NGA might pick one vendor to buy hundreds of different software titles for the agency

Rather than interact directly with about one hundred different manufacturers of the software it uses, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is considering the possibility of establishing a Software Asset Management Program under which it would turn over those responsibilities to a commercial vendor.

“NGA is looking for solutions to streamline the purchasing, managing and tracking” of approximately 500 different software titles from about 100 separate manufacturers, according to a Request for Information (RFI) it released last month.

NGA would allocate funding to the winning contractor, which will make purchases on behalf of NGA and then invoice the agency for payment upon making available the requisite licenses and software.

Here are some of the management tasks that NGA would expect the winning bidder to handle:

• Manage the portfolio of software:
• Track renewal dates for software licenses;
• Verify quantities to be renewed;
• Maintain price lists for new purchases and renewals;
• Purchase required software and maintenance licenses;
• Maintain license keys;
• Help identify who is downloading software and licensing keys.

The NGA says it envisions a base performance period of one year plus four one-year option periods.

The issued RFI seeks information from prospective vendors by January 15.

In an attachment to its RFI, the agency lists more than 100 separate manufacturers which, conceivably, might be united under such a consolidated procurement contract.

Further information is available from NGA’s Emily Smallridge at 314-676-0180 or Emily.E.Smallridge@nga.mil.