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GSA Contract Reporting to Change in October

Federal Procurement Data System goes 'next generation'

Information about federal contract awards -- formerly compiled and provided by the General Services Administration -- will soon be forwarded by federal agencies directly to The Federal Procurement Data System Next Generation (FPDS-NG) system run by Global Computer Enterprises for compilation and distribution. The outsourcing has some people worried about access and fees, according to media reports. The Federal Procurement Data System database is used by vendors to keep tabs on competitors, and by researchers to follow the expenditure of tax dollars.

Federal sources say the new database -- scheduled to begin in October -- will provide faster access to data that contains fewer errors. A federal spokesman, quoted in a Washington Post article, said that access fees are being negotiated and may be higher than those charged by the GSA, but scoffed at reports of fees 10 times current levels. Many reports will be free, he said, and federal agencies and members of Congress can search for free.
Wayne E. Hanson served as a writer and editor with e.Republic from 1989 to 2013, having worked for several business units including Government Technology magazine, the Center for Digital Government, Governing, and Digital Communities. Hanson was a juror from 1999 to 2004 with the Stockholm Challenge and Global Junior Challenge competitions in information technology and education.