Vendors miss government B2B deadline

Although some contractors missed a federal deadline for registering to list their products on the government's online exchange, the deadline prompted thousands more to make their goods available online, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

Before the July 1 deadline to have their goods available online, there were only 4,000 contractors who sold supplies online to the government. Now there are about 7,000 contractors out of an estimated 9,000 that are registered to sell through GSA Advantage, where suppliers sell government agencies everything from office supplies, tools and equipment to information technology.

"We are happy with the result," said Pat Mead, director of acquisitions for the Federal Supply Service at the GSA. "We are now working with those who are still trying to get their products listed online."

The agency has notified the suppliers who failed to meet the deadline that they have 60 days to get online or have their contracts canceled. --Erich Luening, Special to ZDNet News