GSA Schedules and GSA Suppliers – The History of the General Services Administration
Despite the prevalence of the organization, it can be hard to find a GSA supplier for warehouse equipment. Established in 1949 in efforts to better manage and support the function of U.S. federal agencies, the GSA has a long and colorful history to match its occasionally unusual equipment needs…
An Interesting Combo
Established by President Harry Truman, the GSA consolidated a number of establishments into one organization:
– The National Archives
– The Federal Works Agency
– Public Building Administration
– The Bureau of Federal Supply
– Office of Contract Settlement
– The War Assets Administration
Varied & Versatile
While the GSA’s initial mission was to handle emergency preparedness, stockpile strategic supplies for wartime, dispose of surplus goods, and manage and store government records, it facilitated everything from the regulation and sale of office supplies to the government, to managing hemp plantations in South America.
The organization’s 2 largest offices, Public Building and Federal Acquisition, house over 1-million federal civilian workers, manage more than 480 historic buildings, and facilitate the purchase of goods and services for the U.S. government from commercial vendors.
Among the GSA’s Historical Contributions:
– A 1950s White House overhaul.
– The 1960s creation of the Federal Telecommunications System.
– The 1970s addition of the Consumer Product Information Center/Federal Citizen Information Center, Federal Buildings Fund, and Office of Information Resources Management.
– The 1990s introduction of the Design Excellence Program.
– Electronics and Internet-technology initiatives in the 2000s.
– Work at over 500 American Recovery & Reinvestment Act projects in the 2010s, alongside the Open Government Directive (Data.gov) and Making it Easier initiative.
Looking for DoD and military equipment designed to step-up safety and boost productivity? From the rare to the run-of-the-mill, for over 20-years, DJ Products has been an innovator and trusted GSA supplier for warehouse equipment. Discover more today.