The General Services Administration could take over a NASA governmentwide acquisition contract that specializes in powerful information technology for science and engineering chores, if GSA Administrator Lurita Doan gets her wish.
“GSA is the premier location for procurement, and what we want to do is allow agencies to focus on their core mission,” Doan said. Handling the contract, Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement, distracts NASA’s resources from the agency's primary purpose, Doan said.
“NASA’s core mission is not to provide IT products and services to the government and the public,” she said.
Doan said she has not spoken with NASA officials yet, because SEWP is currently requesting the authority from the Office of Management and Budget for SEWP IV, the planned new version of the contract.
The Bush administration is against having a large number of contracts spread across the government, she said. The administration believes that is not in the best interest of the American people or a good use of taxpayer dollars.
“I, of course, 100 percent support that,” she said. Some other agencies also have GWACs.
When asked about the likelihood of such a changeover, Doan said: “I never say never.”
She plans to call NASA soon about the deal but gave no specific time.
“It will be interesting to see if they take the call,” she said.
A NASA spokeswoman declined to comment.
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