As GSA prepares to take on more Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) and other large-scale vehicles, you may have noticed changes in timelines for obtaining a GSA Schedule contract, as well as receiving GSA Schedule modification awards. Unfortunately, these changes in timelines may not be in your favor, as you may have experienced prolonged delays in approvals for your submissions.
For IT companies looking to expedite the processing of offers or modification awards, you may look to GSA’s FASt Lane Program, as it offers a quicker path for approvals for qualifying IT vendors. However, it's essential to note that the eligibility criteria for this program are quite narrow, and it may not be a “catch-all” solution for your company. In this blog post, we will outline and discuss the current requirements for the FASt Lane Program and help you determine whether your business might qualify under the updated guidelines.
What is the FASt Lane Program?
The FASt Lane Program enables eligible GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contractors to experience shorter processing times for contract actions, including GSA Schedule acquisition and modifications. Under this program, contractors can have their GSA Schedules awarded on a faster timeline than the standard GSA MAS acquisition process. While we can’t provide a guaranteed timeframe for government processes, this program does significantly reduce the time that’s involved.
On the post-award side of things, it also accelerates the modification process; for instance, adding new products and services to your MAS contract can take just 24 to 48 hours for approval. Agencies benefit from this program as well, as it provides them with quick access to emerging technologies and innovative offerings.
It makes sense for all IT GSA Schedule holders to consider opting into this option. However, it's important to be aware of the various requirements that must be followed. We outlined these requirements in a previous blog post, but please note that there have been slight changes. Below, we describe those updated requirements:
Do You Qualify for the FASt Lane Program?
To participate in FASt Lane, you must:
- Be a Multiple Award Schedule offeror or existing schedule holder assigned under the Information Technology Category and assigned an ITC contracting officer.
- Only those assigned under ITC are eligible for FASt Lane. No other categories are eligible.
- Only ITC Special Item Numbers can be submitted in eOffer/eMod. No other MAS categories or non-ITC SINs are FASt Lane eligible.
- Note: ANCILLARY SIN from the Miscellaneous Category may be included on your offer and still be eligible for FASt Lane.
- Be associated with a FASt Lane-eligible initiative:
- Second Generation Information Technology IT BPAs awardees (use FASt Lane tab in FSS Online)
- Defense Health Agency Enterprise IT Services
- SCRIPTS BPA - Supply Chain Risk Illumination Professional Tools
- Other IT initiatives that arise (such as contract modification initiatives)
- Have a written request from a federal agency ordering activity that states vendors should participate in FASt Lane to support the agency’s IT requirements. Vendors must include this written request in the eOffer submission package)
All participants must complete and submit the FASt Lane Eligibility Checklist [DOCX - 28 KB] as part of your eOffer or eMod package.
We also want to emphasize that only ITC Special Item Numbers (SINs) can be used in eOffer/eMod submissions, as it is imperative to note that no other Large Categories under the MAS Program are eligible.
You also need to make sure that your company falls under the Information Technology Category (ITC), here’s a list of what the category offers to government agencies:
- IT Hardware
- IT Security
- IT Services
- IT Software
- Telecommunication and Network Services
How the FASt Lane Program Operates
One of the main goals of the FASt Lane program is to provide agency customers with direct access to vendors offering new and emerging technologies. As you proceed with the program, there are two important factors that you’ll need to be mindful of. First, all vendors need to be in close contact and responsive to their designated GSA Contracting Specialist or Contracting Officer.
Second, it’s extremely imperative to ensure that all technical evaluations are completed and any necessary supporting documentation is included and submitted directly to the eMod system. Email exchanges with Contracting Officers and Specialists are not the proper method for officially submitting modifications or offers.
Now that you know that your company is ready to use the program, let’s now take a closer look at the required documents to successfully navigate the FASt Lane process, as these requirements can be easily overlooked.
Required Forms and Documents for FASt Lane
FASt Lane will require the following documents to process your business as quickly as possible through the system. If you are a large business involved in any subcontracting plans, you may be asked for additional documentation or financial statements beyond the scope of this checklist. If you need clarification on what each document entails or how to obtain them, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our consulting team.
When submitting a FASt Lane offer through eOffer, you must include:
- FASt Lane Eligibility Checklist [DOCX - 28 KB].
- All documents and responses per the solicitation requirement.
- Any written requests from the agency asking you to participate in FASt Lane to support their IT requirements.
FASt Lane participants must respond within 24 hours of receiving any inquiries or requested information from GSA contracting officers, or the eOffer will lose FASt Lane eligibility.
Keep in mind that if your FASt Lane eligible initiative includes a Special Item Number that requires a technical review, the review must be completed before submitting modifications through eMod.
Once your technical documents are reviewed and approved by the GSA CO, you can submit a FASt Lane request through eMod along with the required FASt Lane Eligibility Checklist [DOCX - 28 KB].
FASt Lane participants must respond within 2 hours of receiving any inquiries or requested information from GSA contracting officers, or the eMod will lose FASt Lane eligibility.
Several FASt Lane SINs and BPAs require additional information for modification submissions:
- SIN 518210C — Cloud and Cloud Related IT Professional Services
- Email your contracting officer/contract specialist with the subject line “Cloud technical evaluation.”
- Include documentation (technical responses, if applicable for cloud computing services such as IaaS, PaaS, SaaS).
- Include price proposal template.
- SIN 561422 — Automated Contact Center Services
- Email contactcenter@gsa.gov and your contracting officer/contract specialist with the subject line “ACCS technical evaluation.”
- Include relevant project experience.
- Include price proposal template.
- 2GIT Blanket Purchase Agreement holders
- 2GIT BPA Holders are required to complete the 2GIT Schedule Modification Tracker Google form for all schedule contract modification requests to include FASt Lane eMods.
- To receive a link to the form, email 2GITquoters@gsa.gov with “2GIT Schedule Modification Tracker Google Form Link Request” in the subject line.
- Completion of this form is REQUIRED within one hour of any schedule contract modification request.
- SCRIPTS BPA
- Email scrmtool@gsa.gov and your Contracting Officer/Contract Specialist with the subject line “SCRIPTS BPA eOffer.”
- Include eOffer number, date of eOffer submission, and point of contact.
- Indicate that the action is in response to the SCRIPTS BPA.
FASt Lane Eligibility Checklist
As previously mentioned, you may be asked to go through some technical reviews prior to submitting your modification through the eMod system. Make sure that you’re carefully reviewing the FASt Lane Eligibility Checklist, which can be accessed on GSA’s FASt Lane tab under “Eligibility.” You will notice that this checklist will include the necessary links to government email addresses.
We highly recommend providing as much information as possible in your technical documents to give a comprehensive overview of your business’s eligibility and capabilities. Once all technical documents have been successfully reviewed, you can proceed to submit your FASt Lane request through eMod. Please ensure your communication during the process is prompt to avoid issues or delays in approving your modification. FASt Lane participants should be responding within 24 hours to any inquiries or requests for information from the GSA Contracting Officer.
Need Assistance with the FASt Lane Program? We’re Here to Help!
We understand how important it is for you to quickly obtain and maintain your GSA Schedule. Not fully understanding the process can cause delays. If you have questions about your eligibility for the FASt Lane Program or need assistance with enrollment, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our consultants. Additionally, if you need to contact GSA regarding any questions or concerns, FASt Lane has its own dedicated mailbox for inquiries at fastlane@gsa.gov.
