WASHINGTON & SPRINGFIELD, IL - The U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Motor Vehicle Mangement (GSA Fleet) has awarded a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to car-sharing company Zipcar, Inc., as a vendor for the federal government's short-term rental (STR) program. In addition, the Illinois Dept. of Central Managed Services (CMS) also launched the car-sharing option for state employees, according to releases Zipcar.

The GSA Fleet contract marks the first time car sharing has officially been part of the GSA Fleet's list of approved vendors for use through the STR program by Federal government entities, which now have access to Zipcar's entire fleet of car-sharing vehicles throughout the company's 12 major U.S. markets. The term of the BPA is from Oct. 6, 2011, through Sept. 30, 2012, with four one-year options to renew.

The State of Illinois contract will allow employees in the Chicago metropolitan area and Springfield to access to Zipcar's vehicles to meet state business travel needs. Through Zipcar's Z4G (Zipcar for Government) offering, a number of Illinois state agencies will have on-demand access to nearly 500 Zipcar vehicles currently located across the City of Chicago, as well as a new fleet of vehicles in the city of Springfield. State employees will be able to reserve Zipcars as needed for state business at any time, with the State paying only for the time the car is actually reserved.

Zipcar's service was selected through the State's open and competitive procurement process. The State's car-sharing initiative includes the introduction of four vehicles in Springfield. All Zipcar hourly and daily rates include gas, insurance, reserved parking spots, 24/7 roadside assistance, and up to 180 miles of driving per day, according to the company.

The City of Chicago has already contracted with Zipcar to provide carsharing services to its fleet drivers (in combination with its motor pool). The New York City, the City of Baltimore, and Washington D.C., as well as other government entities, also use or have tested the car-sharing service.