GSA wants input on cyber services buying

GSA has asked federal buyers and commercial providers about how to renovate four crucial cybersecurity services on its biggest IT purchasing schedule.

network monitoring (nmedia/Shutterstock.com)
 

The General Services Administration launched what it's calling the "next phase" of four of its most critical cybersecurity services listed on its biggest IT purchasing platform.

In two requests for information released in mid-May, the agency asked federal users and commercial suppliers of the four Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) how to modernize those offerings.

It's been a little more than a year and a half since GSA rolled out penetration testing, incident response, risk and vulnerability assessment and a crisis response service dubbed "cyber hunt."

In the 2016 launch, the agency had more than 40 suppliers offering services through special item numbers (SINs) on IT Schedule 70. GSA said it would evaluate additional vendors and add them on a rolling basis.

The two new RFIs ask industry and federal users about how the four SINs have fared so far and whether any more should be added or taken down. They also ask for more information from companies that chose not to go after an award under the SINs and how they market cybersecurity services.

In a May 29 blog post on the effort, Kay Ely, assistant commissioner, of GSA's Office of Information Technology Category, said the "program is entering its next phase: HACS Modernization."

GSA plans a stakeholder event on June 18 to talk with industry and federal customers about the services.