The General Services Administration (GSA) is constantly creating programs and platforms to help make the acquisition process more efficient. From procurement platforms like GSA Advantage! and GSA eBuy, to catalog management initiatives like the upcoming Verified Products Portal (VPP), GSA has myriad resources out there to help GSA contractors succeed in the federal marketplace. One of these resources is the Assisted Services Information System (ASSIST).

What could the future with 5G look like? Imagine you’re getting ready for work. You start your day with a workout with your virtual reality goggles. With each calorie you burn and every slight escalation of your heart rate, the data is collected and sent to an app on your phone so you can track your performance. You leave your house and get into the backseat of a driverless taxicab. The car in front of you brakes quickly to avoid a pedestrian. The cars communicate to each other signaling danger up ahead, so your cab automatically slows down, avoiding a crash.

Cybersecurity concerns can reach high levels of national security especially if they pertain to the federal government. Past data breaches like the recent SolarWinds hack have proven it’s important for the federal government to set cybersecurity standards for government contractors. One critical aspect of government networks is cloud services. In Fiscal Year 2020, federal agencies spent over $6 billion on cloud computing, making it an important part of federal procurement. All Cloud Service Providers selling to the federal government must meet proven security standards established through FedRAMP.

GSA Schedule contractors have dealt with a lot of changes recently - from the three phases of the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Consolidation to the recent MAS Solicitation Refresh #5, it can be a lot to keep up with. One of the newest updates to eOffer and eMod is part of GSA’s IT modernization efforts to support security and provide solutions that are recognized internationally.

At the height of the Cold War in 1962, U.S. officials conducted the Starfish Prime Test where they detonated a 1.4 megaton bomb above the Pacific Ocean causing irreparable damage to electronics over 870 miles away. This is when everyone started to realize the detrimental effects Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs) could have on our technologically dependent society. Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs) are short bursts of electromagnetic energy that can swiftly damage or destroy electronics. They can come in many different forms whether manmade as a weapon of war or natural from a rare super storm, but the big picture is the same – they can pose as a great threat to our nation.

Supporting American-made products and services is a Bipartisan effort. Within his first week in office, President Biden has shown he wants to invest in the U.S. economy by signing an Executive Order to strengthen the 'Buy American' rules established by the Federal Government. A similar Executive Order was signed by the previous administration to support the 'Buy American' agenda, but Biden's plan has more specific regulations. President Biden’s 'Made in America' Executive Order outlines the exact requirements moving forward in federal procurement with hopes to spur the U.S. economy.