IBM has won a new services contract from the US General Services Administration (GSA) to modernise the system that federal agencies and their suppliers use to source equipment, supplies, information technology (IT) and telecommunications services. The award has a contract value of $74.4m over an eight-year period.
IBM will work with the GSA to design and develop a standard IT architecture that will support the agency’s Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE), which is used by civilian and defense employees, as well as companies doing business with the US federal government and other interested parties.
According to IBM, the project will include the integration of nine key GSA applications into a single system which is based on open source software designed to simplify the entire acquisition and procurement process. The integration is expected to allow GSA to provide a one-stop online resource where federal agencies and suppliers can access information ranging from approved products and services and existing GSA contracts to contractor registrations and certifications, project reports and federal business opportunities.
IBM said that Northrop Grumman, Vertex Information and Computer Consulting Services (VICCS) and Collins Consulting will work with it on the project.
Charles Prow, managing partner of IBM Global Business Services, Public Sector, said: The GSA continues to play a central role in transforming the government’s procurement process, making it easier and more cost-effective for federal agencies to acquire products and services. IBM is very pleased to support this important initiative.
