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.
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.
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