GSA plans to revamp its cloud offerings and consolidate cloud acquisitions into a single vehicle where agencies can compare alternatives.
The GSA Cloud Computing Services program office is looking for industry feedback on how the consolidated approach should operate.
GSA describes the scope of the contract as encompassing “all cloud computing services and cloud computing service-based solutions.”
The contract encompasses all components necessary for implementing a complete cloud computing solution while allowing ancillary services for planning, development, implementation and support. The contract shall support all cloud computing service models including Infrastructure-, Platform-, and Software as-a-Service and all deployment models such as Public, Private, Community, and Hybrid.
This effort follows several earlier attempts to rationalize cloud acquisitions at GSA as depicted in the following time line:
Our views: It is not at all clear how this proposed, consolidated cloud vehicle ties in, if at all, with the broader category management initiative. It is also not clear whether procurements under this new vehicle would be subject to the proposed GSA rule to mandate transactional data reports though on online reporting system. [1]
The reporting categories being contemplated by the new Transactional Data Reporting requirements do not map with the types of services and offerings provided by cloud service providers.
It is also unclear whether this evolution will actually serve to accelerate cloud acquisitions, or will merely serve to confuse federal customers with yet another muddled acquisition vehicle.
If you or your organization would like additional details, please contact Mike Hettinger, Hettinger Strategy Group LLC at (703) 254-6257 or Rich Beutel, Cyrrus Analytics, LLC 703.660.1222
[1] GSAR Subpart 552.216.
