IT modernization and innovation

GSA Standards Executive

The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) and OMB Circular A-119 [PDF] require federal agencies to adopt voluntary consensus standards (VCS) instead of government-unique standards in order to reduce duplication, enhance efficiency, and foster collaboration across government and with the private sector. Both of these drivers require agencies to participate in standards development activities, designate an agency Standards Executive to oversee compliance and engagement, and report on the use of government-unique standards when VCS’s are not adopted.

GSA’s Standards Executive is responsible for ensuring the agency fulfills A-119’s reporting requirements and for encouraging agency staff training and involvement in standards development activities. GSA must report annually on any government-unique standards it uses in lieu of VCS, providing explanations as required by NTTAA.

The Office of Technology Policy (OTP), within GSA’s Office of Government-wide Policy, has assumed the role of Standards Executive and is now representing GSA in the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP). The ICSP is managed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. See OMB Circular A-119 [PDF] (Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities) for more information about the policy framework.

Goals of the GSA Standards Program

• Promote awareness of government standards efforts by effectively communicating standards activities across agencies.
• Actively participate in the government, private, and international standards activities.
• Coordinate GSA Standards participation and activities.
• Educate agencies on the use of existing standards for IT modernization.

GSA Use of Standards

GSA uses voluntary consensus standards and other private sector standards wherever possible. GSA reviews its current standards usage on a recurring basis and continuously assesses the potential to expand the use of voluntary consensus-based standards whenever practical and beneficial for the government. This strategic approach leads to increased efficiencies in our business processes and contributes to greater reliability in product and service quality. GSA’s use of voluntary consensus-based standards spans a wide range - from information technology solutions and cybersecurity to building design, construction, and materials and tools. Given GSA’s diverse mission, the standards program focuses on leveraging commercially available and industry-driven standards to the greatest extent possible.

List of SDOs where GSA participates

• American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
• ASHRAE
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
• American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE)
• American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
• International Code Council (ICC)
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
• International Organization of Standards (ISO)
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS)
• SAE
• Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA)
• Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL)

AI CoP

The purpose of the Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice (AI CoP) is to promote the responsible, trustworthy, and effective adoption of Artificial Intelligence technologies across the federal enterprise. The AI CoP serves as a cross-agency forum for advancing collaboration, enhancing workforce capacity, and supporting the integration of AI into mission delivery. Through shared learning and coordinated action, the AI CoP seeks to ensure AI tools are implemented in ways that are operationally effective and secure.

The primary goals of the AI CoP are:

• Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Serve as the link between the public, private and education sectors. Foster collaboration among federal agencies, industry partners, and academia to share experiences, lessons learned, technology overviews and success stories related to AI adoption and innovation. Organize workshops, webinars, and forums to facilitate knowledge sharing, topic specific meet up groups and networking opportunities. Promote a holistic understanding of AI, machine learning, data governance, and their ethical and operational implications.
• Continuous Learning: Encourage continuous learning and professional development opportunities for AI practitioners. Facilitate learning sessions on AI ethics, emerging technologies, regulatory compliance, and technical advancements to help federal practitioners stay current.

Join the AI CoP listserv — Open only to Federal employees/contractors with a .gov or .mil account and State, Local and Academic institutions

Contact Info - aicop@gsa.gov

C&I CoP / IT Innovation

The mission of the GSA Office of Technology Policy’s (OTP) Communities of Practice (CoP) is to provide a connection platform for federal agencies to exchange information, build awareness, and increase transparency into federal programs that they would not otherwise have access to that support across administration policies and priority areas.The Cloud and Infrastructure (C&I) CoP first launched in 2018 to serve as a cross-agency forum for federal IT practitioners in meeting federal requirements – including the Federal Data Center Enhancement Act (FDCEA) – completing the transition to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI), and the Cloud Smart strategy. Since that time, the C&I CoP continues to adapt and evolve to respond to the needs of the federal IT community.

The primary objectives of the C&I CoP include:

• Sharing presentations by subject matter experts to scope best practices through forums and educational venues in order to speed cloud migration, data center consolidation, and cloud and data centers optimization.
• Collaborating and communicating on relevant IT modernization policies and topics among interested agencies and individual community members to ensure a clearer understanding of IT modernization opportunities and challenges among the federal agency community.
• Enabling and leading, where required, targeted subCoPs or working groups to provide more granular support such as templates and guides).

Join the C&I CoP listserv by sending a blank email. Open only to Federal employees/contractors with a .gov or .mil account.

Visit our Connect.gov page to learn about upcoming events and access past trainings and resources.

Contact Info - dccoi@gsa.gov

Low-Code No-Code Subcommunity of Practice

In partnership with co-chairs from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of the Interior, the Low-Code No-Code Subcommunity of Practice (LCNC Sub CoP) offers a space for collaboration on the federal adoption and implementation of LCNC platforms. Meetings will provide use cases, best practices, lessons learned, and opportunities for engagement.

Join the Low-Code No-Code Subcommunity of Practice listserv by sending blank email.

ITMI drives federal IT modernization by rigorously exploring emerging technologies that have a high impact on agency operations and service delivery. We synthesize forward-looking research to develop strategic policy and recommendations, provide technical expertise to key stakeholders on special projects, and maintain a curated library of our authoritative white papers and reports. Our Emerging Technology Sandbox offers a fast, low-risk mechanism to safely test and validate vendor claims, ensuring mission-aligned technology adoption for realized cost savings and operational efficiency across the federal enterprise.

Contact Info - OGPEmergingTech@gsa.gov