Following House approval of the General Services
Administration Modernization Act, GSA has released a
design proposal for its new Federal Acquisition Service,
combining the Federal Supply Service and the Federal
Technology Service.
According to the proposal, the FAS commissioner will have
authority and responsibility for FAS throughout GSA,
including the responsibility to consistently apply
policies, procedures and operating practices at the
national office and FAS field activities units.
An FAS management team would consist of the commissioner
and others at the national program level, including business
portfolio managers – for acquisitions – an FAS controller
and IT director, as well as regional members, including GSA
regional administrators and FAS regional executives.
The act authorizes GSA to appoint five regional executives
to ensure management control over acquisitions. The House
Government Reform Committee noted that individual GSA regions
have been the subject of inspector general reports revealing
evidence of mismanagement.
Under the proposed structure, a customer relationship
management organization would assess customer requirements
for acquisition services and help FAS meet them. Customer
account representatives would be designated for specific
government departments and supervise national account teams
supporting the buyers within the departments and subordinate
agencies and bureaus.
GSA has scheduled a June 13 meeting with industry representatives
about the design, and is looking to finalize plan for all FTS
and FSS business lines and administrative functions by July.
A companion to the House bill has not yet been introduced in
the Senate.
