GSA moves closer to competing Dun numbers contract

The General Services Administration is seeking alternatives for the Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) unique numbering system.

GSA hopes industry’s insights will help to define the requirements in a forthcoming solicitation for these governmentwide entity identification and validation services.

The agency released a request for information to get the feedback on the draft performance work statement for the services.

Vicky Niblett, GSA’s deputy assistant commissioner of integrated award environment, expects GSA to release a final solicitation in the second quarter of fiscal year 2018.

The solicitation will meet the need for validation of information, assignment, and maintenance of the unique numbering system, which identifies specific commercial, nonprofit, or government entities. These services are provided by D&B, but its contract with GSA ends in 2018.

GSA is exploring all viable means of continuing to meet its ongoing need for entity identification and validation services after the contract’s expiration.

“Industry and other stakeholder engagement is a key success factor in a complex acquisition such as this,” Niblett said.

This is the second RFI released by GSA to get feedback regarding the future structure of these services. GSA said its first RFI received numerous responses.

GSA has its interact.gsa.gov forum for online discussions about the options ideas. It also posted the second RFI Oct. 19. Responses are due by Nov. 20. Email entityvalidation@gsa.gov with RFI-related inquiries.