May 2007

What Is FedTeDS?

FedTeDS (Federal Technical Data Solutions) is a password-protected, web-based tool designed to safeguard the distribution of sensitive, unclassified, acquisition-related information for all federal agencies. Because business opportunities are inherently public, there is no monitoring or control over who has access to your solicitation information. When aggregated, the sensitive, acquisition-related data may pose a threat to national security if misused. FedTeDS, however, allows Contracting Officers (COs) to use the internet to disseminate sensitive information in a secure way and eliminate the need to create and distribute CDs or paper documents.

As a program under IAE, FedTeDS is designed to be a companion site with FBO, the single government point-of-entry for federal government procurement opportunities. FedTeDS also incorporates data from other sources, including CCR and the Defense Logistics Information Service's export controlled database, to authenticate vendor users and validate their access to sensitive acquisition information.

In order to know when to use FedTeDS, you must first be able to determine what is considered to be sensitive material. FedTeDS does not dictate what is considered sensitive, but some examples include: construction drawings of federal buildings; drawings of bridges and dams; command and control system specifications; Continuity of Operations Plans; and schedules, work hours, and security clearance requirements. As a rule of thumb, sensitive data is any piece of information that you are not comfortable with just anyone in the world accessing and storing.

Because of the high importance of monitoring and controlling access to sensitive acquisition-related data, the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council mandated the use of FedTeDS in FAR 2004-007, Part V. The final rule amends the FAR to require Contracting Officers to make solicitation-related information that requires limited availability or distribution available to offerors electronically via FedTeDS, unless certain exceptions apply. If you are interested in learning more about the program, contact Mike Dalida at Michael.Dalida@bta.mil or visit www.fedteds.gov.