GSA, Wells Fargo Partner for E-Authentication

"The eOffer program provides an interactive, secure electronic environment for businesses to submit contract proposals under five GSA multiple award schedules," said FAS Commissioner James A. Williams. "This simplifies the contracting process from start to finish, reducing the paperwork burden for businesses and contracting officers-which translates into substantial savings for the American taxpayer." Williams added, "As GSA's primary procurement and acquisition office, FAS is making great strides to expand and make possible business and citizen access to web-based government programs and services."

As an E-Authentication Identity Federation member, WellsSecure can also offer credentialing services to other members by providing approved digital certificates necessary for using eOffer and other federal online applications. These credentialing services comply with federal government-wide policies and standards, as well as Federation business and technical standards. The credentials can be used by citizens, businesses and other governments to access federal government services and applications. The acceptance of WellsSecure digital identity certificates represents a significant milestone for increasing the ability of small- and medium-size businesses to conduct online business with the federal government.

As a cross-cutting component of the President's Management Agenda, which includes expanding E-Government initiatives, the E-Authentication Initiative provides the framework and managed services for a secure, consistent and standardized approach for verifying the online identity of citizens, businesses and other governments accessing federal government applications and services. Through membership in the Federation, government agencies can rely on identity credentials such as PINs, user IDs, and passwords that are issued and managed by other organizations within and outside the federal government.

Members of the Federation include relying parties (federal agencies and applications) and credential service providers that have adopted a set of agreements, standards and technologies-based upon approved policy and technology standards established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the White House Office of Management and Budget -- to make identity portable and secure across multiple domains.

GSA was approved as the Authentication Service Component of the Federal Enterprise Architecture in August 2005. For more information on E- Authentication and eOffer, visit http://eoffer.gsa.gov and http://www.cio.gov/eauthentication.