"GSA has canceled schedule contracts in part or in their entirety in the past, and in this case, the applicability of System of Operational-Investigative Measures (SORM) laws to Kaspersky Labs, combined with other available information, supported GSA’s decision to exercise the cancellation clause," Garland stated on Wednesday.
SORM is a telecommunications and internet monitoring device that, by Russian law, is required to be installed on all electronic networks.
Garland noted that the GSA has withdrawn from its list Kaspersky Lab’s information technology products and services as well as the company’s photographic equipment and supplies.
The cancellation clause refers to GSA Information Technology Schedule 70 and Schedule 67.
Schedule 70 consists of approximately 7.7 million approved Information Technology products, applications, services and systems. Schedule 67 includes photographic analog and digital cameras and imaging systems, as well as film, paper, chemical and processing equipment for photographic and radiographic applications.
Garland explained the GSA undertook the move given its priority "to ensure the integrity and security of US government systems and networks."
The spokesperson added that GSA also has as its priority the evaluation of products and services available on its contracts using supply chain risk management processes.
"GSA employs supply chain risk management practices in our acquisition processes to constantly evaluate products on GSA schedules to make determinations regarding availability of products and services through our contracts," Garland stated.
GSA is the centralized purchasing agent for the US federal government.
