Last week GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Office of Schedule Programs issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking feedback on “GSA Proposed Change to Add a Cloud Computing Special Item Number (SIN) on IT Schedule 70.” The RFI indicates that the purpose of the new Cloud Computing SIN “would be to improve the way GSA offers cloud computing services through IT Schedule 70, increase visibility and access of cloud computing services to customer agencies, and to provide industry partners the opportunity to differentiate their cloud computing services from other IT related products and services. “ The RFI notes that the proposed change supports “OMB’s “Cloud First” policy by enabling agencies to take advantage of cloud computing benefits to maximize capacity utilization, improve IT flexibility and responsiveness and minimize cost.”
The goals of the RFI are to:
(1) Gain feedback from industry and any other relevant stakeholders on a proposed new Cloud Computing Services SIN; and
(2) Better understand how industry partners are selling cloud computing services today on IT Schedule 70, to support a decision on creating a Cloud Computing Services SIN.
Importantly the RFI seeks feedback from both customer agencies and industry partners.
The Coalition applauds FAS for issuing the RFI. It is a thoughtful, positive step towards implementing efficient, effective and best value delivery of commercial cloud computing services for agency customers and the American people. The due date for submission of comments is 4 pm, August 6th. The RFI can be found here.
The Coalition will be submitting comments. As a first step we are working with our IT Committee members to identify and develop consensus comments. Over the longer term, as I previously mentioned in my June 27, 2014 FAR& Beyond Blog, the Coalition is on track to launch our Coalition Innovation Task Force (CITF). The task force is charged with building on our earlier work setting forth a vision for transforming IT Schedule 70 into the IT Commercial Innovation Schedule. In addition to the transformation of IT Schedule 70, the CITF will be identifying innovation opportunities across the federal enterprise. For example, share-in-savings contracting mechanisms remain an opportunity to more cost-effective, flexible contractor support to meet mission needs. The CITF will identify procurement practices and procedures that reduce barriers to innovation and solutions based contracting that leverages the growing convergence between information technology and services—like cloud services. The Coalition and the CITF look forward to a robust dialogue with FAS on bringing best value innovation and solutions based contracting to customer agencies.
Roger Waldron
President