GSA’s expanded authority comes as a result of the Local Preparedness Acquisitions Act (H.B. 3179), which the Senate passed on June 10 and President Bush signed into law on June 26. U.S. Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., introduced the legislation on July 25, 2007.

Thanks to the new law, state and local officials will be able to use GSA’s Schedule 84 to buy items such as: alarm systems; facility management systems; firefighting and rescue equipment; law enforcement and security equipment; and marine craft.

“This is wonderful news for the American people and a big improvement to the status quo,” GSA Acting Administrator David Bibb asserted. “State and local governments can now take advantage of GSA’s volume discounts for the supplies and services that will help keep our citizens secure.”

Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Jim Williams called GSA’s expanded authority “a win-win for our customers and the American taxpayers.”

“GSA’s ability to leverage the federal government’s enormous buying power enables us to provide goods and services at best value and pass the savings on to our client agencies,” Williams said. “Now we can pass these discounts on to state and local governments, while also allowing for enhanced security through greater interoperability possibilities across the federal, state and local environment.”