Tag: Earth Observation Solutions

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GSA’s Earth Observation Solutions: Powering informed decision-making

The General Services Administration plays a pivotal role in streamlining the federal government’s acquisition of cutting-edge earth observation solutions. These systems provide a wealth of data and insights for tackling environmental challenges, driving scientific discovery, and supporting informed decision-making across numerous sectors.

What are earth observation solutions?

EOS encompass a wide array of technologies, including:

  • Remote sensing through satellites and aerial imagery: acquiring visual and other sensor data that covers vast regions, enabling monitoring of changes in land use, natural disasters, and urban development.
  • Ground-based sensor networks: Gathering real-time data on factors like air quality, soil moisture, and weather patterns.
  • Geospatial data and analytics: Delivering sophisticated tools for interpreting, processing, and visualizing complex Earth-related information.
  • Sensor data: Includes synthetic-aperture radar (SAR), LiDAR, and other sensor equipment and imaging technologies to gather information and provide analytics.

EOS in practical applications

EOS offer agencies various uses, including meeting public safety needs, enhancing military operations, and helping to predict and analyze natural disasters. 

Managing flood risks
A federal agency responsible for flood risk management can use EOS to create and update floodplain maps. 

High-resolution satellite imagery helps identify changes in land cover and elevation, which is crucial for mapping floodplains. LiDAR provides detailed three-dimensional data of the Earth’s surface, which supports floodplain modeling. Geographic Information Systems help integrate various data sources to create floodplain maps and visualizations. 

Improved maps lead to better-informed decisions regarding flood insurance, building regulations, and community planning. Communities can develop targeted mitigation strategies and evacuation plans based on accurate flood risk information. These strategies can reduce flood damage and the impact of future floods.

Improving agricultural practices
EOS help support sustainable agricultural practices and optimize resource management. Satellite imagery and sensor data can provide insights into crop health, soil moisture, and land use patterns. SAR can map crop types and track their growth. This helps improve farm efficiency, allowing farmers to optimize resource allocation (water and fertilizer) based on real-time data on crop health and soil conditions.

Monitoring endangered species
EOS can help track endangered species and protect their habitats. High-resolution satellite imagery and aerial photography can monitor wildlife populations, habitat changes, and potential threats. Remote sensing data can track animal movement patterns and identify critical breeding and feeding grounds.

Using geographic information software, EOS can integrate various data sources to create habitat maps and support conservation planning. These efforts support species conservation efforts. Access to this real-time data allows for targeted interventions to protect endangered species and their habitats.

These case studies showcase the versatile nature of earth observation solutions and their profound impact across various federal agencies, contributing to environmental protection, resource management, public safety, and scientific advancement.

GSA’s role in streamlining EOS acquisition

GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule provides a centralized platform for government agencies to procure EOS products and services from pre-vetted vendors. GSA makes it easier for agencies to acquire earth observation products, services, and solutions by grouping geospatial data, knowledge, and analytics under one MAS Special Item Number.  Currently GSA works with 91 EOS vendors to provide services to agencies. With such a large pool of vendors, agencies are able to get multiple competitive bids to get the best price for required services. 

This approach offers several benefits:

  • Simplified procurement: MAS streamlines the contracting process, saving agencies time and resources.
  • Access to expertise: Agencies tap into a pool of qualified and experienced EOS providers.
  • Cost savings: Pre-negotiated pricing and terms help speed up procurements, maximize value, and optimize spending.
  • Data security and management: GSA helps agencies address standards for data integrity and protection.

The future of EOS

GSA continues to work with vendors to build relationships, understand their current capabilities, and gain awareness of future/emerging technology.

EOS will increasingly integrate with artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing, bolstering data analysis and decision-making capabilities. New use cases for EOS will emerge, addressing complex challenges across various sectors.

For contracting professionals, staying abreast of GSA’s EOS offerings is essential. Understanding these systems’ capabilities and potential applications across many sectors helps you support your agency’s mission and optimize limited resources.

How to Order:

Agencies can issue an RFI or RFQ through GSA eBuy using SIN 541370GEO. 

Combine SINs to meet your requirements, or try a blanket purchase agreement to fill recurring needs easily. You can also set aside the requirement for one or more socio-economic categories, including but not limited to small businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and women-owned businesses.

GSA will continue to play a critical role in ensuring federal agencies have access to the most advanced and cost-effective solutions. For more information regarding the EOS program, please visit the EOS SIN 541370GEO page on the GSA website, or reach out to GSA’s EOS team at EOS@gsa.gov.

