Security concerns and changing marketplace make GSA rethink cloud computing plan

A rapidly changing marketplace and security concerns are behind the General Services Administration's decision to cancel its cloud computing request for quotations, an agency official said on Monday.

"There have been many developments, including more industry players, more diverse product offerings, and more market experience by both industry and government since the original RFQ was issued 11 months ago," said Dave McClure, associate administrator for GSA's Office of Citizen Services and Communications. GSA withdrew the Infrastructure as a Service RFQ on Feb. 25. The proposal was part of a strategy to move information technology services to a shared mobile platform.

"[Eleven months] is a lifetime in cloud computing," said Olga Grkavac, executive vice president for the public sector at the IT industry association TechAmerica.

The new RFQ will allow the federal cloud computing initiative to evolve with the market, McClure said. It also will provide a safer hosting environment for government data by using moderate rather than low-level information security requirements developed by the National Institute for Standards and Technology.

The previous procurement should be closed within the next eight to 10 days, McClure said, after which GSA will work with vendors and agencies to develop a new RFQ. He added GSA doesn't anticipate major changes in service offerings. "In short, we expect to conduct an expedient process that is done right," he said.

Industry is hoping the process moves quickly, Grkavac said, but it is important that security issues are addressed in the process.

"If there are concerns, it's obviously better to do it right," she said.