SIP News
News and information for users of GSA's Schedule Input Program software
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Email address now required for each order/dealer address
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SIP now requires a valid email address for each order/dealer address provided.
Beginning next year, we will make GSA Advantage purchase orders are now available to contractors
via the web at www.poportal.gsa.gov.
Access to these orders will be via the email address provided with each order/dealer
address. Please ensure these are valid email addresses of individuals who can receive orders and
provide status of those orders.
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SIP changes to Energy Star & Energy Efficient designations
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Section 533 of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act requires each Federal agency to
procure Energy Star or energy efficient (FEMP) designated products. In order to comply with the requirements
of the Act, designation of Energy Star or energy efficient for products in GSA Advantage will be restricted
to certain Special Item Numbers (SINs). SIP includes these new restrictions. Click
http://vsc.gsa.gov/lookup/standardfeatures.cfm to see the list of SINs for Energy Star and Energy
Efficient designations.
We recommend that you take the time to ensure that products or systems that you offer that meet Energy Star
or energy efficient (FEMP) criteria are so indicated since agencies are being required to procure only these.
To designate items in SIP, click on the "Products" icon in SIP then click the "Environmental/Special Features"
icon. From there you may assign various designations to products.
NOTE: Identification of Energy Star items in GSA Advantage is now being accomplished via a web service
between GSA and Energy Star. As a result, vendors will no longer need to identify items as Energy Star.
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SIP changes to Section 508 accessibility information
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Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure,
maintain, or use electronic and information technology (E&IT) they shall ensure that this technology allows
both Federal employees and individuals with disabilities to have access to and use of information and data that
is comparable to those without disabilities.
Using SIP, you may designate products that are Section 508 compliant. SIP 7.0 has been expanded to allow
contractors to provide an optional link (URL) to their website containing 508 information about the product.
Providing a URL allows users of GSA Advantage to link directly to your website from a particular product in
Advantage. This information will help agencies comply with requirement of Section 508 for the purchase of E&IT
products. To designate items in SIP, click on the "Products" icon in SIP then click the "Environmental/Special
Features" icon. From there you may assign the "Section 508" designation to applicable products.
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SIP now allows optional Universal Product Code (UPC)
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A new Universal Product Code field has been added to SIP for each product and accessory.
This field is current optional and will allow us to better identify and manage schedule products in GSA
Advantage. Population of this field is recommended.
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How do I receive orders? Vendors
can receive orders in one of three ways: via the web, EDI or
via XML. Select the order retrieval
method that suits you best.
Option 1: Orders via the web
Orders can be retrieved via the web using the GSA Purchase Order Portal (PO Portal) website.
The PO Portal allows you to easily view or print your GSA Advantage purchase orders, or you may
download your orders in a number of formats including XLS, TXT, XML, or PDF.
The PO Portal will also allow you to submit status for your orders which will appear in GSA
Advantage for customers. Go to
www.poportal.gsa.gov
and click on Help for more information on using the PO Portal.
To ensure that only those individuals you designate can retrieve your orders, we require that you provide
us the email address of an authorized individual for each of your order receiving addresses (this is
accomplished using SIP or EDI). Only those individuals will be provided access to the PO Portal and will only
be able to access orders placed to that address.
Option 2: Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
EDI is the computer-to-computer
electronic method of receiving orders from customers. The
order information that is sent from GSA
Advantage to vendor
desktops is structured in a way that has been agreed upon by
international standards. Contact our EDI helpdesk at
703-605-9444 if you need further assistance.
Option 3: Extensive Markup Language (XML)
Orders can be provided in XML format. Contact us at 703-605-9444
for more information.
Where can I
get information on becoming a GSA schedule contractor?
Click here to find information about selling
to the Government and becoming a schedule contractor.
If I have
a GSA schedule contract, is it required to become a part of
GSA Advantage? Yes. You are required to provide
your catalog data electronically. See schedule clause
I-FSS-597. GSA
Advantage currently has over 400,000 Federal
users worldwide and is the most popular shopping website in
the federal government!
How long do
I have to get prepared? After contract award,
you will have up to 6 months to load your data on GSA
Advantage.
Can I get
information on who uses GSA Advantage? Fiscal
year sales information reported by quarter is posted to GSA's
Vendor Support Center (VSC) website at
http://vsc.gsa.gov/.
I already
have a GSA contract; how do I participate in GSA
Advantage? GSA has created a website dedicated
solely to vendors. The Vendor Support Center website at
http://vsc.gsa.gov/ contains a wealth of
information concerning placing your catalogs on GSA
Advantage,
as well as other information relevant to schedule vendors.
