No Published Responses To GSA Cybersecurity Incentive RFI

The Government Services Administration (GSA) published their request for information (RFI) concerning the use of the federal acquisition process to provide incentives to voluntarily implement the Cybersecurity Framework being developed by NIST almost three weeks ago. To date, no responses have been published on the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov; Docket # GSA-GSA-2013-0002). The docket page does indicate that 16 responses have been received (this time last week it said 15 responses) but none have been posted.

Since comments posted to Regulations.gov are automatically posted to the docket, it would seem that GSA is withholding publication of the comments received. This is the first time that I have watched a GSA publish/comment action so I don’t know if this is a standard procedure for the agency, but it certainly inhibits public debate of the issue.

With just a little over a week left in the abbreviated comment period GSA needs to insure that any comments that it has received in response to the RFI are posted in the Regulations.gov docket for public inspection. Of course, it may be that GSA does not want any public discussion of the issue. They do have to have their report to the President on the day the comment period closes and public comment would just complicate that process.