Getting Started
To begin searching within the
Government Manual simply type
in a keyword
or phrase
to find your match.
The United States Government Manual
General Services Administration
1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405
| ADMINISTRATOR | Robin Carnahan |
| Deputy Administrator | Katy Kale |
| Chief of Staff | Brett Prather |
National Services
| COMMISSIONERS | |
| Federal Acquisition | Sonny Hashmi |
| Public Buildings | Nina M. Albert |
Regional Services
| Region 1–New England | Glenn C. Rotondo, Acting |
| Region 2–Northeast and Caribbean | Michael Gelber, Acting |
| Region 3–Mid-Atlantic | Joanna Rosato, Acting |
| Region 4–Southeast Sunbelt | Kevin Kerns, Acting |
| Region 5–Great Lakes | John Cooke, Acting |
| Region 6–Heartland | Mary A. Ruwwe, Acting |
| Region 7–Greater Southwest | Giancarlo Brizzi, Acting |
| Region 8–Rocky Mountain | Penny Grout, Acting |
| Region 9–Pacific Rim | Daniel R. Brown, Acting |
| Region 10–Northwest / Arctic | Chaun Benjamin, Acting |
| Region 11–National Capital | Darren Blue, Acting |
Staff Offices
| ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATORS | |
| Civil Rights | Aluanda Drain, Acting |
| Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs | Gianelle Rivera |
| Government-wide Policy | Krystal Brumfield |
| Mission Assurance | Robert J. Carter |
| Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization | Exodie C. Roe III |
| Strategic Communication | Teressa Wykpisz-Lee |
| CHIEF OFFICERS | |
| Administrative Services | Robert Stafford |
| Customer | Ed Walters |
| Financial | Gerard Badorrek |
| Human Capital | Traci DiMartini |
| Information | David A. Shive |
| General Counsel | Nitin Shah |
Independent Offices
| CIVILIAN BOARD OF CONTRACT APPEALS | |
| Chair | Erica S. Beardsley |
| Inspector General | Carol F. Ochoa |
The General Services Administration delivers value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across Government.
ESTABLISHMENT AND ORGANIZATION
The General Services Administration (GSA) streamlined the Federal Government's administrative work. Its creation involved consolidating the Federal Works Agency, the National Archives Establishment, and the Public Buildings Administration; the Bureau of Federal Supply and the Office of Contract Settlement; and the War Assets Administration into a single Federal agency that would administer supplies and provide workplaces for Federal employees.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/background-and-historyOn June 30, 1949, President Harry S. Truman approved Public Law 81–152, which also is cited as the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. Section 101 of Title I of that statute deals with the organization of the General Services Administration (GSA). To head the new agency, the statute provides for the office of an Administrator of General Services, whom the President appoints by the advice and with the consent of the Senate (63 Stat. 379).
https://www.loc.gov/law/help/statutes-at-large/81st-congress/session-1/c81s1ch288.pdfPursuant to Public Law 81–109, which is also cited as the Reorganization Act of 1949, President Truman transmitted Reorganization Plan No. 18 of 1950 to the U.S. Congress on March 13 of that same year. The plan transferred functions of building and space management to the Administrator of General Services.
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title5a-node84-leaf122&num=0&edition=prelimThe Reorganization Act of 1949 also required that each ensuing plan of reorganization be published in the Federal Register (63 Stat. 206). On May 25, 1950, Reorganization Plan No. 18 was one of 16 reorganization plans published in the daily issue (15 FR 3177).
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1950-05-25/pdf/FR-1950-05-25.pdfThe GSA posts its organizational chart online.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/gsa-organizationSTATUTORY AND REGULATORY AUTHORITIES
Subtitle I of 40 U.S.C. is dedicated to statutory material affecting Federal property and administrative services. Chapter 3, which comprises sections 301–323, is dedicated to the organization of the GSA.
https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title40/subtitle1&edition=prelimPart 105–53 of 41 CFR is dedicated to the GSA's statement of organization and functions.
