Mergers and acquisitions.

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.