Leaders of the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority Technical Division have received certification to implement world-class technical solutions directly for the benefit of the American Samoan community.
This was achieved during the 2026 Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC) held at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
During the conference, ASTCA’s technical leadership—including Chief of Outside Plant Papali’i Iakopo Ierome, Service Delivery Supervisor Farentino Sivia, and Line Crew Supervisor Ulafala McKenzie—completed high-level coursework focused on advanced fiber-optic testing, network design, and maintenance principles.
Meanwhile, ASTCA CEO Folasaitu Sorepa Thomas coordinated with General Services Administration (GSA) authorities to finalize the formal recognition of the authority’s purchasing eligibility.
As a result of these discussions, the GSA confirmed that ASTCA, as an official component of the territorial government, is fully eligible to use GSA Federal Supply Service (FSS) contracts.
The GSA is a United States federal agency that leverages the federal government’s massive buying power to negotiate pre-vetted, high-quality, and cost-effective contracts with vendors. By utilizing GSA schedules, ASTCA can now secure critical telecommunications equipment and infrastructure at “Most Favored Customer” pricing. This milestone is vital for ASTCA because it streamlines the procurement process, bypasses lengthy bidding cycles for pre-vetted equipment, and ensures all hardware brought to the islands meets rigorous federal standards for performance and security.
Supporting this mission, the ASTCA logistics and procurement team—comprising ASTCA Accountable Officer Faleosina Puletasi, Procurement Officer Usolelei Logoai, and Stock Manager Laitu Obrien-Collins—met with vendors to identify new supply sources and attended various workshops aligned with the authority’s mission. Their efforts in Los Angeles, combined with the formal GSA eligibility recognition, provide ASTCA with the tools to build a faster and more reliable network while remaining responsible stewards of the authority’s financial resources.
