Friday Flash 03/13/2026

March 12, 2026

A Busy Spring Calendar for Coalition Members

The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement is looking forward to an exciting and productive spring filled with opportunities for members to engage with government leaders and industry experts on the key issues impacting Federal procurement. In the coming weeks, the Coalition will host briefings on the OneGov initiative, the FAS Catalog Platform, the General Services Administration’s (GSA) new Office of Centralized Acquisition Services (OCAS), and more. This calendar will continue to grow as additional meetings and events are scheduled throughout the spring.

To kick off a busy March, the Coalition hosted a meeting this week on Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) with Greg Rollins, GSA Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Office of Policy and Compliance; Steven Hutchinson, Chief of MAS Policy, Office of Policy and Compliance; and Paula Hance, Procurement Analyst, General Supplies and Services The discussion focused in part on the challenges TDR presents for highly configurable items, GSA’s proposed solutions and resources for industry as they work to implement TDR for this category of products.

Looking ahead, the Coalition will host several upcoming meetings with government officials and industry experts. Check out the list of upcoming engagements below, and be sure to register.

March 17: GSA’s OneGov Initiative and Memory Chip Supply Challenges

On March 17, the Coalition will host a briefing with Joel Lundy, GSA Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Acting), Office of Category Management, to discuss GSA’s OneGov initiative and current memory chip supply challenges affecting the federal IT market. The discussion will provide an overview of the OneGov program and its goals to modernize and streamline federal IT acquisition. It will also address ongoing supply chain constraints impacting memory chips and how these challenges are influencing technology pricing, availability, and procurement across the federal government. The meeting will take place at CGI Federal in Arlington, VA, with a virtual attendance option available.

To register, click here.

March 18: FAS Catalog Platform

The following day, on March 18, the Coalition will host a virtual dialogue with GSA’s Catalog Management Office focused on the FAS Catalog Platform (FCP). During the meeting, members will have the opportunity to engage with Peter Han, Director of the Catalog Management Office, along with other GSA officials, to discuss challenges and feedback related to the platform.

To register, click here.

March 26: GSA Office of Centralized Acquisition Services

On March 26, the Coalition will welcome Tom Meiron, GSA Assistant Commissioner for Centralized Acquisition Services, for an all-member meeting discussing the priorities and initiatives of GSA’s new Office of Centralized Acquisition Services (OCAS). This meeting will take place at CACI in Reston, VA, with a virtual participation option available.

To register, click here.

April 8: Cybersecurity Policies & Programs Update

Looking ahead to April, the Cyber & Supply Chain Security Committee will host a virtual Cyber Update on April 8 featuring Townsend Bourne of Sheppard Mullin and Michael Gruden of Crowell & Moring, who will provide the latest updates on federal cybersecurity policy developments and their implications for contractors.

To register, click here.

April 14: Update from GSA’s Office of Professional Services & Human Capital Categories

The IT/Services Committee will host an update from GSA’s Office of Professional Services & Human Capital Categories (PSHC) on April 14, featuring Sheri Meadema, PSHC Assistant Commissioner, and Adam Soderholm, Director of the Center for Professional Services. During the discussion, Sheri and Adam will provide an overview of the office’s latest priorities and initiatives, as well as insights into ongoing efforts affecting the Professional Services and Human Capital Categories and the broader federal acquisition landscape. The meeting location is TBD. Virtual attendance will also be available.

To register, click here.

May 13-14: Spring Training Conference

The Coalition is also preparing for its Spring Training Conference. As always, the conference will feature an engaging program of panels focused on key policy initiatives at GSA, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and more, as well as acquisition trends and opportunities for collaboration between government and industry.

We look forward to sharing more details about the agenda and lineup of speakers for the Spring Training Conference in the coming weeks!

Registration is open for the Spring Training Conference. To register, click here.

Join us this Spring!

These events are just part of what promises to be a busy and engaging spring for the Coalition and its members! Additional meetings and webinars will continue to be added to the calendar in the weeks ahead. We look forward to seeing you all in the coming weeks!

Pentagon Plans to Restrict Executive Compensation for Underperforming Defense Contractors

Federal News Network reports that a group of Democratic lawmakers has requested additional information from the Department of War (DoW) regarding the implementation of President Trump’s executive order (EO) aimed at restricting executive compensation for underperforming defense contractors.

In a March 10 letter, lawmakers asked the Administration for details on how DoW plans to enforce the directive. The executive order directs DoW to identify contractors providing critical weapons, supplies, or equipment that may be underperforming, failing to invest in production capacity, not prioritizing U.S. government contracts, or producing systems at insufficient speed while simultaneously issuing stock buybacks or corporate profit distributions.

