The General Services Administration provides stuff to all U.S. government agencies, though agencies can order from anyone, anywhere. GSA has a catalog of approved items that often are NOT mil-spec, though they can be pricey! I have 'ordered-out' from a local hardware store, as long as the item met the requirements of the engineer, the blue prints, while I was on official installations. We used regular conduit, wire, screws, etc., on installations. What met both, local codes, and, Federal spec. or contract spec.
Mil-Spec. and specially contracted items are usually driven by a special project requirement involving safety, life support, mobility. In that case you will have a major contractor, and, a multitude of sub-contractors, who all bid their best offer to meet a contract.
All in a free-market.
Software actually is no different a product. And, you do have NDA with ALL vendors. We make the meatloaf in our dining hall, three vendors supply the catsup, in bulk packaging. We use it, as we see fit, in the moment of engagement with the plate, and the fork, or not, as we need or desire,... Don't you? But, we cannot divulge the contents, recipes outside of government usage! The difference is that we are a team on a concerted mission...subject to oversight by peers/leadership/ and/or the taxpayer's representatives. You are a single consumer, as an individual or a business. You get to make immediate choices. We are given orders from on high. Committees who designed elephants, sometimes, and a lot of loss, wastes, too. But, when making an omelet, you toss a bit of egg with the shells...
Anyway, The government has always had the power to specify that they be given the operating instructions, and that a book of detailed analysis of the process be made available with each and every product. What is the difference between a truck and an application in software? We trained our own techs. in either case! Open Source just adds to the millions of documents available from the Government Printing Office! http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
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Re:Government Procurement and the GSA
Posted by: Sage1 on July 25, 2003 09:31 PMMil-Spec. and specially contracted items are usually driven by a special project requirement involving safety, life support, mobility. In that case you will have a major contractor, and, a multitude of sub-contractors, who all bid their best offer to meet a contract.
All in a free-market.
Software actually is no different a product. And, you do have NDA with ALL vendors. We make the meatloaf in our dining hall, three vendors supply the catsup, in bulk packaging. We use it, as we see fit, in the moment of engagement with the plate, and the fork, or not, as we need or desire,... Don't you? But, we cannot divulge the contents, recipes outside of government usage! The difference is that we are a team on a concerted mission...subject to oversight by peers/leadership/ and/or the taxpayer's representatives. You are a single consumer, as an individual or a business. You get to make immediate choices. We are given orders from on high. Committees who designed elephants, sometimes, and a lot of loss, wastes, too. But, when making an omelet, you toss a bit of egg with the shells...
Anyway, The government has always had the power to specify that they be given the operating instructions, and that a book of detailed analysis of the process be made available with each and every product. What is the difference between a truck and an application in software? We trained our own techs. in either case! Open Source just adds to the millions of documents available from the Government Printing Office! http://www.gpoaccess.gov/
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