GSA back on track, Doan says

Lurita Doan wants everyone to know that the General Services Administration has gotten its “groove back.” From repairing its relationship with the Defense Department to its ongoing merger of the Federal Acquisition Service to staying on schedule for its $48 billion Networx  governmentwide telecommunications acquisition contract award as early as this week, Doan said GSA has made significant progress in the past 10 months. “There is change in the air and innovative and new ideas all around,” Doan said today at the FOSE trade show in Washington, D.C. “People criticized GSA 10 months ago, saying we had lost touch with our customers, and we were timid. But we have made significant progress since then, and you can feel the energy.” And even as controversy swirls around the administrator, Doan  remains positive. “Some days are like eating ice cream, and others are truly challenging,” Doan said today during a radio interview with WFED at FOSE. One of those truly challenging days will be March 28, when the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee holds its rescheduled hearing titled, Allegations of Misconduct at the General Services Administration, at 10 a.m. Doan is expected to testify about her contracting troubles. Despite this scrutiny, Doan said GSA’s most significant accomplishments include obtaining a clean audit from the agency’s IG and earning six green scores on the financial-management score card from the Office of Management and Budget. GSA also shortened the time it takes for vendors to receive a Federal Supply Schedule contract from as many as 150 days to less than 30 days . “It wasn’t easy to do, because it is change and real transformation,” she said. “But we did it.” Doan didn’t give much of a hint about Networx, except to say it still is on schedule to be awarded this month. “The process is almost done,” she said. “What is exciting about Networx, beyond the award, is [that] it is a complete solution for the entire government.” GSA’s other highly visible contracts -- Alliant and Alliant Small Business GWACs, Satellite Communications 2 and the Washington Interagency Telecommunications Services 3 awards -- also are all on schedule to be awarded in three to eight months. “GSA is listening and willing to meet the agency challenges,” she said.