GSA and Perplexity Sign First Direct-to-Government OneGov Deal for AI Services

The General Services Administration has finalized its first direct OneGov agreement with frontier AI firm Perplexity, giving federal agencies steeply discounted access to advanced AI technology. (NEXTGOV/FCW November 19, 2025)

Under this groundbreaking contract, agencies can obtain Perplexity Enterprise Pro for Government for just $0.25 per agency over 18 months through a direct purchase on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). Unlike previous OneGov agreements, Perplexity can now sell directly to federal buyers without a reseller, supporting the administration’s push for tighter engagement with original tech developers and lower acquisition costs. (ibid)

Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum emphasized the importance of the deal:

“This OneGov agreement, directly with Perplexity, offers the federal government an additional pathway to leverage the transformative advantages of AI.”

Perplexity’s AI-powered search platform has grown rapidly in 2025, now serving more than 30 million monthly users with real-time, cited answers. Demand within federal agencies has surged, especially during this year’s 43-day government shutdown. (ibid)

The company’s Enterprise Pro Platform lets government users query multiple leading AI models—including OpenAI and Anthropic—within one interface while adding enhanced, mission-focused security features. (ibid)

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas celebrated the partnership, saying:

“Accurate AI serves America. We’re proud to support President Trump’s AI Action Plan by giving federal employees cited, verifiable answers across every major AI model.”

To bring its services to government buyers quickly, Perplexity participated in FedRAMP’s accelerated 20x authorization pilot and secured AI prioritization under GSA criteria. (ibid)

Jerry Ma, Perplexity’s VP of Policy and Global Affairs, noted the urgency of the effort:

“This Administration has made clear that agencies should have the best of American AI not in 2028, 2027, or 2026—but right now, in 2025.”

With this agreement, Perplexity becomes the first multimodel AI platform tailored specifically to federal needs and directly accessible via the GSA MAS, marking a new era in procuring mission-critical AI. (ibid)

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