GSA, DISA team on satellite services contract

The General Services Administration and the Defense Information Systems Agency today announced they will partner to offer a $5 billion, 10-year multiple-award schedule and indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, offering satellite services to defense and civilian agencies as well as state, local and tribal governments.

The new contract, which GSA expects to award, beginning in the second quarter of 2011, will effectively consolidate multiple other existing satellite services contracts, which are close to their expiration dates.

DISA director Lt. Gen. Carroll Pollett and GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner James Williams signed a memorandum of agreement July 28 to combine the acquisition efforts.

GSA and DISA held industry meetings this morning with representatives from more than 150 agencies and 50 providers to discuss the new vehicle.

The unified effort will inherently save agencies money, DISA and GSA representatives said, because agencies won’t have to spend time and money shopping for satellite services, and by combining buying power the agencies can secure a lower price than agencies are currently paying.

“Why manage separate contract vehicles that offer essentially the same services when we can combine forces?” said Tony Montemarano, DISA’s component acquisition executive.

The federal government increasingly relies on commercial satellite communications to provide essential, secure communications to disaster recovery teams, domestic emergency responders and the warfighter. Services are also used to support distance learning and remote access to global government networks.