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Introducing the IT Vendor Management Office: a new government-wide collaborative effort to solve the toughest challenges in federal IT acquisitions

The last months have been a whirlwind of activity for the new government-wide Information Technology Vendor Management Office (ITVMO). We not only chartered the ITVMO, but have started working with several partner agencies and IT acquisition experts from across government to identify existing resources that can assist agencies with their buying decisions. The ITVMO brings together the most critical players in the federal IT acquisition landscape to solve challenges agencies and vendors face when buying and selling IT products and solutions.

Launched in October 2020, the ITVMO is a government-wide effort to amplify the benefits of managing vendor engagement in the IT Category to make IT acquisitions faster and more cost effective. The ITVMO serves as a trusted independent advisor and advocate to help agencies buy common IT goods and services. As a one-stop shop, the ITVMO will leverage government-wide IT procurement data, conduct market research, and develop shared agency acquisition knowledge to support agencies’ buying decisions.

There are many programs and initiatives across government that are interested in improving how government buys IT. The ITVMO is unique in that it is a collaborative effort amongst partners in Category Management (CM) with the most critical IT acquisition Best in Class (BIC) contract vehicles and associated programs including:

  • The General Services Administration (GSA);
  • The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA);
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH);
  • The Department of Defense (DOD);
  • The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP).

Through this collaboration, the ITVMO will advance the goals of IT Category Management (CM) to improve how the government buys common IT goods and services and enable the government to act more as a single entity by sharing best practices and acquisition intelligence as well as eliminating the unnecessary duplication and redundancy that exists between federal agencies.

What’s Happening & What’s Next

One of the central drivers of CM is to mature federal IT acquisitions so that the government acts more like a single buyer rather than many independent agencies. By creating a space where some of the biggest and most impactful federal IT acquisitions programs and initiatives can collaborate and solve shared problems, establishing the ITVMO is a major step toward that goal.

The ITVMO is chartered and led by an Executive Steering Committee (ESC) comprised of several agencies including those with the largest IT BIC vehicles. The ESC determines the strategic direction and project priorities for the ITVMO to solve problems for agencies and vendors alike.

To identify shared challenges and opportunities throughout government, the ITVMO surveyed hundreds of IT and acquisition experts including the Chief Information Officers Council (CIOC) and the Chief Acquisition Officers Council (CAOC) as well as several communities of practices. The ITVMO team also conducted listening sessions with industry groups. The data and feedback gathered from across government is driving the challenges the ITVMO seeks to address in the near future.

ITVMO Customer Segments

The ITVMO’s primary customers are the programs and offices responsible for making buying decisions at each agency, and the vendor community. On January 27th, the ITVMO hosted an Open House for agencies to provide an overview of the ITVMO’s mission and services, and to answer any questions from the community. More information about the ITVMO Open House, including a video recording of the event, is available to government employees.

Based on customer feedback, the ITVMO is working on several products and services that will be made available to agencies in the near future, including:

  • Continuing a Small Business Webinar Series developed in partnership with the IT Government-wide Category and the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council Small Business Alliance so agencies and vendors can learn how GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service Multiple Award Schedules Program will allow agencies to more easily procure IT products and services from small businesses.
  • Vendor Profiles that provide agencies with pricing information, specific vendors’ terms and conditions, and best practices for negotiating with that vendor.
  • Deep Vendor Intelligence crowdsourced from IT acquisition experts from across the federal government participating in integrated project teams (IPTs).
  • A Technology Life Cycle Assessment to provide agencies with insights into buying emerging technology and updating existing systems and services to meet evolving needs.
  • A deep dive and review of current Cost Avoidance Methodologies used by IT BIC acquisitions vehicles. The ITVMO is working closely with GSA’s IT Category to provide recommendations on how to improve the accuracy and reliability of cost avoidance methodologies and the underlying contract data.

If any of the above interest you, we would love to connect with you. Please feel free to reach out to the ITVMO inbox at itvmo@gsa.gov.

Coming Soon…

The ITVMO recently launched the first of several IPTs made up of the federal government’s foremost experts in working and negotiating with specific IT vendors. The IPTs will produce recommendations and strategies that can be shared and leveraged throughout government.

ITVMO - Integrated Project Teams

On May 12, 2021, The ITVMO will also host an Industry Day intended for our industry and vendor partners to learn about the mission of the ITVMO and the best way to collaborate with the ITVMO and federal IT acquisitions staff.

Finally, the ITVMO will soon launch our website to share the ITVMO’s latest updates and activities, post relevant templates and resources, and direct users to the relevant information to meet their IT acquisition needs.

Additional insight can be found on our ITVMO MAX page, and you can sign up for our newsletter. If you have any questions or general inquiries, please feel free to reach out to us at the ITVMO inbox at itvmo@gsa.gov.

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