GSA set to implement merger of acquisition offices

A General Services Administration official said Thursday that the agency is weeks away from implementing the merger of two procurement organizations -- the Federal Supply Service and the Federal Technology Service -- into a single Federal Acquisition Service.

Martin Wagner, acting deputy commissioner of FAS, said the move would help the agency use "economies of process" to improve its purchasing of technology and other goods and services. The House and Senate recently approved legislation to let GSA proceed with the merger of revolving funds from the two units, though a final version of the bill, H.R.2066, has yet to be agreed upon.

Wagner said he has been involved with developing the agency's transition plan since the beginning of 2005. Jim Williams, the newly selected FAS commissioner, has now reviewed the plan, Wagner said, and a move to implementation mode could begin in as little as a week.

Describing standardized and interoperable business processes as "where the world is going," Wagner said GSA has a new focus on ensuring contracting procedures are consistent. Previously, he said, the agency's emphasis was on specialization within different contracting areas. This led to good results in particular areas, but came at the expense of business processes overall.

Wagner said the old approach was sometimes confusing to industry, and contributed to inconsistent application of contracting rules. The Defense Department and GSA have been locked in a battle over different interpretations of laws on the timeline for spending single-year money, which was partially resolved in May with a decision to use the Defense interpretation in future contracts.

"Our goal is to make things really, really simple and straightforward so that businesses won't need as much legal advice," Wagner said at a luncheon, drawing laughs from an audience consisting largely of lawyers from government contracting practices.

GSA is working to meet a commitment by its administrator, Lurita Doan, to bring the average time to get listed on its contracting schedules down to 30 days from a current average of 100 days. Wagner said the effort to simplify includes clarifying expectations for vendors so they are fully prepared when they begin the process.

There are procedures that should not be completed online, however, Wagner said. He noted that in some cases a business relationship is needed to ensure that both parties understand the agreements they are entering.

Wagner said the agency has moved on from its Get It Right program, which focused on compliance with contracting laws in the wake of procurement abuses discovered in 2003, though elements of it have been incorporated elsewhere. The program was unpopular with GSA customers who found it slowed the procurement process, and contributed to a downturn in FSS business as agencies looked elsewhere for contracting services.

New stability lies ahead for GSA, because long-empty positions have been filled with the June confirmation of Doan as administrator and Williams' selection as FAS commissioner, Wagner said.