NAIS Is an Effective Information Service

Since 1994, NAIS has evolved into a procurement information system with many operational features that are effective, easy to use, and beneficial to NASA and vendors. The e-mail notification service automatically transmits announcements to subscribers immediately after new procurement information is posted on NAIS. User Feedback Was Positive

Both businesses and NASA procurement staff have provided positive feedback about NAIS. Lack of Data Makes It Difficult to Quantify NAIS Benefits

NASA’s evaluation plan for the Midrange Pilot Program did not include a separate NAIS evaluation plan. As table 1 shows, the average number of offers received per acquisition increased from 6.1 to 7.2 after NAIS implementation. The percentage share of awards to small businesses did not change significantly after NAIS implementation, but the percentage share of dollars awarded to small businesses increased substantially in 1997. Recent legislation requires the government to provide direct access to notices of agencies’ requirements and solicitations through a single governmentwide electronic point of entry. Status of Efforts to Develop a Governmentwide EPS

According to the San Antonio Electronic Commerce Resource Center,more than 400 different Internet sites provide federal procurement information. This multitude of sites makes it difficult and time-consuming for contractors to obtain governmentwide information on contracting opportunities. If testing demonstrates that the multiagency EPS is capable of providing effective access to notices and solicitations through a single point of entry, the Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy will consider designating it as the single governmentwide point of entry required by section 850. OFPP also commented on our recognition that current statutory requirements for procurement notices and minimum waiting periods may limit the potential benefits of electronic commerce and indicated that the feasibility of legislative action would be studied. Scope and Methodology

To determine whether the NAIS electronic notice and publication system was an effective mechanism for disseminating procurement information, we obtained information about the system’s design, development, operation, costs, and benefits. Major contributors to this report are listed in appendix V.

The NAIS Electronic Posting System

Staff at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) responsible for developing and implementing the NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) consisted of a small group of procurement and, in some cases, technical staff from each NASA center and headquarters.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS), focusing on: (1) whether NAIS is an effective mechanism for disseminating procurement information to industry, including small businesses; and (2) the status of efforts to develop a governmentwide electronic procurement information system similar to NAIS.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) NAIS is a simple, effective, and user-friendly system for disseminating information on contract opportunities; (2) NAIS has contributed to the development of a more standardized and streamlined acquisition process at NASA and provides a central electronic source of procurement information from NASA's decentralized facilities; (3) it allows businesses to obtain procurement information immediately, without waiting for mail delivery of printed information; (4) vendors especially like the electronic mail notification service that automatically sends announcements about procurements of interest to them; (5) vendor feedback about NAIS came primarily from small businesses and was generally positive; (6) procurement data showed that offers and awards to small businesses did not change significantly after NAIS implementation; (7) NASA noted that data limitations made it difficult to quantify other NAIS benefits; (8) NASA, the General Services Administration, and other federal agencies are working together to develop a single, governmentwide Internet entry point for information on federal procurement opportunities; (9) but a number of steps must still be taken and many obstacles remain; (10) even if the new system is successfully developed and implemented governmentwide, current statutory requirements for publication of procurement notices and minimum waiting periods for mail delivery may continue to limit the potential benefits of an electronic procurement information system; and (11) the same legislation that encouraged NASA and others to work together also requires the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to submit to Congress annual reports assessing compliance with the requirement to provide direct access to procurement information through a single governmentwide electronic point of entry.