Safeguarding Information

Safeguarding information refers to protecting electronic information from unwanted access, sometimes known as a breach. The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) requires each federal agency to develop, document, and implement an agencywide program to provide information security and information systems that support the operations and assets of the agency.

An effective information security program for a federal agency should include:

• Policies and procedures that cost-effectively reduce information security risks;
• Backup plans for providing adequate information security for networks, facilities, information systems, or groups of information systems;
• Security awareness training;
• Periodic testing and evaluation of the effectiveness of information security policies, procedures, practices, and security controls;
• Periodic assessments of risk, including the magnitude of harm that could result from the unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of information and information systems.
• A process for planning, implementing, evaluating, and documenting remedial actions to address any deficiencies in the information security policies, procedures, and practices; and
• Procedures for detecting, reporting, and responding to security incidents.

Your Agency Has Unique Needs; GSA Offers Many Solutions

Federal agencies have unique missions, run different systems, and operate purchasing plans with diverse levels of contracting expertise. In response, GSA offers a variety of purchasing programs to fit each agency’s requirements. Or purchasers can call upon GSA’s office of specialists who will customize a program for their agency. For assistance, please contact our security-solution contracting experts at securitysolutions@gsa.gov.

Find the Right Vendors and Best Prices - Multiple Award Schedules

GSA’s Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) program offers more than 12 million high-quality products and services at volume-discount prices from thousands of vendors. Agency purchasers can use MAS to efficiently craft a comprehensive security solution.

Vendors Working Together - Contractor Team Arrangements

Consider a Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA) when no single vendor can meet all your security needs. Contractors join a CTA to combine their supplies and/or services to provide a total security solution.

Convenient, No Hassle Reordering - Blanket Purchase Agreements

Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) allow agencies to use a single refillable contract instead of making time-consuming and repetitive individual purchases. Consider a BPA to reduce contracting and open market costs, cut paperwork, and save time.

A Custom-Made Solution - Assisted Acquisition Services

GSA’s Assisted Acquisition Services group offers fee-based scalable support with its technical, financial, and project management resources. The Assisted Acquisition team will create the information technology and services program that works for your agency.

A list of the Schedule contracts relevant to safeguarding information is identified below.

GSA MAS 36 OFFICE, IMAGING AND DOCUMENT SOLUTION

GSA MAS 520 FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS (FABS)

GSA MAS 70 GENERAL PURPOSE COMMERCIAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE, AND SERVICES

GSA MAS 71 FURNITURE

GSA MAS 81 I B SHIPPING, PACKAGING, AND PACKING SUPPLIES

GSA MAS 84 TOTAL SOLUTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, SECURITY, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, FIRE, RESCUE, CLOTHING, MARINE CRAFT, AND EMERGENCY/DISASTER RESPONSE

GSA MAS 874 MISSION ORIENTED BUSINESS INTEGRATED SERVICES (MOBIS)