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=43d7a5329a09931825fc019b64f070b8& mc=true&node=pt41.3.105_653&rgn=div5ACTIVITIES
The GSA started out, disposing of war surplus goods, managing and storing Government records, handling emergency preparedness, and stockpiling strategic supplies for wartime. It also regulated the sale of various office supplies to Federal agencies and managed a few unexpected operations (e.g., abacá plantations abroad). Today, the GSA provides the spaces, technical innovations, and goods and services that are essential for operating the Federal Government. It provides workplaces by constructing, managing, and preserving Government buildings and by leasing and managing commercial real estate. Its acquisition solutions offer private sector professional services, equipment, supplies, telecommunications, and information technology to Government organizations and the U.S. military. GSA leadership in technology helps agencies buy, build, and use technology in ways that support their missions and better serve the public. The GSA also implements Governmentwide policies to promote best practices of management and efficiency in operations.
Governmentwide Policymaking
The Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP) uses policies, data, and strategy to achieve efficiency and effective management across the Federal Government for key administrative areas: acquisition, fleet management travel and transportation, information technology modernization, and real estate management. The OGP influences agency behavior in these areas through the development of Governmentwide policy, performance standards, data analysis and benchmarking, and reporting of Governmentwide data.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/office-of-governmentwide-policy-overviewProduct Acquisition / Service Management
The Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) offers more than 28 million different products and services to Federal agencies and delivers annually over $60 billion in information technology products, services, and solutions; telecommunication services; assisted acquisition services; travel and transportation management solutions; motor vehicle and fleet services; and charge card services. The FAS manages over 219,000 vehicles, more than 3.5 million charge cards, and provides personal property disposal services that facilitate the reuse of $1 billion in excess and surplus personal property every year. The FAS leverages the buying power of the Federal Government to negotiate prices on products and services that agencies require for daily operations. By arranging a network of service providers for information technology and total solutions for law enforcement, including security and facility management systems, the FAS meets the operating and mission requirements of an array of Federal agencies and State, Tribal, and local governments. Leveraging its technology transformation services and information technology portfolios, the FAS is developing and deploying Centers of Excellence to improve the public’s experience with Government by obtaining and sharing technology applications, platforms, and processes that make Federal services more accessible, efficient, and effective.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/federal-acquisition-serviceWorkspace Acquisition / Property Management
The Public Buildings Service (PBS) provides quality facility and workspace solutions to more than 50 Federal agencies, disposes of excess or unneeded Federal properties, and promotes the adoption of innovative workplace solutions and technologies. It acquires space on behalf of the Federal Government through new construction and leasing and acts as a caretaker for Federal properties across the country. As the largest public real estate organization in the United States, the PBS owns or leases more than 8,800 assets and maintains an inventory of nearly 370 million square feet of rentable workspace. This inventory includes more than 413 buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places. The PBS works with its Federal customers to reduce, overall, the need for workspace and the costs that are associated with acquiring and managing it.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/public-buildings-serviceSources of Information
A–Z Index
An alphabetized list of frequently visited web pages on the GSA website is available online.
https://www.gsa.gov/website-information/az-indexAnnual Reports
To enable a more informed assessment of performance, the GSA posts its annual financial report and performance report on the "Annual Reports" web page.
https://www.gsa.gov/reference/reports/budget-performance/annual-reportsArchived Records
The "Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States" indicates that GSA records have been assigned to record group 269.
https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/269.htmlAuctions
The GSA Auctions website is a final part of the agency's transition to becoming an entirely electronic asset management system. The site allows the general public to bid electronically on a wide selection of Federal assets. The auctions are web-enabled: All registered participants may bid on items within specified timeframes. Federal personal property assets, such as airplanes, furniture, heavy machinery, office equipment, scientific equipment, vehicles, vessels, and other items, which may be located anywhere nationwide, can be purchased by online bidders whose physical location is restricted only by Internet access.
https://gsaauctions.gov | Email: gsaauctionshelp@gsa.govBlogs
The "GSABlog" is available on the agency's main website. Ten other blogs that are associated with the GSA also are accessible on the "GSABlog" web page. These blogs include the 18F Blog, Citizenscience.gov Blog, Code.gov Blog, Data.gov Blog, DigitalGov Blog, FedRAMP Blog, IT Accessibility Blog, and USA.gov Blog, as well as the blogs "Around the Corner" and "Great Government Through Technology."