According to DoW, the department has completed an initial review of defense contractors to identify companies that may be underperforming or not adequately prioritizing defense production. The department also indicated that some contractors have begun negotiating agreements to accelerate and expand production.

The lawmakers are seeking additional information on the status of DoW’s implementation efforts, including whether standard contract language has been developed to reflect the EO and whether any contracts have already been issued incorporating the new requirements.

The letter also requests information on which contractors may have been flagged for underperformance, whether companies have responded to the department’s requests related to the order, and what potential penalties could be considered for companies that fail to comply.

The lawmakers indicated that Congress may consider legislation to codify elements of the EO and establish additional oversight tools related to defense contractor performance and investment in production capacity.

White House Releases New National Cyber Strategy

The White House’s Office of the National Cyber Director has released a new National Cyber Strategy that will guide U.S. cybersecurity policy moving forward. The strategy replaces the Biden Administration’s National Cyber Strategy issued in March 2023.

The updated document is just seven pages and outlines six pillars for U.S. cyber defense.

The first pillar, “Shape Adversary Behavior,” calls for the U.S. to use both offensive and defensive cyber capabilities to impose costs on cybercriminals and adversarial actors, including through collaboration with the private sector.

The second pillar focuses on streamlining cyber regulations to reduce compliance burdens, address liability concerns, and better align regulatory approaches with industry and international partners.

The third and fourth pillars emphasize modernizing and strengthening federal networks and critical infrastructure, with a strong focus on improving cyber resilience across government systems and key sectors.

The fifth pillar highlights the role of innovation and emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, in building more secure cyber systems and improving cyber defense capabilities.

The sixth and final pillar, “Build Talent and Capacity,” focuses on strengthening the U.S. cybersecurity workforce by enhancing training for current professionals and recruiting the next generation of cyber experts. To access the full report, click here.

GAO Reviews Department of War CMMC Implementation Plan

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report reviewing DoW’s plans to implement the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program.

GAO found that the department’s implementation plan includes most elements of an effective and comprehensive strategy for rolling out the CMMC program. However, the report noted that DoW has not fully addressed the potential for a shortage of Certified Third-Party Assessment Organizations (C3PAOs) needed to conduct CMMC assessments.

GAO recommended that DoW develop an approach to mitigate a potential shortage of C3PAOs, beyond relying on increased use of CMMC waivers. DoW concurred with the recommendation.

GSA Reports $800 Million in Savings from OneGov Program

Meritalk reports that, according to the General Services Administration (GSA), the OneGov program has generated approximately $800 million in governmentwide savings since its launch in April 2025.

GSA created the OneGov initiative to modernize and streamline federal IT purchasing by standardizing contract terms and pricing and aggregating demand across agencies.

GSA officials said the savings have largely come through cost avoidance and noted that the program currently includes about 20 active deals across areas such as cybersecurity, workplace productivity, artificial intelligence, and cloud services.

The agency indicated that it plans to continue expanding the program and is working with agencies and industry partners to support a more enterprise-style acquisition approach for federal IT purchases. Officials also noted that resellers and integrators are expected to remain part of the broader OneGov ecosystem, supporting activities such as system integration, implementation, training, and mission support.

For a list of OneGov deals to date, click here.

GSA Designated to Lead New Acquisition Quality Service Management Office

According to Federal News Network, GSA will lead a new Quality Service Management Office (QSMO) focused on acquisition. The new QSMO will examine the Federal Government’s shared services approach to procurement and will streamline the nearly 230 acquisition systems currently used across civilian agencies into a more accessible and simplified structure.

The QSMO model was first introduced in 2019 to centralize shared services across key mission-support areas. Existing QSMOs include the Department of Homeland Security for cybersecurity services, the Department of Health and Human Services for grants management, the Treasury Department for core financial management, and the Office of Personnel Management for human resources services.

GSA Seeks Feedback on Draft AI Clause in MAS Refresh 31

GSA has updated Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Refresh 31 to include a new draft AI terms and conditions clause, 552.239-7001 Basic Safeguarding of Artificial Intelligence Systems (FEB 2026) (GSAR Deviation).

GSA has opened a comment period on the updated MAS Refresh, with comments due March 20, 2026. Comments to GSA should be submitted to maspmo@gsa.gov.

The Coalition is interested in submitting consensus feedback on the proposed AI clause. To view the clause, click here.

