GSA-Joint Cybersecurity Working Group Issues Request For Information On Cybersecurity Standards In Government Contracts

Today, in response to a directive in President Obama's February Executive Order on Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, the Joint Working Group on Improving Cybersecurity and Resilience through Acquisition ("Joint Working Group"), headed by the General Services Administration, published a Request for Information ("RFI") to be used in its report to the President making recommendations on the possibility of incorporating cybersecurity standards into federal acquisition planning and contract administration, and, to the extent applicable, the foundation for establishing or identifying government-wide cybersecurity contracts.¹ Comments are due by June 12, 2013.

Background

Under Section 8(e) of President Obama's Critical Infrastucture Cybersecurity Executive Order,² the GSA and the Department of Defense ("DoD"), in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") and the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council ("FAR Council") are to make recommendations