Digital Transformation Agency names first suppliers to new Hardware Marketplace

The Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) has opened up the first arm of its Hardware Marketplace procurement panel, allowing federal government agencies to purchase enterprise storage products.

The marketplace, announced back in March, aims to solve the problem of smaller suppliers being barred from supply panels by removing the limits on the number of suppliers.

The DTA selected 36 suppliers to include in the panel, which will be able to sell direct attached storage, network attached storage, object-based storage, storage area networks, backup and restore solutions, storage consumables and ancillaries and storage-related professional services to government clients.

The DTA said removing restrictions on the number of sellers would simplify the panel tender process and allow smaller businesses to stay competitive when bidding for government contracts. The agency pointed out that over 60 percent of listed suppliers were SMEs. The full panel is listed below.

The Hardware Marketplace will add new product categories over time, starting with enterprise storage, but will eventually include monitors, tablets, PCs, servers and technical services as it replaces several ICT procurement panels that have expired.

“The new Hardware Marketplace and its enterprise storage category is our first step in delivering an ‘open often’, consolidated model for hardware," DTA chief strategy officer Anthony Vlasic said.

"It means new sellers can join regularly, and its flexibility means government can keep up with new technologies as they develop. As we add more categories, the marketplace will become a go-to platform for both government buyers and businesses selling hardware to government.”

The DTA has already put the call out to attract resellers for some of the upcoming categories, including the network cabling services and equipment categories in July, and software licensing and services panel in August.

The full list of enterprise storage suppliers: