GSA issues RFI for Earth observation solutions

By Loren Blinde March 6, 2017

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On March 3, the General Services Administration released a request for information on Earth Observation Services (EOS). Responses are due by March 8 at 5:00pm EST.

GSA is exploring the use of its IT Services Category Portfolio components to meet the next generation acquisition of Earth Observation services using GSA’s IT Schedule 70, the largest and most widely used acquisition vehicle in the federal government. IT Schedule 70 is an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) multiple award contract program, providing direct access to products and services supporting ITC. The Special Item Numbers (SINs) – which represent the categories of products and services available can be viewed at GSA eLibrary. The earth observation industry has experienced accelerated growth with established companies as well as new entrants and newly deployed and acquired satellites. GSA is seeking to provide a one-stop-shop, as new commercial imagery providers and solutions emerge in the market, to meet the needs of federal, state, and local governments.

GSA is considering a new Special Item Number (SIN) under IT Schedule 70 specifically for Earth Observation Solutions (EOS).

The purpose of adding an Earth Observation Solutions (EOS) SIN would be to:

Address the federal government’s growing need for earth observation services which unite multiple technologies including satellite imagery/communication, IT security, and content management/distribution.

Enhance IT Schedule 70 offerings for increased visibility and rapid access to commercially available imagery, data, services and capabilities.

Provide industry partners the opportunity to differentiate their Geospatial Earth Observation Solutions from other IT related offerings.

Meet the needs of federal, state, and local agencies to make strategic decisions and bring the full value and benefits of category management to government.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) recently implemented the Commercial Initiative to Buy Operationally Responsive GEOINT (CIBORG) Program. NGA and GSA have created a partnership to leverage the schedules and contractual instruments to enable commercial purchases for geospatial earth observation data, products, and services. The Government, to include the National-Geospatial Intelligence Agency, and other agencies, are interested in establishing a Government-wide Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for commercial geospatial solutions.