The draft clause includes provisions addressing:

Intellectual property rights;
Government data handling requirements;
Incident reporting;
Performance feedback reporting;
Change management; and
System performance requirements, including assurances that AI systems are developed and monitored using “unbiased AI principles.”

Comments to the Coalition are due by COB March 16, 2026. Please send any feedback to Joseph Snyderwine at JSnyderwine@thecgp.org.

Army Releases Draft 5 of MAPS RFP

The U.S. Department of the Army has released Draft 5 of the Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) Request for Proposals (RFP) following its review of industry feedback and continued refinement of the acquisition strategy.

The updated draft includes revisions across Sections C, H, L, and M of the solicitation, including updates to evaluation criteria, past performance evaluation, and price evaluation factors.

The Army will host a virtual listening session on Thursday, March 12 at 1:00 PM (ET) to walk through the current draft and discuss key updates.

Industry stakeholders are also encouraged to participate in the MAPS survey, which will help inform development of the final RFP.

To view the SAM.gov announcement, click here. A summary of the Draft 5 changes is also available here.

SEWP V Extension Possible

Washington Technology reports that NASA is seeking authorization to extend the SEWP V ordering period through September 30, 2026, with an option to further extend through April 30, 2027. The current SEWP V contracts are scheduled to expire April 30, 2026, with SEWP VI originally expected to begin accepting orders on May 1, 2026.

Nine protests related to SEWP VI proposals are currently pending at GAO. GAO decisions on those protests are expected between late May and early June 2026, after NASA’s initial target date for SEWP VI to open for business.

NASA SEWP Director Joanne Woytek Announces Departure

Federal News Network reports that Joanne Woytek, longtime program director of NASA’s SEWP program, will step down on October 17 after more than 48 years of federal service. Woytek, who joined NASA in 1977 and has led SEWP since 1999, said she plans to pursue opportunities outside NASA. During her leadership, SEWP grew into one of the federal government’s most widely used IT acquisition vehicles, awarding more than $12 billion annually and more than $86 billion since 2015, with a significant share going to small businesses. Her departure comes as NASA prepares for the launch of SEWP VI, the next iteration of the major governmentwide acquisition contract.

The Coalition thanks Ms. Woytek for her public service and for supporting a productive open dialogue with industry during her career with NASA SEWP.

SBA Initiates Termination Proceedings for 628 Firms in 8(a) Program

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has initiated termination proceedings for 628 firms participating in the 8(a) Business Development Program after the companies failed to comply with a request to submit three years of financial records.

Last year, SBA directed all 4,300 companies in the 8(a) Program to provide financial documentation as part of an effort to review program compliance and identify potential abuse. In January, 1,091 firms were suspended after failing to submit the requested information. The 628 firms now facing termination proceedings are among those previously suspended.

According to SBA, the 1,091 suspended firms collectively received approximately $850 million in 8(a) contracts between fiscal years 2021 and 2024, including $637 million in 8(a) set-aside awards.

SBA has also taken additional actions related to the program in recent months. In February, the agency initiated termination proceedings against 154 Washington, D.C.–based 8(a) firms that were determined not to meet economic disadvantage eligibility requirements.

In total, SBA has now initiated termination proceedings for nearly 800 firms, roughly 20 percent of the approximately 4,300 companies in the 8(a) Program when the agency first requested financial documentation.

Legal Corner: GSA’s New Proposed “American AI” Clause for Schedule Contracts: What Contractors Need to Know
The Legal Corner provides the procurement community with an opportunity to share insights and comments on Legal issues of the day. The comments herein do not necessarily reflect the views of The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement.

Authored by Ryan Roberts & Townsend Bourne; Sheppard Mullin

On March 6, 2026, GSA dropped a surprising new proposed GSAR clause it plans to roll into GSA Schedule contracts in the next MAS refresh (Refresh 31, expected late March or April). The clause—GSAR 552.239-7001, “Basic Safeguarding of Artificial Intelligence Systems”—is a big deal for any contractor selling through the Schedules program, and potentially for their subcontractors and “service providers,” too.

GSA released the proposed clause via the Schedule refresh comment process—not through traditional notice-and-comment rulemaking. Thus, there is a very short window to submit feedback—GSA is accepting comments on the proposed clause only through March 20, 2026 (either in the “comments” section of the webpage or to the MAS Program Management Office email (maspmo@gsa.gov)).

