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Software Under $10,000

Do you need software to do your job or make sure TTS is running smoothly? Follow the steps below to access software we own or request a software purchase of under $10,000.

Get access to software we already have

Check the GEAR, IT Standards list (must be on GSA wireless or VPN) to ensure the software you need is currently approved by GSA IT.

If the software you are looking for is in the TTS inventory, send an email to tts-software@gsa.gov requesting a license for the software you need. The TTS Saas Project Manager will contact you within 1-2 business days.

If TTS does not have licenses, GSA might. In order to check the GSA IT Catalog (aka Service Now), scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Order Something”. On the next page, click on “Software”. This will take you to a page to request software from GSA IT. Scroll toward the bottom of the page to where it says “Enter Software Name Here”. In the dropdown menu, start to type the name of the software you need. If the name pops up, it means GSA has already purchased it.

If your software is in the Catalog, fill out the rest of the form to request a license.

Note: If you’re looking for MS Office, see this section below.

Purchase new software

If the software is not in the TTS inventory or GSA IT Catalog (or if there are no licenses available), you will need to fill out the micropurchase request formby following the steps below:

Step 1: find or get an ATO

An Authority to Operate (ATO) is similar to an expiration date. It describes the date through which software is approved to use and is issued by GSA IT. An ATO is needed to ensure the software you are requesting is secure and meets the Government’s security standards. To check for an ATO, you need to go to GEAR, IT Standards list (aka Salesforce). Note: you will need VPN to view the list.

If the software you are purchasing has a valid ATO listed in GEAR, then you can proceed with the rest of the process. You should save a copy of the ATO to your desktop so you can attach it to the C2 request later.

If the ATO is expired or you cannot find it in GEAR, you can post in the Slack channel #gsait-shared to ask if there is an updated ATO. If there is no ATO or the ATO is expired, you will need to go through the ATO process to ensure your software is approved by security. You can follow these steps to submit a new software for ATO. The ATO process can take 4-6 weeks and there is no guarantee it will be approved. If your need is urgent, try to find something in GEAR, IT Standards list that is already approved and meets your needs.

Step 2: use the micropurchase request form to make a request

Fill out the micropurchase request form. The TTS SaaS Project Manager will then verify there is an ATO in place for the software. Then, the request will move forward in the review process. It may go through supervisor approval, depending on the request. Next, the SaaS PM will submit the software for FITARA approval. The Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) is legislation that puts federal agency Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in control of IT investments. This means that the CIO and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) need to give documented approval of an IT purchase to remain compliant with this act. Please ensure that your justification in the Google Form is detailed, so the SaaS PM can use it to request FITARA approval. Finally, the Approving Official will signal their approval.

Step 3: procurement

Once all of these steps have been completed, the SaaS PM will reach out to you to set up a meeting to make the purchase.

Get a copy of Microsoft Office

Please follow the instructions in this Google Document: How to get Microsoft for OS X.

Chrome extensions

Only use browser extensions approved by GSA IT. See IT Service Catalog: Google Chrome Extension Request for the list of approved or rejected extensions, as well as how to request approval for a new extension.

Free and open source development packages

The process on this page is for buying software. In general, open source development libraries are exempt from IT Standards review. See the CIO GSA Information Technology (IT) Standards Profile (section 2c) for more detail.

Contacts

TTS SaaS Project Manager: Melanie Leopold melanie.leopold@gsa.gov
TTS Office of Acquisition Director: Esther Praske esther.praske@gsa.gov

Questions?

Find us in Slack: #tts-oa.