GSA unveils ‘one-stop’ cloud shop
Federal agencies are in various stages of migrating to the cloud, but with myriad solutions to choose from, many probably could use a central, government-run resource to make sense of their options.
That’s why the General Services Administration on Thursday launched its first central repository, the Cloud Information Center, to connect federal IT buyers with cloud vendors.
The CIC also contains information on security, technical capabilities and implementation in keeping with the Office of Management and Budget’s Cloud Smart Strategy for driving agency adoption to meet mission-critical needs.
“Getting agencies to the cloud is a high priority for GSA, and we’re committed to making sure they have the right tools and support to navigate the complex world of cloud acquisition,” said Bill Zielinski, acting assistant commissioner of information technology category at the agency, in the announcement. “We’re developing the Cloud Information Center as a one-stop-shop for cloud resources so agencies can easily access the information they need to transition to the cloud.”
GSA analyzed the federal cloud market in creating the CIC with its market research-as-a-service tool, best practices, acquisition guidance, and templates. Communities of interest forums will soon allow industry to share cloud offerings with agencies.
Regular updates to the CIC are planned as GSA receives feedback and reevaluates agency needs.