https://www.gsa.gov/blogBusiness Opportunities
The GSA serves as the Federal Government's procurement arm. It offers facilities, products, and services that Federal agencies use to benefit the public. The GSA also gives businesses the opportunity to sell billions of dollars worth of products and services to Federal agencies.
https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/getting-started-with-gsa-purchasing-programsThe Office of Small Business Utilization web pages has information on opportunities, resources, and training for owners of small businesses. Phone, 855-672-8472.
https://www.gsa.gov/small-businessCareer Opportunities
The GSA relies on professionals with diverse academic backgrounds, life experiences, and skills to carry out its mission. It encourages Federal and private sector employees, Peace Corps volunteers and staff, persons with disabilities, recent retirees, students and recent graduates, veterans, and others to apply for job openings. For more information, contact the national recruitment center. Phone, 816-823-2006.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/careers | Email: NRC@gsa.govIn 2019, the GSA ranked 7th among 25 midsize Government agencies in the Partnership for Public Service's Best Places To Work Agency Rankings.
https://bestplacestowork.org/rankings/detail/GS00Consumer Rights
The "Consumer Action Handbook" is a free resource guide that provides general information on shopping for goods and services, information for filing a complaint about a purchase, and tips on consumer rights. Its contents also include a sample complaint letter and a consumer assistance directory that contains contact information for Government agencies and national corporations. The handbook is available in English and Spanish. A digital version in Portable Document Format (PDF) may be downloaded from the USA.gov website. A hardcopy may be ordered online; over the phone, weekdays, 8 a.m.–8 p.m., excluding Federal holidays; or by writing to USAGov–Handbook, Pueblo, CO 81009. Phone, 844-872-4681.
https://www.usa.gov/handbookContact GSA
The "Contact Us" web page has live chat, an electronic form for submitting questions, a phone number, and a link that leads to an electronic agencywide staff directory.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/contact-us | Email: press@gsa.govFederal Register
Significant documents and documents that the GSA recently published in the Federal Register are accessible online.
https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/general-services-administrationFederal Relay (FedRelay)
FedRelay provides telecommunications services to Federal agencies and tribal governments for conducting official business with people who struggle with deafness, hearing impairments, or speech disabilities. The general public also may use FedRelay for conducting business with Federal agencies. Phone, 855-482-4348.
https://www.gsa.gov/technology/technology-purchasing-programs/telecommunications-and-network-services/federal-relay-fedrelay | Email: ITCSC@gsa.govForms
An electronic forms library is available on the GSA website. The library has an easily accessible collection of the forms that are most frequently downloaded.
https://www.gsa.gov/reference/forms | Email: forms@gsa.govFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)
To any person, the FOIA gives a statutory right for obtaining access to Government information in the records of executive branch agencies. This right to access is limited, however, when the requested information is shielded from disclosure by any of nine exemptions contained within the statute. The GSA participates in FOIAonline, which enables users to submit a FOIA request to all participating agencies, track the status of a request, search for requests submitted by others, access previously released records, and generate agency-specific FOIA processing reports.
https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/home#participatingAgencies | Email: gsa.foia@gsa.govGovernmentwide Initiatives
The GSA is involved with dozen of initiatives whose scope is governmentwide.
https://www.gsa.gov/governmentwide-initiativesHelp Government Find Answers
The GSA maintains the Challenge.gov website, which is the official hub for prize competitions and challenges across the Federal Government. It is a web platform that assists Federal agencies with inviting the public to submit ideas and solutions for solving specific problems.
https://www.challenge.govHistoric Preservation
The GSA posts historic preservation resources and tools on its website.