This proposed clause builds on a series of laws, Executive Orders, internal policies, and agency guidance, including OMB Memo M-25-22 (Efficient Acquisition of AI in Government; we wrote about it here). It is the latest step in a multi-year federal push to regulate AI procurement and steer agencies toward “American AI Systems”—generally, AI developed and produced in the United States. The proposed GSAR clause would do precisely that—ensure that contractors only use American AI. But, of course, there’s more—the proposed clause also includes multiple compliance obligations for Schedule contractors.

The clause includes the following key compliance requirements for Schedule contractors:

Use only “American AI Systems” in the performance of any GSA Schedule orders
Disclose all AI systems used in performance (whether American or foreign)
Enable human oversight by government officials
Report any incident (as defined by FISMA) within 72 hours and provide daily status updates
Provide a mechanism for government feedback
Provide (upon government request) documentation demonstrating compliance with the clause, including system documentation consistent with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework

Significantly, the clause explicitly states the contractor is responsible for its AI “Service Provider(s),” with “Service Provider” defined as “an entity that directly or indirectly provides, operates, or licenses an AI system but is not a party to the contract. Service Providers may or may not be subcontractors.” (Emphasis added.) Therefore, it appears the substantive compliance obligations extend to indirect use of AI in developing a product or service used in performance of the contract.

Even when using American AI, the proposed GSAR clause includes material restrictions in how a contractor (and/or its Service Provider(s)) uses that AI. There’s a lot to unpack here, but below are some highlights:

The Government owns all Custom Development of the AI System (defined to include modifications, customizations, configurations, or enhancements both to the AI System and any associated implementations or workflows). Practically, this means that the Federal Government is claiming ownership of both the contractor’s code written to implement the use of American AI, as well as any underlying modifications to the American AI Service Provider’s code, if done specifically for the Government under the GSA Schedule order.
The contractor and Service Provider are prohibited from using Government Data (another defined term) to train or improve the AI/ML model.
The contractor and Service Provider are required to segregate Government Data from commercial customers, delete all Government Data upon the conclusion of the Federal contract, and provide a written certification of deletion.
The contractor must make “commercial efforts” to ensure the Service Provider’s AI System follows “Unbiased AI Principles.” This provision may require contractors to renegotiate their commercial agreements with American AI Service Providers.
The proposed clause requires that the license provided by the contractor to the Government permit the Government to use the AI System “for any lawful Government purpose.”
The contractor must notify the Government of certain changes to AI System(s) and/or Service Providers used in performance of the contract.
The Government may suspend use of an AI System for “performance issues.”
The contractor is liable for reasonable decommissioning costs if the Government elects to termination the contract for a failure to comply with the “Unbiased AI Principles.”

The proposed clause states it takes precedence over any other conflicting provision, including the contractor’s commercial terms (such as those in its Terms of Service or End User License Agreement). This is a departure from GSA’s approach over the past decade or so, where GSA has given contractors significant flexibility and made a concerted effort to match commercial software terms, where not prohibited by statute. However, note the proposed clause allows for the parties to “bilaterally supplement or revise” certain sections of the clause (including the IP restrictions)—contractors should be mindful of this and seek to obtain important revisions where possible. Unfortunately, that negotiation flexibility does not extend to the six compliance obligations highlighted above.

GSA is clearly signaling where it wants the Schedules program to go on AI. The question for contractors is whether they can operationalize these new requirements and prohibitions quickly—and whether the final clause will acknowledge how AI is actually built, licensed, and managed in modern software environments. To prepare, contractors should begin inventorying their AI use (both direct and indirect); confirm whether the AI tools they use may qualify as “American AI;” review and prepare for needed updates to subcontract/Service Provider terms; and build incident reporting, segregation/deletion, and documentation processes. And certainly don’t miss the opportunity to provide substantive comments prior to March 20.

IT is not a Commodity: Delivering Mission Value Through the Federal Supply Chain

Authored by Tony Celeste, Executive Director & General Manager; Ingram Micro Public Sector LLC

The comments herein do not necessarily reflect the views of The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement.

Executive Summary:

IT is not a commodity. Almost every solution requires integration, compliance, and mission alignment. Policymakers and acquisition leaders are increasingly treating information technology as if it were interchangeable commercial goods, like pens or paper. Some of this thinking has its roots in category management, which groups diverse IT offerings together and assumes they are essentially the same. This oversimplification is reflected in efforts such as OMB and GSA’s pursuit of centralized price negotiations and centralized acquisition initiatives. These efforts are based on a false assumption that intermediaries such as distributors, Information Technology Value-Added Resellers (ITVARs), and systems integrators add limited advantage, while charging significant markups that only drive higher long-term costs.

Read the full article here.

