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Background and History

MISSION

GSA’s mission is to use expertise to provide innovative solutions for our customers in support of their missions and by so doing foster an effective, sustainable, and transparent government for the American people.

HOW GSA BENEFITS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

GSA oversees the business of the U.S. federal government. GSA’s acquisition solutions supplies federal purchasers with cost-effective high-quality products and services from commercial vendors. GSA provides workplaces for federal employees, and oversees the preservation of historic federal properties. Its policies covering travel, property and management practices promote efficient government operations.

HOW GSA BENEFITS CITIZENS

GSA helps keep the nation safe by providing tools, equipment, and non-tactical vehicles to the U.S. military, and providing state and local governments with law enforcement equipment, firefighting and rescue equipment, and disaster recovery products and services.

GSA provides direct access to a wide range of government services, as well as consumer protection information through the official Web portals of the federal government, USA.gov and GobiernoUSA.gov. GSA's USA Services provides a one-stop source for information about federal government programs and services and provides consumer information on money management, scams, federal benefits, identity theft, government auctions, health, housing, and jobs.

ADMINISTRATOR

Daniel M. Tangherlini was appointed Acting Administrator of General Services April 2, 2012. Tangherlini presides over the nation’s premier federal acquisition and procurement agency. GSA leverages the buying power of the federal government to secure, in the most cost-effective, transparent, and sustainable manner possible, the goods, services, and real property that the civilian federal government needs to operate.
(Read full bio)

HOW GSA IS ORGANIZED

GSA delivers products, services, and policies to its federal customers through the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), the Public Buildings Service (PBS), 12 Staff Offices, and the independent Office of the Inspector General and Civilian Board of Contract Appeals. GSA interacts directly with customers through 11 Regional Offices  and the Central Office in Washington D.C.

HISTORY

GSA was established by President Harry Truman on July 1, 1949, to streamline the administrative work of the federal government.  GSA consolidated the National Archives Establishment, the Federal Works Agency and its Public Buildings Administration, the Bureau of Federal Supply and the Office of Contract Settlement, and the War Assets Administration into one federal agency tasked with administering supplies and providing workplaces for federal employees. (Read more)

HOW GSA IS FUNDED

Only one percent of GSA’s total budget is provided through direct congressional appropriations. The majority of GSA's operating costs are recovered through the products and services it provides.

Contacts

Phone
(202) 501-1231
Address
1275 First St. NE
Washington, DC 20417
Office Hours
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.


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