GSA’s OneGov Strategy Simplifies AI Buying for Agencies

More vendors have been added to the General Services Administration’s (GSA) OneGov agreement that enables federal agencies to scale AI adoption more quickly while improving security, efficiency and citizen services.

GSA launched OneGov in April as a way to streamline software acquisition from the commercial sector. The latest companies to strike an agreement include xAI, Meta and ServiceNow.

Experts say the offering satisfies a much-needed solution to the data challenges around application development and therefore improve the customer experience.

“People are more willing to engage and be a participant in government … and software, data and AI are all part of the whole customer experience,” ServiceNow Federal CTO Jonathan Alboum told GovCIO Media & Research.

Prior to OneGov, federal agencies negotiated separate contracts for the same software, which often duplicated efforts and increased costs, a GSA spokesperson told GovCIO Media & Research.

The agency is taking a phased approach to implementation. The spokesperson said that OneGov starts with software, but the strategy is built to expand later to include platforms, infrastructure, cybersecurity and IT services.

“There’s a tremendous opportunity to negotiate as one government to achieve cost savings, but also eliminate duplicative contracts, ensure consistent pricing, terms and performance expectations across government,” the spokesperson told GovCIO Media & Research.

OneGov Leverages Industry to Boost AI Superiority

Industry leaders like Amazon, Google and Microsoft have offered discount agreements to help agencies scale AI applications and increase AI literacy with trainings and certifications.

Officials say recent OneGov partnerships, like Microsoft’s September agreement, help agencies rapidly adopt AI to meet requirements listed in Trump’s AI Action Plan by providing federal employees with AI tools to further increase operational efficiency.

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella touted potential savings of $3 billion in the first year.

“With this new agreement with GSA, including a no-cost Microsoft 365 Copilot offer, we will help federal agencies use AI and digital technologies to improve citizen services, strengthen security and save taxpayers more than $3 billion in the first year alone,” he said.

GSA said the industry agreements enhance the accuracy and speed of decision-making processes, which improve services to citizens.

“By offering deep discounts on leading AI tools, GSA is opening the door for rapid adoption of AI by saving agencies time, money and risks,” the spokesperson said.