The General Services Administration (GSA) said it is moving “full steam ahead” with its new ASCEND governmentwide cloud computing initiative, as it released two requests for information (RFI) last week that offer additional details about the program.
The ASCEND Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is being established as a one-stop shop for agencies to acquire cloud computing products and services.
“GSA repeatedly hears customers say that they want and need an acquisition vehicle that addresses cloud-specific technologies and requirements, offers a less complicated way to buy them, and provides standardized security and data management features,” Laura Stanton, assistant commissioner for GSA’s Office of Information Technology Category, wrote in a blog post.
Stanton further explained that GSA is designing ASCEND to simplify and standardize the acquisition process while streamlining how Federal customers and contractors navigate security and data ownership requirements.
ASCEND is structured into three pools: pool one is dedicated to infrastructure-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service cloud solutions, pool two targets software-as-a-service (SaaS) cloud offerings, and pool three is centered on cloud-related IT professional services.
In May, GSA released a draft solicitation for ASCEND’s pool one, which centers on infrastructure-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service offerings. The contract, expected to last up to eight years, is anticipated to attract bids from global hyperscale cloud providers.
“We’re closer to releasing a final solicitation of Ascend Pool 1, which covers the basic BPA requirements and Infrastructure as a Service/Platform as a Service requirements through three subpools. We recognize how important your invaluable feedback is through your responses to our requests for information, draft performance work statement and the draft solicitation,” Stanton wrote.
“We are still working through minor adjustments. We plan to send out another draft solicitation and hold another industry day before issuing the final solicitation,” she continued.
The RFIs released last week focus on pool two and three.
In the RFI targeting pool two, GSA invites vendors to provide feedback on the benefits, barriers, and challenges related to this track’s key priorities. The SaaS component of ASCEND is composed of three sub-pools – office productivity and collaboration tools, customer relationship management and IT systems management, and IT asset management.
The RFI for pool three encompasses a broad scope, divided into three sub-pools – application rationalization, multi-cloud management, and cloud migration and operations.
For application rationalization, GSA is looking for support in evaluating and preparing agencies for migrating applications and IT assets to commercial cloud solutions. Regarding multi-cloud management, GSA seeks feedback on establishing and overseeing tools and services for managing multiple infrastructures. Finally, for the cloud migration and operations sub-pool, GSA wants insights into the transfer and management of applications and assets within specific cloud environments.
Responses to the RFIs are due by Sept. 20.
