Federal Acquisition Service

The President’s Management Agenda calls on federal agencies to meet twin goals of reducing government spending and improving performance. With these outcomes in mind, GSA Former Administrator Perry announced in summer 2005 the agency’s plan to restructure some of its primary functions.

The most significant outcome of this reorganization is a new GSA Service, the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). FAS is the consolidation of GSA’s Federal Technology Service (FTS) and Federal Supply Service (FSS). Many factors led to the planned reorganization, including shifting customer needs, an evolution in how agencies acquire technology products and services, and a greater emphasis on GSA’s role in federal procurement.

The FAS organization has 10 program areas:

• Office of Administration - manages human capital planning and analysis, competitive sourcing program management, emergency management, employee development and training, space management and other service-wide managerial and administrative functions.


• Office of Acquisition Management - ensures that GSA’s activities are fully compliant with federal laws, regulations, and policies, and that operating practices are consistent across business lines and regions.


• Office of Assisted Acquisition Services - complements the programs of the Integrated Technology Services portfolio by providing acquisition, technical and project management services that assist agencies in acquiring and deploying information technology and professional services solutions


• Office of the Chief Information Officer - develops and manages applications and systems in support of the needs of the FAS business lines and staff offices in accordance with policy established by the GSA Chief Information Officer.


• Office of the Controller - delivers financial and business information to FAS leaders and program managers to ensure sound resource and business decisions are made.


• Office of Customer Accounts and Research - enables GSA to better understand customer requirements and become a strategic partner in helping agencies meet their acquisition needs.


• Office of Integrated Technology Services - groups together in one portfolio the GSA business lines that acquire information technology, telecommunications, and professional services.


• Office of General Supplies and Services - groups together in one portfolio the GSA business lines that acquire a broad range of commercial products and closely-related services, as well as some specialized logistics-based activities.


• Office of Travel, Motor Vehicles, and Card Services - groups together in one portfolio GSA business lines that share commonalities and can provide opportunities for synergy and scale.


• Office of Strategic Business Planning and Process Improvement - provides a strategic vision for all of FAS, consistent with the overall GSA strategic vision, and also a consistent set of tools to help achieve the vision.

Benefits from the establishment of FAS include a deeper understanding by GSA of customer requirements; stronger management of the agency’s acquisition processes and programs; and greater integration of GSA business lines to provide multiple channels for customers to acquire the products, services, and solutions they need. The intended outcome is a GSA organization that is capable of delivering excellent acquisition services efficiently and effectively and providing value to federal customers and the American taxpayer.