GSA - Hot Topics

Under Disaster Recovery Purchasing, state and local government entities may purchase GSA Federal Supply Schedule products and services to facilitate recovery from a major disaster, terrorism, or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack. State and local government entities may use GSA Schedule contracts to purchase products and services in advance of a major disaster declared by the president, as well as in the aftermath of an emergency event.

Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Express Program

The MAS Express Program, a specialized program established under the GSA Schedules Program, is designed to simplify, streamline, and ultimately accelerate the process for vendors to obtain Schedule contracts.

The MAS Program is currently accepting offers for specific products under selected Schedules. In order to participate in the MAS Express Program, vendors must meet specific criteria for certain products under these Schedules. Vendors must also successfully complete the Pathway to Success education seminar.

Instructions for submitting offers under the MAS Express Program are included in the applicable Schedule solicitations.

Governmentwide Commercial Purchase Card for Schedule Buys

Acceptance of the governmentwide commercial purchase card is a strongly encouraged payment method. Schedule contractors are required to accept the purchase card for payments equal to or less than the micro-purchase threshold. Schedule contractors are also encouraged to accept the card as payment for orders above this threshold.

The dollar value of a purchase card action must not exceed the ordering activity's established limit. Payments using the governmentwide commercial purchase card are not eligible for any negotiated prompt payment discount.

When using the governmentwide commercial purchase card, ordering activities should advise Schedule contractors that they are authorized Schedule users and cite the applicable GSA Schedule contract number, in order to ensure that they obtain Schedule contract pricing.

Open Market Items

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) has been amended to incorporate policies that address the handling of open market items.

Note: Open market items are also known as incidental items, noncontract items, non-Schedule items, and items not on a GSA Schedule contract.

In accordance with FAR 8.402(f), for administrative convenience, an ordering activity contracting officer may add items not on the GSA Schedule (Multiple Award Schedule) contract—i.e., open market items—to a GSA Schedule Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) or an individual task or delivery order only if—

All applicable acquisition regulations pertaining to the purchase of the items not on the GSA Schedule contract have been followed (e.g., publicizing (FAR Part 5), competition requirements (FAR Part 6), acquisition of commercial items (FAR Part 12), contracting methods (FAR Parts 13, 14, and 15), and small business programs (FAR Part 19));

The ordering activity contracting officer has determined the prices for the items not on the GSA Schedule contract are fair and reasonable;

The items are clearly labeled on the order as items not on the GSA Schedule contract; and

All clauses applicable to items not on the GSA Schedule contract are included in the order.

Doc ID	Name	Format	Size	Publish Date
	Approval Levels for Sole Source Orders Under Federal Supply Schedules and Multiple Award Contracts Dir., Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy memo establishing new approval levels/documentation requirements for sole source Schedule orders.	PDF	92k	9/13/2004