at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison on an information technology contract. Deidre Lee, director of Defense procurement and acquisition policy, explained that the memorandum is not intended to increase or decrease the use of non-DOD contracts. Rather, it is intended to ensure that they use non-DOD contracts in the department's best interests and that they are used properly. Meanwhile, GSA officials are updating and enhancing existing training programs to aid Defense contracting officers in identifying the steps they need to take to properly fulfill contract requirements.

This article discusses access to information from the U.S. Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). It was learned that access to information will not become more restricted when the private contractor that has taken it over opens the system to the public, according to officials from the General Services Administration (GSA). David Drabkin, deputy associate administrator for acquisition policy at GSA said that the information will continue ton be available on a cost-recovery basis, just as it has been from the GSA in the past. FPDS is a central database in which agencies feed their procurement data. Global Computer Enterprises Inc. won a contract in 2003 worth up to $24 million for seven years to develop and manage the FPDS-Next Generation. Company officials are still ironing out the details of making the data available, including setting a pricing structure with the approval of the GSA. Paul Murphy, president of Eagle Eye Publishers Inc., said he had not been able to obtain data he normally gets from the GSA. Agency officials denied two Freedom of Information Act requests, and Drabkin wrote in one denial that GSA no longer receives the raw data from agencies that Murphy needs. Ray Bjorklund, senior vice president and chief knowledge officer of Federal Sources Inc. said that GSA officials want users to download data from the Internet, rather than ask officials to assemble in response to requests.

This article focuses on the conflict between the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the Federal Technology Service (FTS) field offices concerning the violations of contracting rules. The first public signs of trouble with FTS surfaced in a 2003 GSA inspector general's (IG) report, which said that FTS employees had misused the Information Technology Fund to cover construction projects. According to some sources, the tension has created a climate of fear for some employees. There were implied threats that regions would be punished or that managers would get unfavorable performance reviews if they did not accede to FTS headquarters' demands. Grant Thornton LLP consultant Dennis Fischer said regions have always been encouraged to be entrepreneurial and creative in marketing their services but they have not been told to break the rules. He said the based on the IG reports that have been issued, he believes that some employees behaved inappropriately but the vast majority who were examined were all right. He declines to take a position in the conflict between headquarters' officials and the sources alleging pressure. Sources said that employees who broke the rules may have done so because of the demand for revenue. INSET: Under the IG microscope.

This article reports on the SmartBuy enterprise licensing deal between the U.S. General Services Administration and Manugistics Group Inc. SmartBuy is designed to allow the government to harness its volume buying power to negotiate lower prices for some types of software. The deal bases discounts on several factors, including whether agencies buy the company's software products individually or in bundles. An additional discount will be based on the total amount of money the government spends with the company. Manugistics expects the agreement to be a good case for expanding its presence in the federal market and for doing more government business directly rather than through partners. Executive Jeff Holmes said the deal supports the company's desire to be the easiest vendor to do business with for the government. Part of that is being sure it got the best contracting vehicles in place to facilitate business between the company and the government. The main purpose of the program is to get the optimum contractual arrangements for the total government enterprise. Categories of software are often purchased and implemented using best practices that correspond to the type of software.

Reports on the goals of Stephen Perry, administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), as part of his One GSA vision in 2004. Realignment of GSA agencies; Replacement of existing governmentwide contract programs by the Alliant program; Modification of the customer services provided by the agency.

Reports on the plan of the U.S. General Services Administration to consolidate Applications 'n Support for Widely-Diverse End-User Requirements and Millennia, the agency's broad IT government-wide acquisition contracts. Overview of IT services covered by the contracts; Disadvantages of requiring vendors to bid on multiple contracts; Assessment made by Alan Chvotkin of the Professional Services Council regarding the contracts.

Focuses on the importance of the schedule contracts of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to federal vendors. Purpose of the schedule contracts; Reason for the decision of Borland to consolidate all of its GSA listings into one, under the contract of Spectrum Systems Inc.; Benefit of the program to small companies. INSET: On schedule.

