GSA seeks bids for telecom deals worth $93M

The General Services Administration is filling gaps for wireless telecommunications services not available through its Networx contract while linking them to a governmentwide strategic sourcing initiative.

The agency is seeking indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, firm fixed-price bids for six new multiple-award contracts for wireless telecom expense management (TEM) services. The contracts are worth about $93 million, according to a May 24 request for proposals.

The contracts span two years with three one-year options. GSA intends to award two contracts to small businesses, the RFP states.

GSA wants to offer a streamlined process for ordering TEM services to federal agencies interested in lowering the cost of using and managing commercial wireless services. The project is part of the Office of Management and Budget's Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative (FSSI).

Representatives of about 14 federal agencies serve on the FSSI Wireless Team, which aims to establish a common procurement vehicle through which agencies can buy wireless TEM services. In addition to reducing costs, the team wants to support overall decision-making, according to the RFP.

Paul Denett, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, wrote in a May 22 memo that during the planning phase for the TEM acquisition, some agencies saved more than $1.5 million a year by assessing their wireless device inventories, refreshing calling plans and pooling minutes.

"We strongly encourage agencies to focus on governmentwide solutions first," he wrote. He said he wants agencies considering significant acquisitions for express and ground domestic delivery services, office supplies, TEM, printers or copiers to check FSSI offerings first.

Denett also wrote that agencies are institutionalizing strategic sourcing processes. Specifically, they are establishing governance structures, identifying improved acquisition strategies and measuring their performance.

"These steps are changing the way agencies do business and are resulting in improvements," he wrote.

Matthew Weigelt writes for Federal Computer Week, an 1105 Government Information Group publication.