OFPP promotes portal

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy last week sent a draft memorandum

to the Federal Procurement Executive Council asking it to push along plans

to create an Internet site that government contractors and companies interested

in federal business could use to find solicitations and other information.

In the draft memo, OFPP asks the Council's Electronic Commerce Committee

to gather agency comments and resolve any outstanding issues they may have

regarding the Electronic Posting System in anticipation of a Federal Register

notice expected to be issued later this year proposing EPS as a single point

of entry for government business opportunities.

EPS is an Internet site where agencies post synopses and solicitations.

The site provides vendors with online access to business opportunities throughout

government and sends companies e-mail notifications related to a specific

area of business interest. At least 14 agencies are using EPS, even though

OFPP has not mandated its use.

The General Services Administration is responsible for enhancing EPS

so that it can be used on a governmentwide basis.

"We have been marching down the road, taking care of any technology

concerns or any technology enhancements that people have raised as being

necessary prior to [EPS] being designated" as the single point of entry,

said Mary Mitchell, deputy associate administrator of GSA's Office of Electronic

Commerce.

GSA has already introduced enhancements to EPS such as integrating it

with the Small Business Administration's ProNet system and beefing up security

to include a redundant site with firewalls, Mitchell said.