GSA seeks nominations for procurement honor

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) invites individual nominations for the agency's 2010 Ida Ustad Award for Excellence in Acquisition. The $5,000 award is given annually in honor of Ida Ustad, a former GSA Deputy Associate Administrator for Acquisition Policy.

The award recognizes a government employee whose actions have improved contracting and acquisition practices that have resulted in the delivery of more effective and efficient services to taxpayers. The accomplishments for which the applicant is nominated must have taken place after Jan. 1, 2009, but before Dec. 31, 2009.

Nominees must be in the GS-1102 career series, contract specialist, and work for a federal agency subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulations. Anyone may nominate an applicant for the award. The applicant's head of contracting activity, however, must approve the nomination.

The nomination requires the following information:

• A description of the nominee's original, innovative approach to an acquisition issue,
• A description of how the nominee's approach lowered prices and/or improved the quality of performance the government receives from its contractors,
• A description of how the nominee has served as a business leader/advisor, focusing on both the customer and the market, and bringing the two together effectively,
• A description of how the nominee demonstrated a commitment to professional development, both personally and organizationally, and
• A description of how the nominee's accomplishment(s) resulted in substantial small business participation or created significant subcontracting opportunities.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Feb. 16, 2010. Nominations should be emailed to: louise.hsu@gsa.gov. GSA's Chief Acquisition Officer will present the award at the GSA Expo in early May in Orlando, Fla.

For additional information, visit the GSA's Ida Ustad Award page.