As part of its push for electronic commerce, GSA says it plans to add three online schedule solicitations during fiscal 2005 using its eOffer system.

The system, at www.eoffer.gsa.gov, allows vendors to respond electronically to solicitations on Schedule 70, the IT schedule. GSA issued its first paperless contract through the site in September to Dell Federal Systems LP.

Using eOffer, GSA can post solicitations and accept vendor proposals, including documentation, electronically. Expanding the use of electronic commerce is one of the agency’s priorities for the coming year. At a conference last month, Neal Fox, assistant commissioner of the Federal Supply Service, declared, “”To us, the future of doing business is paperless.” (SAA 11/19)

The agency said it has issued its first electronic contract modification through eMod, which is available at the eOffer site. Vendors on all schedules may now submit requests for contract modifications electronically. Fox said it should speed up the approval of modifications.

For the second time, the Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Department of Housing and Urban Development re-open a $750 million Information Technology Systems contract known as HITS.

GAO said HUD officials committed “improprieties” when they conducted pre-award discussions with EDS Corp., the winning bidder, but not with competitor Lockheed Martin Corp. Lockheed protested the award.

Under the contract, EDS was to provide personnel, hardware and software, telecommunications, facilities and services needed to deliver HUD’s basic IT functions at more than 80 offices. It has already begun work.

HUD officials said they were reviewing the GAO decision.

Two of the largest federal employee unions urged Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to drop a requirement that employees and contractors sign agreements that prohibit them from disclosing sensitive but unclassified information.

The president of the National Treasury Employees Union, Colleen Kelley, and the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, John Gage, told Ridge the policy is “clearly illegal” and could violate employees’ rights to free speech and to freedom from unreasonable searches.

They said Ridge’s directive gives any Homeland Security employee authority to stamp any document “For Official Use Only,” prohibiting employees from disclosing it.

A department spokeswoman said the letter is under review.