|
Attention Industry! GSA Launches Strategic Sourcing Communities on GSA Interact GSA has launched two new strategic sourcing communities on GSA Interact, GSA's open, collaborative community for connecting, communicating, learning and engaging across topics. These two communities will provide up-to-date information regarding two new strategic sourcing solutions underway:
FSSI was established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the May 20, 2005, Implementing Strategic Sourcing memo. OMB reinforced the Government’s commitment to strategic sourcing in their December 5, 2012 Improving Acquisition through Strategic Sourcing memo.
To date, FSSI counts more than 20 federal agencies, both military and civilian, as active participants.
GSA is taking a lead role in developing these solutions to bring commonsense improvements to the acquisition process. An important part of the process is working with industry and agency stakeholders to understand ways the government can reduce its costs. The JanSan and MRO teams encourage industry to visit these pages for the latest updates on the acquisition process for this solution. Become a member today and join the discussion!
02/07/2013
|
|
Help influence and improve FSSI! Attend GSA’s “Listen To Industry” Day on FSSI JanSan and MRO Products Jan 30th GSA is working with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and partner agencies to create 10 new government-wide strategic sourcing solutions for a range of commonly purchased products and services. One of these new solutions will be for janitorial and sanitation supplies; and includes supplies and equipment (excluding services) such as bleach, trash bags, paper towels, toilet paper, mops, floor buffers, etc. The second one will be for maintenance, repair, and operations products; and includes supplies and equipment (excluding services) such as hardware, power tools, pipes, valves, electrical equipment, lighting, etc. The upcoming event will primarily focus on product offerings under Schedules 51V, 56, 73, 75, and 81IB so register today! for GSA’s “Listen To Industry” Day at GSA Headquarters Auditorium on Jan 30th and share your thoughts about commercial best practices, that will help scope these two vehicles appropriately, identify key requirements and be prepared to compete!
Your valuable input is needed in order to successfully build an FSSI to sustain life-cycle benefits to the end user, and to make the U.S. Government a better customer.
01/29/2013
|
|
Monthly GSA Schedules Training - Take advantage of our monthly GSA Schedules training and learn how to effectively use the Schedules program to meet your business goals. Learn how GSA’s tools enhance competition, maximize small business utilization and much more. Visit the GSA website or GSA Interact for more information.
Upcoming Webinars:
02/06/2013 (4 CLP Credits) Basic Contracting for GSA Schedules - This comprehensive training course covers Federal Supply Schedules contracting and ordering procedures. It addresses placing orders against Multiple Award Schedules, as outlined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 8.4. In this course you will learn the unique flexibilities within the GSA Schedules program.
04/04/2013 (1 CLP Credit) FAR Subpart 8.4 versus Open Market - This course will explore the differences and similarities between Subpart 8.4 and Parts 13 & 15 procedures, advantages and disadvantages for various situations, and help you analyze the alternatives as you develop your acquisition strategy.
01/29/2013
|
|
Attention Industry! Visit GSA Interact to learn about GSA's new acquisition vehicle and join the discussion! GSA Interact, GSA's open, collaborative community for connecting, communicating, learning and engaging across topics, has become a key source for up-to-date information about One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS), GSA's next generation contract vehicle.
With more than 2,000 community members, the OASIS Community is now one of GSA Interact's most active communities, featuring blog entries and engaging discussions on a variety of topics related to the development of this new acquisition vehicle. Most recently, GSA's OASIS team posted the redacted version of the OASIS Business Case on GSA Interact. Click HERE read more about the business case and access the document.
GSA encourages all Industry Partners to visit GSA Interact and become a member of the OASIS Community. Join today!
01/29/2013
|
|
Removal of AbilityOne Items from GSA Schedules - Click here to find the updated Essentially The Same (ETS) Procurement List file effective as of 1-3-13. This is the first ETS file that has been jointly developed by AbilityOne and GSA. Products and services under the AbilityOne Program are the mandatory source for use by federal customers. The AbilityOne Program is outlined by the Javits-Wagner- O’Day (JWOD) Act (41 U.S.C. 46 – 48c) and must be adhered to by all MAS contract holders. An item that is determined to be ‘essentially the same’ as an item on the Procurement List is understood to have the same form, fit and function, fair market price, and unit of issue as the AbilityOne labeled item, and therefore cannot be sold in competition with AbiltyOne items.
GSA has conducted a review of MAS items that may be ETS, and is in the process of initiating remediation and removal of ETS items from Schedules. If GSA has determined that there are items on individual MAS contracts which are ETS, Vendors will be contacted regarding their listing of ETS item(s) that will be removed from contract as well as Advantage!
