One way that contractors can report their GSA sales is through the Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) pilot program. First rolled out in 2016, the TDR program is still evolving, and GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) is preparing to make some updates to the program this fiscal year.
Whether you’re a contractor who already participates in TDR or hopes to be, you may be curious to know how these updates will shape your experience of sales reporting. In this blog, we’ll cover anticipated changes to the TDR program, including the expansion of the program to more Special Item Numbers (SINs), the addition of new fields for reporting sales, and modifications to the sales reporting template.
What is Transactional Data Reporting (TDR)?
Before we go over the upcoming updates to the TDR program, let’s recap what TDR is. GSA established the TDR pilot program in order to equip the government’s acquisition workforce with the information needed to make data-driven decisions that save taxpayer dollars. Contractors participating in TDR report transaction-level data on products and services purchased through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) on a monthly basis.
Transactional Data Reporting is one of two ways that contractors can report their MAS sales. Contractors who don’t report sales through TDR must instead report their Commercial Sales Practices (CSP), which involves reporting MAS sales on a quarterly basis.
While Transactional Data Reporting can be more time-consuming than reporting Commercial Sales Practices, it has distinct benefits. In contrast to CSP, TDR does not require contractors to disclose their discounting practices or adhere to the Price Reductions Clause. In addition to removing compliance burdens, the elimination of these requirements translates to greater flexibility with discounting.
Updates on TDR Expansion
The Transactional Data Reporting program is currently only open to contractors with specific SINs. Contractors who have at least one TDR-eligible SIN on their Schedule may participate, and right now 65 of the 300+ SINs are TDR-eligible.
However, the good news for contractors hoping to reap the benefits of TDR is that GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) has been working to expand the program to additional SINs.
The expansion updates are based on the classification of SINs into four groups: non-configurable products, highly configurable products, SCA/SCLS services, and professional services. Each group is on a different timeline for TDR expansion. Except for highly configurable products, each group has at least a few TDR-eligible SINs already.
The FAS is currently targeting the non-configurable products group for TDR expansion. Non-configurable products are products priced per unit with little or no customization, such as tools and office supplies. 31 of the 110 SINs in this group are TDR-eligible at present, and the FAS has identified 60+ non-configurable product SINs as potential additions to the TDR program.
So, if you offer a non-configurable product SIN that isn’t already TDR-eligible, you likely will be next in line for TDR eligibility. The FAS intends to communicate their official plans for TDR expansion of non-configurable product SINs during Quarter 4 of the 2024 Fiscal Year (which starts on July 1, 2024).
Introduction of New TDR Fields
Contractors reporting sales under TDR currently enter transaction-level data by reporting on eleven different fields, such as Manufacturer Part Number and Price Paid Per Unit. To reduce data gaps in the TDR pilot, the FAS plans to collect data on four additional fields, beginning on June 30th, 2024. This change applies to June transactions reported in July.
The four new TDR fields are:
- Order Date
- Ship Date
- Zip Code Shipped To
- Federal Customer
The first three new fields are only applicable to products, with the fourth, Federal Customer, applicable to both products and services. Reporting these fields will be optional, at least for the next six months. After the six-month acclimation period, the FAS may decide to make these fields mandatory.
Through the addition of these four fields, the FAS aims to address data gaps and improve the quality of TDR data. Improving TDR data quality will provide both the FAS and industry partners with greater insight into items bought and sold through the MAS. Specifically, the four new fields will make it possible to assess cycle times and contract compliance for products, analyze pricing data by locality for products, and analyze data by federal buyer for both products and services.
In addition to improving TDR data quality, the FAS aims to improve TDR data usage. In the last year, the FAS has begun sharing TDR data publicly on the Vendor Support Center (VSC), in the form of demand data. Posting demand data allows industry partners to see what items MAS customers are buying and tailor their pricelists accordingly.
Updates to the Sales Reporting Portal (SRP) Template
All MAS contractors report their GSA sales through the Sales Reporting Portal (SRP). For TDR contractors, one of the reporting options on SRP involves uploading an Excel template populated with transaction-level data. On June 30th, the FAS will replace the current SRP Excel template with an updated one that includes the four new fields listed above.
The new template’s instructions tab will contain guidance for filling out the new fields, as well as updated guidance for the Unit of Measure and Description of Deliverable fields. When filling out the new Federal Customer field, contractors should remember to enter the two-digit Treasury Agency code corresponding to the customer agency. The new template will include a list of these codes for ease of reference.
Although reporting the new fields will be optional, using the new SRP template will be mandatory. SRP will reject uploads attempted using the current template starting June 30th. The new template won’t be available until that day, but contractors can access the draft template to familiarize themselves with its contents prior to the official release.
Adapting to Transactional Data Reporting
These anticipated developments to the TDR program spell good news for current and prospective TDR contractors alike. The new TDR fields will improve data quality for government and industry partners, and the intended expansion of TDR to additional SINs will allow more contractors to take advantage of TDR’s benefits. However, we’re aware that transitioning to any new program can involve a period of adjustment. If you have questions about using SRP as a TDR contractor, navigating the new template and fields, or any other aspect of TDR, our consultants are here to help.
