The General Services Administration is in talks with the Defense Information Systems Agency about the possible launch of a commercial cloud computing service-focused governmentwide acquisition contract, Federal News Radio reported Thursday.
Jared Serbu GSA and DISA are exploring the possibility of introducing a cloud procurement vehicle that would be similar to the Networx telecommunications GWAC.
“The idea, very simply is this: is cloud sufficiently defined as a market? And is it sufficiently different that, like Networx, it needs a contract that’s focused on the types of terms and conditions, the bidding and everything else you need to make it work right?” Mark Day, deputy assistant commissioner for GSA’s office of integrated technology services, was quoted as saying.
Day added he believes a new contracting tool makes sense because more agencies seek to adopt cloud-based information technology infrastructure through platform-as-a-service and software-as-a-service offerings, the station reports.
He also observed many customer agencies looking at strategies to access and apply intellectual property rights of a managed service provider’s technology if necessary, the report said.