Reveals that the Client Support Center (CSC) of the Federal Technology Service, a unit of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) , has misdirected funds for information technology (IT) to construct an office building and perform building renovation work. Information on the audit made by the GSA Inspector General; Amount of the funds misdirected; Penalties imposed on CSC; Details on the issue.

Reveals that U.S. federal government agencies are more likely to buy desktop computers, workstations and servers using the U.S. General Services Administration's schedule contracts than from other multiple-award contracts or individual competitions. Statistics on technology procurement; Explanation on the reason of the agencies for their move to use schedule contracts; Changes in the attitude of agencies toward schedule contracts; Details on schedule contracts. INSET: Services also grow.

Reports that the U.S. General Services Administration may jump-start its enterprise software licensing program by expanding contracts already in place at the Defense Department. Information on the Enterprise Software Initiative of DOD; Goal of SmartBuy governmentwide enterprise licensing initiative; Concern expressed by small-business executives about the initiative. INSETS: DOD's enterprise license best practices;The darker side of enterprise licensing.

Reports that the U.S. General Services Administration is replacing its Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) with a new system designed to improve the speed and accuracy of government sales data. Features of the FPDS; Contract awarded to Global Computer Enterprise to develop and provide the system replacing FPDS; Amount of the contract.

States that the proposed changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation would require agencies in the U.S. to solicit three bids when ordering services or establishing blanket purchase agreements (BPA) under the General Services Administration Federal Supply Service schedules contract program. Statement from Larry Allen, executive vice president of the Coalition for Government Procurement; Purpose of the proposed changes; Effect of the proposed changes on small businesses. INSET: Plugging the holes.

The article reports that Jeffrey Neely, former official of the U.S. General Services Administration, has been sentenced for three months in prison as of July 2015 for his involvement in the 2010 Western Regions Conference scandal in which he used his position to overstay at a resort in Nevada.

The article reports that the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has issued a notice to proceed to its Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) solution blanket purchase agreements (BPAs), a program which is expected to save $16 million in the first year.

The article reports on the update released by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) on its Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program in June 2014.

The article reports that in May 2014, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has issued two Requests for Information (RFI) to solicit input about Networks Solutions 2020 (NS2020), a comprehensive procurement and implementation strategy designed to address the Federal Government's varying information technology (IT) and telecommunications systems needs. It also explains that NS2020 was developed to replace the GSA's existing Networx contract vehicle upon its expiration in 2017.

The article reports on the modification made by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in 2013 to its Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) program which could mean more discounts for federal customers. Topics discussed include the Price Reductions Clause, the maximum order threshold (MOT), and the Federal Acquisition Service. Also mentioned James Corcoran of GSA Inspector General (IG), Tom Sharpe of Federal Acquisition Service, and Matthew Koehl of Holland&Hart LLP.

The article reports on the partnership of the U.S. General Services Administration and MeriTalk, a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government information technology (IT), to create the FedRAMP OnRAMP, an online portal intended to speed the government's move to cloud computing.

The article announces the permanent appointment of Dan Tangherlini as permanent administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration.

The article presents stories and outlook on the stories including the call for greater portability of security clearances by TechAmerica, and the central database for federal contracting data of General Services Administration (GSA) being taken off-line shortly after launch.

The article presents "FCW.COM" readers' comments on the U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA) hiring freeze, telework and U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) budget cuts as of August 15, 2012. A reader said the bonuses at GSA have been excessive, especially given the current economy and national debt. A reader advises other managers of teleworkers to trust their employees to do what they are supposed to, but review productivity and expectations.

A list of the stories on www.FCW.com is presented, including the need for agencies to improve their consolidation planning, the public being asked by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama on regulatory reform ideas, and the recommendation of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for service-based procurement.

The article presents news stories posted on the journal's Web sit. They include the freezing of schedules for obsolete equipment by the General Services Administration (GSA), voluntary guidelines for protection from damage of Apollo landing sites, and need for new technology tools to address South American drug cartels.

The article reports that Representative Jeff Denham has defended his call to abolish the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). The agency's image has been affected by the revelation that 800,000 dollars were spent by its Public Buildings Service during a conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Denham claims that there is a corruption culture in GSA.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including cybersecurity policies initiated by the government to protect data, the abuse of power at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the lack of inspector generals in several agencies.