The government landscape is always changing, and federal agencies such as the General Services Administration (GSA) are frequently modifying their processes to adapt to the market. After seeing an increase in demand for Program Evaluation Services, GSA is updating the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program to include a subgroup where agencies can go to meet their Program Evaluation needs.
With this new subgroup, there will be a bigger pool of qualified offerors to choose from when an agency is in need of these services. If you currently offer or plan to offer Professional Services on your GSA Schedule, this blog may apply to you. Here’s what you need to know about the Program Evaluation Services subgroup, the requirements, and what it will look like on your GSA Schedule.
What is a Subgroup in the MAS Program?
If you’re a current or a prospective GSA MAS contractor, you are most likely familiar with 12 Large Categories. Each SIN is specific and has detailed requirements that contractors must abide by. Some SINs go even deeper to provide subgroups. The intention of subgroups is to showcase your company’s specialized products and services under select SINs. Additionally, when potential buyers are searching for products and/or services, they may want to narrow down their searches by applying the subgroup filter that highlights additional expertise.
When you start your offer process, the first step is to consider what SIN(s) best fits your company's offerings. Once you have selected a SIN(s), you may have the option to request a subgroup, such as the Program Evaluation Services subgroup under the Professional Services Category. It's important to not that GSA will want supplementary information to support your ability to provide specific services/products.
MAS Solicitation Refresh 17: The Release of the Program Evaluation Services Subgroup
Now that we’ve touched on what subgroups are, let’s discuss the newest subgroup that has been released under the most recent GSA MAS Solicitation Refresh #17. While the Refresh made several changes, our focus will be on the subgroup that was added to SIN 541611 (Management and Financial Consulting, Acquisition and Grants Management Support, and Business Program and Project Management Services), which is a part of Large Category H - Professional Services.
GSA added Program Evaluation Services to the list of subgroups under SIN 541611. GSA defines Program Evaluation Services as an “assessment using systematic data collection and analysis of one or more programs, policies, and organizations intended to assess their effectiveness and efficiency." For example, these Program Evaluation services may address questions related to the implementation of a program, policy or organization, and examine questions related to the contextual factors surrounding a program.
Requirements for the Program Evaluation Services Subgroup
The government is known for demanding countless paperwork to validate compliance for strict regulations. Unsurprisingly, contractors who want to add a subgroup to their Schedule must submit additional documents that demonstrate technical expertise and relevant experience.
For the new Program Evaluation Services subgroup, the documents you submit should display experience in developing and implementing rigorous evaluation designs, including impact evaluations, and outcome evaluations. Below is a list of what interested contractors must submit if they are seeking Program Evaluation Services Subgroup:
- Concise description (3 single-spaced pages) of the Program Evaluation Services offered, including developing and implementing impact and outcome evaluations as noted above, and how they align with the standards and practices outlined in
- Submission of 3 Relevant Project Experience examples (up to 5 single-spaced pages total). Scope of work must relate to program evaluation services and coincide with standards and practices in OMB M-20-12.
- All submissions must be requested via email, addressed to sinevalsubgroup@gsa.gov.
What Happens After You Add the Program Evaluation Services to Your GSA Schedule
After submitting your request to add a Program Evaluation Services Subgroup to your already awarded SIN 541611, your company will be assessed by a Technical Evaluation Board (TEB). The TEB will consist of professionals from various federal agencies. The Board may call some of the Points of Contact (POC) from your past projects to confirm the information you provided is correct. After the TEB has had a chance to thoroughly evaluate your experience, they will decide to either pass or fail you based on their technical rating standards (defined below).
If your company passes the first evaluation, then GSA will request that you respond to a specific Program Evaluation Services scenario. The response must be 3 single spaced pages max. TEB will assess your company’s response and determine whether your approach passes or fails against their technical ratings, stated below.
Once you’ve submitted your second response, you should know whether TEB has passed/ failed you within 45 calendar days. If you passed the initial and scenario response, then you will be eligible to add the Program Evaluation Services subgroup to your eBuy profile. In contrast, if your company does not pass the evaluation, you won’t be able to add the subgroup to your profile. If you want to be re-evaluated, you’ll have to wait 6 months to resubmit your request for this subgroup.
Understanding GSA Requirements
As a GSA contractor, you should always be searching for ways to make yourself more visible to clients. Whether it’s enhancing your website presence or adding a subgroup to your SIN to make you stand out. We understand that the GSA world can be complex, especially when you don’t have the bandwidth. If you need help with modifications, are interested in entering the government contracting realm, or have any GSA related questions, we are here to help you.