If you offer products that are ETS as AbilityOne products, you are encouraged to become an authorized distributor of AbilityOne products. For more information on the AbilityOne Program and how to become an authorized distributor, please visit www.abilityone.gov. If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth.Hamilton@gsa.gov.
01/07/2013
|
|
Schedules Modernization Focus Groups - GSA recently held a series of Schedules Modernization Industry Focus Groups from Oct. 23 through Nov. 15. During the sessions, industry participants provided a wealth of feedback that helped identity which solutions GSA needs to focus on in order to support missions more effectively. Topics included: - The need for an easy-to-use pricing tool
- Reformation of pricing policies
- Consolidation/reduction of contract solution sets
- Other enhancements that will modernize MAS
Participants provided an array of terrific ideas regarding how GSA can provide our agency customers with the most efficient and effective MAS program. Visit the Multiple Award Schedule community on GSA Interact to view the focus group notes prepared by GSA.
01/07/2013
|
|
New Biobased Product Reporting Requirement - Service and construction contractors are required to report their purchases of biobased products for supply or use under Federal contracts. The reporting requirement applies if: - Your contract or task order was signed between May 18, 2012 and September 30, 2012, AND
- The contract or task order included FAR clause 52.223-2, Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products under Service and Construction Contracts.
Reports for FY2012 purchases originally were due to the contracting officer by the end of October. Under a class deviation issued November 2, 2012, affected GSA service and construction contractors can report by December 31, 2012. Other agencies also issued class deviations for their contracts.
Where Do You Report? The U.S. Department of Agriculture created a reporting portal on the BioPreferred web site, www.biopreferred.gov. Instead of reporting to the contracting officer, you will submit your report via this portal. First read the step-by-step instructions and the frequently asked questions. The step-by-step instructions include a link to a template you can use to gather your data before reporting.
If you already submitted a report to the contracting officer, the agency will submit your report to USDA.
What Do You Report? You will be reporting your purchases of any BioPreferred items you purchased for supply or use under your contract or task order. You can find the list of BioPreferred items on the USDA BioPreferred web site or the Green Products Compilation, which is a searchable list of green products Federal agencies are required to purchase, www.sftool.gov/greenprocurement.
You will be asked to submit one report per contract or task order per agency. You will be asked to indicate the dollar value of BioPreferred items you purchased for that contract or order.
You also will be asked to enter your DUNS number, the contract or order number, and the agency. USDA downloaded FY2012 contract and order numbers from the Federal Procurement Data System to use as a validation check, but if for some reason your contract was not entered into FPDS or there is an error, you will receive an error message and will not be able to report your purchasing data. In that case, report your data to the contracting officer and environmental point of contact listed in clause 52.223-2.
If you have questions after reviewing the information on the USDA web site, please contact your contracting officer or FAS Green Purchasing at fasgreenpurchasing@gsa.gov.
11/14/2012
|
|
Hurricane Sandy Recovery Purchasing - As recovery efforts from Hurricane Sandy continue throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) would like to remind our vendor community of the authority granted to the Administrator of General Services to assist state and local governments. Under Section 833 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109-364) and Section 4 of the Federal Supply Schedules Usage Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-263) (codified at 40 U.S.C. § 502(d)), state and local governments may access GSA Federal Supply Schedules to facilitate preparation, response, and recovery from a natural disaster such as Hurricane Sandy. Sales by GSA Federal Supply Schedule contractors to state and local governments under this authority for purposes of disaster recovery are voluntary.
Sales under these authorities are subject to the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) and should be reported on the contractor’s 72a quarterly reports, under the Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program. GSA is committed to helping state and local governments to the fullest extent possible in support of their focused efforts in rebuilding the impacted communities.
11/14/2012
|
|
Shipping Terms for Products on GSA Advantage!® - Vendors with contracts negotiated with both F.O.B. destination and origin shipping terms at the product level should review and update their GSA Advantage!® submission. The recently-released Version 7.6 of the Schedules Input Program (SIP) allows vendors to differentiate shipping terms at the product level. Effective February 1, 2012, customers are expected to pay only the price shown. Ensure the shipping terms on your contract are correct by downloading or upgrading to SIP 7.6 using these instructions.
11/14/2012
|
|
GSA Announces Plan to Modernize Schedules - In order to better enable Industry to provide GSA’s agency customers with the right products and services, GSA is moving its Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program to a more efficient model. Referred to as the Demand Based Model (DBM), this new business model will provide GSA’s Industry partners with more opportunities and an expedited awards process.
