GSA outlines new acquisition organization

The General Services Administration has proposed merging its two main contracting units-the Federal Technology Service and the Federal Supply Service-into a single organization made up of a number of "customer focused" units, according to a draft reorganization plan GSA released Thursday.

The commissioner of the new Federal Acquisition Service will report directly to the GSA administrator, according to the plan. The commissioner will manage a team that consists of "business portfolio managers," who are responsible for product and service delivery in three areas-integrated technology services, general supplies and services, and travel and property disposal. GSA Administrator Stephen Perry said in a statement, "The key goal for the new Federal Acquisition Service is to improve our organizational capability to efficiently and effectively deliver excellent acquisition services that provide best value for our federal agency customers and the American taxpayers."

GSA plans to hold a meeting with industry representatives on June 13 to hear their comments on the draft plan. Some industry groups have accused GSA of failing to solicit their opinions. GSA said in the draft that it had conducted "an intensive process of obtaining and weighing input and ideas from our managers, customers, suppliers, and other policy makers."

The core of the new acquisition service is the three business portfolios, which will manage contracts that are, in some cases, centrally controlled now.

The integrated technology services portfolio will combine GSA's existing technology, professional services and telecommunications business lines, managing multiple-award schedules, governmentwide acquisition contracts and related services in these areas, as well as single-agency contracts "where appropriate," the plan stated.

The general supplies and services portfolio combines operations that acquire "a broad range of commercial products and some closely related services," according to the plan. The portfolio will include GSA's global supply business line, along with freight transportation and management of schedules contracts for non-technology products and related services.

The travel and personal property disposal services portfolio will include GSA's travel, relocation, vehicle purchasing and leasing, card services and personal property disposal businesses.

The Federal Acquisition Service will have an information technology director and a controller, as well as regional members, including the current GSA regional administrators and a new set of regional executives, the plan stated.

In addition to the three business portfolios, GSA proposed creating a "customer relationship management" organization and an "acquisition management" function. The customer organization "will perform customer account management services and provide customers with information about the range of acquisition vehicles and solutions" that the new acquisition service will offer. It will also operate a call center and Web portal for customers.

"Customer account representatives will be designated for specific government departments," the plan stated. In turn, those individuals "will supervise national account teams supporting buyers within the departments and the subordinate agencies and bureaus." The customer organization will also offer customers data and develop analysis about their purchasing patterns.

The acquisition management organization will be headed by a chief acquisition officer, an existing position, who will report directly to the GSA administrator. The acquisition official will establish all GSA acquisition policy and oversee its implementation, the plan stated. The acquisition management organization also will also monitor all "operating practices and activities" to ensure they're in line with directives and are consistent across the business portfolios and the regions. In another key part of the reorganization, GSA has proposed combining the financial management functions of the Federal Technology Service and Federal Supply Service. The new office will "comprehensively evaluate and rationalize…fees for each business line and activity to ensure best value for customer and full cost recovery of services," according to the plan. In the past, FTS has been criticized for charging high service fees. The plan also creates a new Office of the Chief Information Officer to "provide strategic leadership and oversight for information technology service delivery within GSA."