Procurement

GSA RFI could topple DUNS monopoly

Federal Times: The General Services Administration issued a request for information on the future of entity identification and validation services that could replace the expiring contract with Dun & Bradstreet in 2018.

“The purpose of this procurement is to obtain the necessary contractor support to perform Entity Validation Services for the express purpose of protecting the integrity of the taxpayer’s dollars throughout the federal award process and to enable the GSA Office of Integrated Award Environment to fulfill its mission,” the draft performance work statement said.

The federal government’s use of Dun & Bradstreet’s DUNS number as their procurement identifier has been the subject of some controversy, as industry groups believe that the number’s proprietary nature has led to a more expensive monopoly in the space.

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