https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/historic-preservation/historic-preservation-policy-tools/preservation-tools-resourcesHistory
The GSA has posted a brief history that describes its establishment, original mission, accomplishments through the decades, and changes that it has undergone.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/background-history/a-brief-history-of-gsa"GSA70—Supporting Modernization, Innovation, and Efficiency" is a video timeline that celebrates the agency's 70th anniversary and highlights 7 decades of achievements, which include renovating the Presidential residence, starting a Governmentwide motor pool, creating a Federal telecommunications system, introducing the first Government charge card, opening childcare centers in Federal buildings, creating the Government's first official web portal (FirstGov.gov), moving email to a cloud-based system, and more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czy4eQ5iGhUInspector General
The Office of Inspector General operates a fraud hotline for reporting abuse, fraud, and waste in GSA programs or mismanagement or violations of law, regulations, and rules by GSA employees or contractors. Phone, 202-501-1780 or 800-424-5210.
https://www.gsaig.gov/hotline | Email: fraudnet@gsa.govNewsroom
The GSA posts congressional testimonies, news releases, and photo galleries on its website.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom | Email: press@gsa.govOpen Government
The GSA supports the Open Government initiative by promoting the principles of collaboration, participation, and transparency.
https://www.gsa.gov/governmentwide-initiatives/gsas-open-government-initiatives | Email: Open.Government@gsa.govPayroll Calendars
The payroll services branch of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer posts payroll calendars in Portable Document Format (PDF) on the GSA website for viewing and downloading. Phone, 844-303-6515.
https://www.gsa.gov/buying-selling/purchasing-programs/shared-services/payroll-shared-services/payroll-calendarsPer Diem Rates
The GSA sets the per diem rates for Federal travel within the continental United States. Per diem is the allowance for incidental expenses, lodging, and meals. The GSA website features a search tool for finding current rates in the continental United States by State or ZIP Code or by clicking on a map.
https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates | Email: travelpolicy@gsa.govPlain Language
The "Plain Writing Act of 2010" was passed by Congress and approved by the President to improve the effectiveness of Federal agencies and increase their accountability to the public "by promoting clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." The GSA is committed to writing agency documents and its website content in plain language.
https://www.gsa.gov/governmentwide-initiatives/plain-languagePresidential Transition Directory
The 2020 directory connects the people who are helping plan and design the next Federal Government with information and resources that are relevant to their efforts.
https://www.gsa.gov/governmentwide-initiatives/presidential-transition-directoryProperties
The GSA owns and leases over 376.9 million square feet of space in 9,600 buildings in more than 2,200 communities nationwide. In addition to office buildings, GSA properties include courthouses, data processing centers, laboratories, land ports of entry, and post offices.
https://www.gsa.gov/real-estate/gsa-propertiesReal Property Disposal
The Office of Real Property Utilization and Disposal is a governmentwide realty services provider. It provides information on the handling of excess real property and on properties that are being offered for sale.
https://disposal.gsa.govRegional Offices
The GSA operates 11 regional offices.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/gsa-regionsSite Map
The website map allows visitors to look for specific topics or to browse content that aligns with their interests.
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/site/mapSocial Media
In addition to a main Facebook page, the GSA has other pages that are associated with its component organizations and programs and its activities and services. The "Social Media at GSA" web page allows visitors to see GSA's entire Facebook presence on social media.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/social-media-at-gsa#Facebook | Email: socialmedia@gsa.govThe GSA tweets announcements and other newsworthy items on its Twitter accounts. In addition to a main Twitter feed, the GSA has other feeds that are associated with its component organizations and programs and its activities and services. The "Social Media at GSA" web page allows visitors to see GSA's entire Twitter presence on social media.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/social-media-at-gsa#TwitterThe GSA posts videos on its YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/usgsaStaff Directory
The GSA maintains an electronic staff directory on its website. After August 1, 2020, the staff directory will be accessible only as a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file, which allows users to view, search, and download the directory's content.
https://www.gsa.gov/staff-directorySustainable Facilities (SF) Tool
The SFTool supports the efforts of designers, facility managers, purchasing agents, tenants, and others to make buildings healthier and more efficient and to become more environmentally-responsible in their purchasing.
https://sftool.gov | Email: sustainability@gsa.govUpcoming Events and Training
The GSA posts upcoming events and training on its "GSA Events" web page.
https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/events-and-training/gsa-eventsUSA.gov
USA.gov is a governmentwide guide to information and services.
https://www.usa.govThe Sources of Information were updated 7–2020.