GSA issued an RFQ this month asking the tech industry for quotes on providing a cloud computing storefront for federal agencies to directly purchase specific IT services with purchase cards. Potential vendors need to have an effective e-commerce system up and running, as well as physical locations in the U.S., unlimited data storage, and a range of services for customers to choose from.

The new approach stems from calls for GSA, and the federal government, to modernize the way it views and buys technology services. Whiile GSA would be giving up a certain amount of control over what federal customers buy in these areas (customers would buy straight from vendor in an automated, near-instant process), it maintains that it will retain "ownership" of the storefront. Perhaps a preemptive approach for relevance as more and more purchases are easier for agencies to do on their own.