Governmentwide acquisition contracts

Governmentwide acquisition contracts (known as GWAC) is the process by which agencies of the federal government purchase goods and services (procurement); these involve legal contracts between the agency and a private business. A GWAC is an acquisition tool that facilitates and streamlines the purchasing of IT solutions by United States federal government departments and agencies, while ensuring that the many government-mandated rules are followed.[1] These rules are complex, deriving from laws and regulations that guide the purchasing processes of each agency. According to the GSA website, "A Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) is a pre-competed, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract that agencies can use to buy total IT solutions, including both products and services."[2] Federal agencies may create GWACs to support the work of the federal government. This has been done by the GSA, NIH (NITAAC ) and NASA (SEWP). A GWAC is not necessarily restricted to the agency that runs it (see the article on SEWP as an example). All IDIQs, including GWACs, are regulated by FAR, a set of rules and regulations that must be followed by federal agencies and resellers of goods and services (known as Contract Holders) to the government in the procurement process.[3]