GSA published a Federal Register Notice describing the DBM and will accept feedback from the public and industry, especially from small businesses. GSA encourages such feedback to provide specific operational implementation recommendations. Feedback must be provided on or before 30 days after date of publication to GSA at DemandBasedModel@gsa.gov.
11/14/2012
|
|
Green Products Compilation - The new web-based Green Products Compilation (GPC) is an educational tool used to facilitate the procurement of green products and services. The products listed are those for which the EPA, DOE, or USDA have issued designations or otherwise provided guidance for environmental or energy attributes. This interactive tool consolidates and organizes information from these federal green purchasing programs in one place, saving you from researching multiple web sites to identify the green products tha federal purchasers need. It allows users to search, sort, and identify sustainable products and their associated guidance documentation to facilitate green purchasing decisions. Get started now at http://sftool.gov/GreenProcurement/.
11/14/2012
|
|
Are You Accessing the Correct Website for the System for Award Management? - The System for Award Management (SAM) is a free web site that consolidated the capabilities you used to find in CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS. Recently, contractors reported being charged a registration fee for SAM. These contractors were inadvertently accessing the incorrect website, as there is no fee associated with the System for Award Management.
When searching for “SAM” or “www.sam.gov” in search engines, pay close attention to the results generated. The correct website is www.sam.gov, and can be identified by the “Uncle Sam” hat logo. So, remember, ensure the web address is actually www.sam.gov, and you will be able to register without a fee!
11/14/2012
|
|
Effective April 10, 2012 - USO is now eligible to use GSA Federal Supply Schedules. View the announcement and letter of eligibility.
04/24/2012
|
|
GREEN CORNER: New Option to Register Manufacturer Parts Numbers in the EPEAT Registry. Click here for more information.
01/13/2012
|
|
Version 10 of the Green Products Compilation is now available on the GSA and
FedCenter web sites. It includes additional biobased products designated by
USDA in the BioPreferred Program, water efficient products from EPA's WaterSense
Program and, for the first time, products listed in EPA's Design for the
Environment Program (DfE). DfE products have less toxic and hazardous
constituents than competing products. Purchasing and using them can help
agencies meet their executive order pollution prevention goals. www.gsa.gov/greenproductscompilation or http://www.fedcenter.gov/programs/buygreen/
12/15/2011
|
|
Effective October 17, 2011 - Pathway to Success & New Contractor Orientation (NCO) trainings are available on the Vendor Education Center as web-based, on-demand trainings. Click here for more information.
12/15/2011
|
|
Nov 15, 2011 - GSA Integrations Team Launches Integrations Industry Community on Interact. Click here for more information.
12/01/2011
|
|
GSA is removing four environment symbols from its ordering platforms. Click here for more information.
12/01/2011
|
|
Effective November 1, 2011, the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program will no longer accept Express offers. Click here for more information.
12/01/2011
|
|
IT Schedule 70 is Going Green! Effective October 1, 2011, the use of GSA's eOffer/eMod system is mandatory for the submission of all offers and modifications. Are you ready? Click here for more information.
12/01/2011
|
|
On July 11, 2011, the 1122 Program expansion will be implemented: Click here for more information.
12/01/2011
|
|
February 22, 2011 - To better meet the needs of GSA's customer agencies, a deviation to FAR Part 51.1 has been approved to expand the authority of contractors to use GSA sources of supply. Click here for more information.
12/01/2011
|
|
New Authorization for the American National Red Cross to purchase via all Federal Supply Schedules. Click here
12/01/2011
|
|
On June 24, 2010 a mandatory mass modification will baseline all FSS contracts to include the most recent standard contract clauses, capture exceptions, and incorporate E-Verify into all FSS contracts. Click here for more info.
12/01/2011
|
|
There are new instructions for submitting product photos for GSA Advantage. Check the FAQs tab section for details on new photo submission instructions.
12/01/2011
|
|
Grantee Access to Schedules in Support of Public Health Emergencies. Click here for more info.
12/01/2011
|
|
Attention Schedule 03FAC, 66 and 874V Vendors, please click here for some important modification information.
12/01/2011
|
|
The Steps to Success - How to be a Successful Contractor
12/01/2011
|
|
Important information regarding the mandatory for all Schedules electronic submission of offers and modifications through eOffer and eMod effective March 30, 2011 can be found here.
12/01/2011
|
eOffer/eMod is a tool to submit contract offers and contract modification requests to GSA Federal Acquisition Service online.