Off the Shelf – 2025: A Look Back at the Year in Federal Procurement

Bill Gormley, President of The Gormley Group, and Alan Thomas, Founder of Alpha Tango Strategies, joined Off the Shelf to highlight 2025 federal procurement trends and discuss insights for the year ahead.

During the interview, Gormley and Thomas discuss several major issues shaping the acquisition landscape, including the impact of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), consolidation efforts at GSA, the cancellation of CIO-SP4, and the GSA Reseller Request for Information (RFI).

They also share their insights on the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) and examine the establishment of the Office of Centralized Acquisition Services (OCAS) within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service.

Listen to the full podcast here.

Briefing on GSA’s OneGov Initiative and Memory Chip Supply Challenges, March 17

The Coalition is pleased to host a meeting on GSA’s OneGov initiative and memory chip supply challenges with Joel Lundy, GSA Deputy Assistant Commissioner (Acting), Office of Category Management, on March 17 at 1:00 PM (ET). The discussion will provide an overview of:

The OneGov program, its goals for modernizing and streamlining federal IT acquisition, and what it may mean for agencies and industry partners, and
Current Memory Chip Supply Shain Challenges affecting the federal IT market, including the shortage of memory chips, and the impact on technology pricing, availability, and procurement across the federal government.

The meeting will take place at CGI Federal: 1000 N Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22201. Virtual attendance is also available.

GSA is collecting member questions in advance of the meeting to help guide the discussion. Please send your questions to Michael Hanafin at mhanafin@thecgp.org.

To register, click here. For assistance with registration, please contact Mady Whiting at mady.whiting@thecgp.org

Note: This is a members-only event. If you see a message that says “Registration Not Available”, please log in using your member account.

FCP Dialogue with GSA Catalog Management Office, March 18

The Coalition is excited to host a virtual all-member meeting on GSA’s FAS Catalog Platform (FCP). Members will have the opportunity to engage with Peter Han, Director at the Catalog Management Office, Amanda Werb, Supervisory Data Analytics Specialist, and Paula Hance, Procurement Analyst.

The discussion will focus on challenges members have experienced working with FCP. The Coalition has compiled feedback from members to share with GSA here.

If you have any additional topics or questions you would like addressed at the meeting, please email Joseph Snyderwine at JSnyderwine@thecgp.org.

The meeting will be held virtually on March 18 at 10:00 AM ET.

To register, click here. For assistance with registration, please contact Mady Whiting at Mady.Whiting@thecgp.org

Note: This is a members-only event. If you see a message that says “Registration Not Available”, please log in using your member account.

Briefing on GSA’s Office of Centralized Acquisition Services, March 26

The Coalition is pleased to host an all-member meeting with Tom Meiron, GSA Assistant Commissioner of Centralized Acquisition Services, on March 26 at 10:00 AM (ET). During the meeting, Tom will discuss the priorities and initiatives from GSA’s new Office of Centralized Acquisition Services (OCAS).

OCAS was established to modernize how federal agencies buy commonly used products and services. Through an enterprise-wide approach, OCAS aims to reduce duplication, lower costs, and maximize the government’s buying power, supporting key acquisition solutions such as the GSA Multiple Award Schedule and OASIS+.

The meeting will take place at CACI, 12021 Sunset Hills Rd. Reston VA, 20190. Virtual attendance is also available.

GSA is collecting member questions in advance of the meeting to help guide the discussion. Please send your questions to Michael Hanafin at mhanafin@thecgp.org.

To register, click here. For assistance with registration, please contact Mady Whiting at mady.whiting@thecgp.org

Note: This is a members-only event. If you see a message that says “Registration Not Available” below, please log in using your member account.

Cyber Update, April 8

The Coalition’s Cyber & Supply Chain Security Committee will host a meeting on the latest updates on federal cybersecurity policy developments and what they mean for contractors. Our guest speakers will be committee co-chairs Townsend Bourne, Partner at Sheppard Mullin, and Michael Gruden, Partner at Crowell & Moring. The meeting will be held virtually on April 8 at 12:00 PM (ET).

To register, click here. For assistance with registration, please contact Mady Whiting at mady.whiting@thecgp.org

Note: This is a members-only event. If you see a message that says “Registration Not Available” below, please log in using your member account.

Update from GSA’s Office of Professional Services & Human Capital Categories, April 14

The meeting location is TBD. Virtual attendance will also be available.

If you have any additional topics or questions you would like addressed at the meeting, please email Joseph Snyderwine at JSnyderwine@thecgp.org.