Here are the steps you need to take to get your catalog on GSA
Advantage:
- Step 1: Read and become familiar with schedule
clause I-FSS-597 that requires participation in GSA
Advantage. Additionally, see clause I-FSS-600, "Contract
Price List" of your Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract
which addresses the submission of electronic catalogs.
Catalogs must be submitted electronically via Electronic
Data Interchange (EDI) or via GSA's Schedule Input Program
(SIP) software. The SIP software is available at no cost on
the VSC website at http://vsc.gsa.gov/. There are also a
number of companies who will prepare and submit your catalog
data electronically; however, there are costs associated
with this service.
- Step 2: Register! All vendors must register with
the GSA VSC. You may do this using the SIP software or by
calling toll free at 877-495-4849. The VSC will provide you
with a password that is required on all catalog submissions.
Please note that your company's Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number is required in order to register. If
you do not have a DUNS assigned for your company, you may
obtain one without charge by contacting Dun &
Bradstreet, Inc. at 866-705-5711.
- Step 3: Decide which method you will use to
submit catalog information, EDI or SIP. Additional
instructions are provided in a Startup kit which is included
with the SIP software and also available at the VSC website.
- Step 4: Submit and update your catalog. You may
submit your catalog including updates and changes 24 hours a
day. The data you submit (part numbers, descriptions,
prices, etc.) will be seen by your customers. The
completeness and accuracy of the data submitted is your
responsibility, so please ensure that your products and
services are adequately described.
Can I
list my company website on GSA Advantage? Yes,
when you prepare your catalog for submission you may submit
your company's website URL that contains information about
your schedule contract. In fact, you may even submit a URL for
each product. This product level URL can link to a photo,
specifications, or any other information you would like to
provide about that product.
How do I
change my prices? Price changes can be
submitted through SIP or EDI. Temporary price reductions are
posted immediately (if other changes are not included in your
file). Price increases are approved by your GSA Contracting
Officer prior to being posted to GSA
Advantage.
How
do I make other changes to my contract? If you
submit a change other than a price decrease, it will
automatically be routed to your GSA Contracting Officer for
approval before it is loaded to GSA
Advantage. Modifications
must be approved before the file is sent to GSA
Advantage.
Can my dealers participate in GSA Advantage?
If your contract allows dealers to receive orders, they can
participate. Use SIP or EDI to submit dealer information.
How do I send photos for my products? We strongly
encourage your company to submit as many photos as possible. A
photo upload feature is included as part of the SIP software.
If you choose to submit your catalog using EDI, a photo upload
tool is available at the VSC website.
Can state and
local governments order through GSA Advantage?
Yes, state and local governments can order through GSA
Advantage. The state and local government entities that may use GSA
Advantage include: states, counties, municipalities, cities, towns,
townships, tribal governments, public authorities, school districts,
colleges and other institutions of higher education, council of
governments, regional or interstate government entities, or any
agency or instrumentality of the preceding entities, and including
legislative and judicial departments. The term does not include
contractors of, or grantees of, State or local governments.
State and local customers who wish to order must use a state or local
government issued credit card. No other form of payment is currently
accepted.
At this time, state and local customers can only order products from the
Disaster Recovery and Cooperative Purchasing programs. Contractors who participate in
these programs can sell products and services to state and local customers.
What is eBuy?
GSA's latest e-Business innovation, e-Buy, has
simplified the acquisition process. e-Buy, a component of GSA
Advantage, is an electronic Request for Quote (RFQ) system
designed to allow Federal buyers to prepare RFQs, directly
on-line, for a wide range of services and products offered
through GSA's Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and GWAC programs. e-Buy
allows RFQs and quotes to be exchanged electronically between
Federal buyers and Schedule contractors. e-Buy delivers the
power of the Internet by allowing Federal buyers to interact
with the commercial marketplace to obtain best value solutions
for their operations.
How do
I register for eBuy? When your GSA Contracting
Officer approves your catalog file for GSA
Advantage, you are
automatically registered for e-Buy. To access e-Buy, go to
http://www.ebuy.gsa.gov/. Use your VSC
assigned password to login.
What about the Trade Agreements Act?
As a reminder, in solicitation provision FAR 52.212-3 (f)(2), Offeror Representations and
Certifications-Commercial Items, you must include a comprehensive list of those offered
items that are obtained from sources other than the U.S. or designated country. In this
same paragraph, your firm certifies to the accuracy of that representation. Any item not
identified as from other than a designated country is considered to be compliant with the
Trade Agreement clause of the contract.
Contractor is ultimately responsible for compliance with the Trade Agreements Act in accordance with
clause 52.225-5 Trade Agreements.
