Back in April of 2000, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that Digital Signature Trust Company has received the first interim approval to operate on the Access Certificates for Electronic Services (ACES) contract. This breakthrough was phenomenal because it rapidly sped up the processes of schedule acquisition, maintenance, and compliance more broadly. The ACES contract is currently managed by the Office of Information Security in GSA's Federal Technology Service.

The GSA Information Technology (IT) Schedule 70 is not a traditional government contract. The GSA Schedules Program is meant to screen and approve specific products and services sold by contractors at fair and reasonable prices to customer agencies. Being one of the larger contracts across the federal government, and as the top-grossing vehicle out of all the GSA Schedules, Schedule 70 is used by GSA customers to fulfill their IT product and service needs, because it significantly reduces time spent on the procurement process. Most IT product, software and/or service companies wanting to sell to government customers have heard of or considered obtaining a Schedule 70 contract, and Winvale is breaking down the To-Do List:

Just a few days into 2018, it’s clear that blockchain technology and cryptocurrency are hot topics whose popularity will continue to surge. In 2017, at times it seemed impossible to escape a discussion with peers about how we wish we’d invested in Bitcoin starting in 2009. The spike in public interest in blockchain-based cryptocurrency has nearly everyone taking note – now even the U.S. Government. What makes cryptocurrency so valuable is the underlying technology it depends on, called blockchain. Blockchain could have a dramatic impact on internet security and communications moving forward.

Networking with government buyers and other contractors can drive business success in 2018. Now is a great time to take a NEW approach to networking beyond the usual tactics. So, how do you capture the attention of decision makers in more innovative ways? Networking channels and tactics have changed as agencies now reach out to the private sector for help driving their missions. Last week’s HHS hackathon addressing the opoid crisis with data is just one example.

Strengthening the security of federal networks, systems, and data is one of the most important challenges federal agencies face. Therefore, the General Services Administration (GSA) is changing how it provides access to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)'s cybersecurity program through the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program. GSA's newest Schedule 70 Special Item Number (SIN) 132-44, Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation Tools, is a dynamic approach to strengthening the cybersecurity of government networks and systems. The jointly administered program by DHS and the GSA currently operates under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) which will expire in August, 2018. The GSA began the BPA-to-GSA transition process by adding the SIN 132-44 to IT Schedule 70.

Last month, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that there are some major changes coming to several of their Schedule solicitations.