The General Services Administration (GSA) is directed to establish a program for their procurement through commercial online e-commerce portals. Congress directed GSA to go beyond a single marketplace and include multiple commercial e-commerce portal providers in pilot tests to validate their appropriateness as procurement vehicles before final implementation. However, GSA states that it will pilot

The General Services Administration (GSA) is directed to establish a program for their procurement through commercial online e-commerce portals. Congress directed GSA to go beyond a single marketplace and include multiple commercial e-commerce portal providers in pilot tests to validate their appropriateness as procurement vehicles before final implementation. However, GSA states that it will pilot only one of the three commercial portal models it developed, the E-Marketplace “Amazon” model. This approach contradicts the language and legislative intent of Congress, artificially narrows competition and will result in a flawed pilot. The barrier to entry for differing solutions will be insurmountable after five-years, resulting in a de facto monopoly.

Click here to read NAW’s letter on this subject to the House and Senate.

For more information, click here to read NAW’s Issue Brief.