GSA dominates PC buys

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	More than half of the computers purchased by the federal government -- $23.8 billion expected for fiscal 2003 -- are procured through the General Services Administration, according to an August report by market research firm Input Inc., Reston, Va. GSA IT sales have doubled since 1999.

More than half of the computers purchased by the federal government -- $23.8 billion expected for fiscal 2003 -- are procured through the General Services Administration, according to an August report by market research firm Input Inc., Reston, Va. GSA IT sales have doubled since 1999.

"Procuring computer systems through the GSA IT Schedule is increasingly becoming the norm for agencies due to the speed and ease of this acquisition vehicle," said Lauren Jones Shu, a senior analyst at Input.

The report also predicted that government spending for computer systems would increase 8 percent annually, from $13.8 billion in fiscal 2003 to more than $20 billion in 2008. Part of the increase comes from a jump in the number of federal workers, including those starting work at the Homeland Security Agency.

Shu said this gain may be short-lived, however, as more of the work force retires.

The report identified Dell Inc., Round Rock, Texas, as having the largest percentage of government computer sales with 17 percent, followed by Northrop Grumman Corp., 8 percent; GTSI Corp., 6 percent; and IBM Corp., 5 percent.

 

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