“Easy to Find, Easy
to Buy” – Envisioning the Next Step for Cloud Computing on IT Schedule 70
Excerpted from Mary
Davie’s “Great Government through Technology” GSA Blog
GSA
has led efforts to create a 21st century government, including introducing
cloud to federal agencies. We offer a variety of contract vehicles that help
agencies streamline acquisition of cloud technologies, including IT Schedule
70, the Email as a Service and Infrastructure as a Service Blanket Purchase
Agreements (BPAs), and Government wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) like
Alliant and Alliant Small Business.
As
the cloud marketplace is maturing, we are seeing an increased focus on IT
Schedule 70 as one of the main acquisition vehicles for agencies.
IT
Schedule 70 is already the largest, most widely used IT acquisition vehicle in
the federal government, and we are continuously looking to improve what it
offers. One area we are exploring is looking for ways to help customers find
and buy cloud services.
For
example, we are considering the creation of a single Special Item Number (SIN)
for all cloud services that would provide clear cloud technology
differentiation for customers and improve ease of access to acquire cloud services.
We recently released a request for information, seeking industry input on this
idea.
IT
Schedule 70 already offers cloud services, and our industry partners have cloud
offerings in several SINs, so why create a new SIN?
Through
customer dialogue and market research, an integrated team of acquisition,
technology, and program experts across the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) has
identified that there would be benefits to creating a Cloud SIN to all parties
involved:
· GSA Customers – Clear differentiation of
cloud services vs. non-cloud IT products and services, and empowered cloud
buying through better data
· Industry Partners – Opportunity to market
distinctive solutions and offerings on IT Schedule 70
· Internal GSA Operations – Enable more granular
reporting on cloud sales to enable decision making, and help our customers buy
better through data
The
goal of this new SIN would be to provide clear cloud technology differentiation
and ease of customer access through systems such as eBuy and GSA Advantage!
Since
SINs create logical categories of services within a Schedule, we envision the
creation of a Cloud Computing Services SIN will provide a level of
differentiation for customers that would more easily and clearly identify cloud
services. Additionally, GSA could establish a set of qualifying
requirements that would help customers in identifying cloud services that meet
acceptable standards around security, data, and other characteristics.
We
are always looking for ways to make sure that doing business with us is as easy
and reliable as possible. We believe that adding a Cloud Computing Services SIN
would realign IT Schedule 70 cloud technology offerings to better reflect the
current cloud computing market and satisfy customer needs.
The
cloud market is sufficiently mature to offer differentiated and vetted cloud
services through a single SIN, and this makes sense for both GSA customer
agencies and industry partners. We are looking for feedback to make sure we get
it right and look forward to the conversation. Read the RFI.
Mary Davie’s Biography
Mary Davie is the Assistant Commissioner for the Office of
Integrated Technology Services (ITS) in GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service
(FAS). The Federal Acquisition Service provides buying platforms and
acquisition services to federal, state and local governments for everything
from office supplies to motor vehicles to information technology and
telecommunications products and services.
As the ITS Assistant Commissioner, Mary is responsible for
the largest fee-for-service information technology (IT) procurement and
services operation in the U.S. government. Mary leads a highly skilled and
diverse workforce that manages more than 7,000 contracts, providing access to
relevant and timely IT and telecommunications products, services, and solutions
to defense and civilian agencies, as well as to state, local, and tribal
governments.
Before her current position, Mary served as Assistant
Commissioner for Assisted Acquisition Services, responsible for managing the
acquisition of $3.5B in information technology and professional services
products, services and solutions to federal agencies worldwide.
Mary has also served as the Acting Assistant Commissioner
for marketing and business development in FAS. Mary led business development
and marketing efforts intended to increase agency awareness and satisfaction
with GSA products, services and solutions. She was responsible for developing
strategy, planning for new business, and leading teams to develop
customer-focused, integrated solutions.
Mary is an active advocate of the use of Web 2.0 and social
media tools to improve government acquisition. She was a founding member of the
Better Buy Project and has
contributed to the Better Buy Blog.
Mary began her career with GSA in 1989. She has two Bachelor
of Science degrees in business finance and business management from Virginia
Tech, and a Master’s of Business Administration with a focus in technology
management from the University of Phoenix.
No comments:
Post a Comment