GSA Issues RFQ for Cloud Services

A special notice posted by the General Services Administration on FedBizOps contains the first set of requirements for vendors interested in offering cloud computing services through GSA's online cloud storefront.

The notice, dated July 30, outlines what will be expected of vendors seeking to offer software as a service on the storefront:

The contractor will be responsible for provisioning, securing, monitoring and maintaining the hardware, network(s) and software that support the infrastructure that is offered. In addition the contractor will be responsible for the security of the operating system (OS) and any additional software (i.e., any database management systems), including the applications provided.

For low- and moderate-risk systems, vendors also will need to be able to provide documentation proving their services are secure:

The contractor must prepare and provide required documentation that describes the security mechanisms and processes used to maintain a secure environment. The contractor must also provide evidence of an independent assessment of these mechanisms, processes and documents. GSA's Federal Acquisition Service security staff will be available for consultation during the process. . . . GSA may choose to inspect the infrastructure and security test results before issuing the decision.

Since taking office, chief information officer Vivek Kundra has been an evangelist for cloud computing, touting the approach as the best way to combat the rising costs and repeated delays that have hampered federal IT procurement. Earlier this year, GSA issued request for information documents for both infrastructure and software as a service, asking vendors to provide information on their capabilities. A request for quotes for infrastructure as a service is expected at some point during the next few weeks.

While GSA has yet to clarify what will be the primary vehicle for agencies seeking to purchase cloud services, the two RFIs earlier this year were posted on the IT Schedule 70, which seems to be the likely home of the cloud computing storefront. After a speech by Kundra in July, where he first announced the idea, Coalition for Government Procurement President Larry Allen told me the storefront would likely make use of GSA Advantage, which allows users to browse products offered on the schedules using an interface similar to commercial sites like Amazon.com. However, Allen said, Advantage is 15 years old and in need of an update.

Vendors interested in offering cloud services to the government would be wise to pay attention to GSA's eBuy system in the coming weeks, where the agency is expected to post both cloud RFQs.