Governmentwide acquisition contracts (known as GWAC) is the process by which agencies of the federal government purchase goods and services (procurement); these involve legal contracts between the agency and a private business.
A GWAC is an acquisition tool that facilitates and streamlines the purchasing of IT solutions by United States federal government departments and agencies, while ensuring that the many government-mandated rules are followed.
[1] These rules are complex, deriving from laws and regulations that guide the purchasing processes of each agency.
According to the GSA website, "A Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) is a pre-competed, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract that agencies can use to buy total IT solutions, including both products and services.
A GWAC is not necessarily restricted to the agency that runs it (see the article on SEWP as an example).