A year ago, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) announced plans for its Commercial Initiative to Buy Operationally Responsive GEOINT, or CIBORG, buying program.

CIBORG aims to fix a very real problem: given the high demand for GEOINT data, NGA is reportedly only able to fulfill about half of the Government’s requests. As demand for GEOINT increases, so does the need to effectively leverage the private sector.

Now, GSA has partnered with NGA to facilitate this goal.

Earlier this month, GSA released an RFI, or Request for Information, seeking industry feedback on Earth Observation Solutions (EOS). The RFI is the first step in potentially adding a new Special Item Number (SIN) under IT Schedule 70.

The SIN would include satellite imagery as well as its associated security, communications, and content management/distribution components. GSA’s stated goal for the SIN is to “enhance IT Schedule 70 offerings for increased visibility and rapid access to commercially available imagery, data, services, and capabilities.”

This is not GSA’s first foray into satellite tech. The Custom SATCOM Solutions (CS2) contract vehicle, and its Small Business counterpart CS2-SB, have been available through GSA for years. Meanwhile, IT Schedule 70 already includes many satellite products and services under SINs 132-54 and 132-55.

The key difference is that while previous contract vehicles have focused on satellites for communications—broadcasts, network backups, Internet access, and the like—the proposed EOS SIN would focus on satellites’ observational abilities.

The new SIN would ultimately mean simplified, Government-wide access to commercial geospatial technology and services.

If you are a provider of EOS/geospatial products or services, contact Global Services today to learn how your firm can be among the first to gain access to GSA’s new contract vehicle!