Immediately after the release of Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh #23, GSA announced Refresh #24 which is expected to come out in January. Solicitation Refresh #24 includes updates that were removed from #23 along with some other changes to the overall Solicitation as well as specific Large Categories. Let’s review what we expect to see in this Refresh and how it may impact you as a GSA Schedule contractor.
The first update includes quite a few revisions to “SCP-FSS-001 Instructions to All Offerors” which were originally included in Refresh #23. This is applicable for all prospective GSA Schedule contractors, and current contractors looking to complete a streamlined offer. GSA plans to:
As always, GSA also plans to make minor revisions to the Offer and Modification Products Price Proposal Templates (PPTs). GSA will update the ‘Manufacturer Name’ definition and add note to ‘Glossary’ tab and update the ‘Change Log’ tab.
To reduce administrative burden and minimize compliance risks, GSA plans to transition all Small Business Set-Aside (SBSA) Special Item Numbers (SINs) to a non-SBSA equivalent SIN. In Refresh #24, GSA will close all SBSA SINs to new awards and remove the SBSA designation from unique SINs. Right now there are 19 SBSA SINs.
Currently, GSA contract holders with an SBSA SIN must have a separate MAS contract for that SIN. This can get cumbersome because although you don’t have to submit separate GSA MAS offers for each contract, once the contracts are awarded, they must be treated separately. It can be a lot to keep up with modifications and sales reporting requirements for more than one contract.
During the transition period, GSA will work with affected contractors to ensure awarded items are represented under non-SBSA SINs on a non-SBSA contract number. You will migrate your SINs to your main GSA MAS contract. If you only hold a contract under a SBSA SIN and have no other MAS contract to migrate to, you will establish a new contract number.
Since this change will require cancelling contracts and migrating SINs to new contracts, GSA has provided a three-phase timeline.
For contractors that have Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) under an SBSA SIN, GSA will allow the contract number to continue until the BPAs are complete.
This Refresh also includes updates to specific Large Categories and Special Item Numbers (SINs), which we’ll cover below. This Refresh holds significantly less updates in this area than the last few Refreshes.
This first change applies to all the Large Categories, no matter your offerings. GSA plans to:
In the Facilities Maintenance and Repair Subcategory, GSA will add a new SIN subgroup to SIN 561210FAC - Facilities Maintenance and Management. The subgroup will be ‘Geographic Coverage includes Europe’, to indicate a contractor has the ability to operate, perform or deliver to this area.
In the Professional Services Large Category GSA will add a SIN subgroup to SIN 541990 All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (Non-IT). Same as above, this subgroup will be ‘Geographic Coverage includes Europe’, to indicate a contractor has the ability to operate, perform or deliver to this area.
As mentioned above, GSA plans to release the Solicitation Refresh by the end of January. Now that we reviewed the changes in Refresh #24, you will hopefully be ready for when GSA releases the Mass Modification. As usual, contractors have 90 days to accept the Mass Mod after it’s officially released.
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