The General Services Administration (GSA) is a major purchasing agent for the federal government. The GSA was created in 1949 through the consolidation of four small agencies involved in PURCHASING services, space, and PRODUCTs to support the activities of federal employees. After World War II the GSA directed disposal of war-surplus materials and managed emergency preparedness and stockpiling of strategic materials. Emergency-preparedness functions were later transferred to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and stockpiling functions were transferred to the Department of Defense. Rather than have each of thousands of federal offices procure rental space, office equipment and supplies, and business services, the GSA oversees and coordinates these actions with the goal of obtaining the best value for federal expenditures. The GSA also provides travel and transportation services, manages the federal motor vehicle fleet, oversees telecommunication centers and federal child-care centers, preserves historic buildings, manages a fine-arts program, and develops, advocates, and evaluates government- wide SERVICES. The GSA employs 14,000 people, has an annual budget of $16 billion, and directs $66 billion in federal spending. Businesses wishing to sell to the U.S. government must learn GSA’s methods of purchasing, including paperwork and bidding procedures.