Open Source Enables the Integrated Award Environment to Deliver Innovative Solutions

Did you know the Integrated Award Environment (IAE) is now open source? It's true - IAE has joined other General Services Administration (GSA) programs and federal agencies in making the move from proprietary to open source data for its technologic foundation. Open source software is software that is freely available, with source code that can be modified or changed by anyone using it.

This initiative creates endless possibilities - it means that IAE can work with multiple vendors, and can keep pace with ever-changing technology trends and developments.

"Open source technology is a key tool for our developers," said Eric Ferraro, IAE Assistant Commissioner. "We can reduce vendor lock-in for technologies, lessening our dependency on a particular contractor or technology vendor and potentially reducing costs associated with long-term, expensive software licensing. Open source also enables IAE to keep pace with the latest technologies commercial websites are implementing."

OpenIAE and the GSA Open Source Framework

OpenIAE, our open source initiative, is central to our open source efforts and can be found on the popular GitHub open source repository:

• IAE Architecture Repository includes the architecture, design, and code artifacts required for understanding the functional IAE definition, design, and ultimate technical implementation
• SAM API Documentation Repository includes developer documentation for using the IAE System for Award Management (SAM) application programming interface (API)

There are also developer resources planned and currently in development that will provide data and resources to kickstart IAE-centric development projects, taking award management data in new directions.

The Open Source Future of IAE

"Making the IAE platform open source offers the award management community the tools they need to access acquisitions data in ways that were unheard of years ago," Ferraro said. "Our data becomes accessible to the widest possible community of developers, not just a contractor hired to fulfill a task order."

The IAE development team is following the GSA open source framework guidelines as we build the IAE platform. This effort has been a gradual and iterative process, so expect to see even more transparency into our open source efforts.

According to Minh Phan, Director of IT, IAE developers are working with GSA to establish a security baseline before the IAE platform is officially opened to a wider developer community.

How is your organization using open source technologies to spur innovation?

For more information, contact us at IAEOutreach@gsa.gov.