Updates to the FAS Catalog Platform (FCP)

Whether you’ve been a GSA Schedule contractor for a few months or a few years, you’ve probably noticed there have been several changes within the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, from Solicitation Refreshes to system updates. One of the major updates and improvements is the creation and pilot of the Federal Acquisition System (FAS) Catalog Platform, or more commonly known as the FCP. GSA has been on-boarding new contractors recently and making changes as the system is rolled out, so let’s cover all the recent updates to the FCP and what you need to know about this new program.

What is the FAS Catalog Platform?

The FAS Catalog Platform (FCP), previously known as the Common Catalog Platform (CCP), is a catalog management system for Schedule contracts that enhances the user experience of managing catalog and contract data. FCP’s precursor, the Schedule Input Program (SIP), allows contractors to more easily and efficiently upload catalog and contract data to GSA eLibrary and GSA Advantage!, so that the items on their contract are up-to-date and visible to government buyers.

The FCP will continue to serve these same functions while introducing several improvements to the user experience, including:

• FCP replaces SIP’s desktop software with a web-based program, providing easier access to the platform for contractors and their authorized negotiators.
• While SIP’s various tabs can make it cumbersome to enter in contract data, FCP’s streamlined interface has just two pages, a seller profile and a catalog overview.
• Contractors making changes to their catalog with SIP have to submit both a Price Proposal Template (PPT) in eMod and a Catalog File in SIP. FCP consolidates the PPT and Catalog File into a single Product File.
• In SIP, contractors have to initiate any contract modifications in eMod and then manually modify the catalog files on SIP. In contrast, FCP seamlessly integrates with the eMod system. After initiating a contract modification in eMod, users are taken directly to FCP, where they submit the Product File containing catalog changes. The submitted file is then delivered back to eMod.
• FCP gives contractors access to a Compliance & Pricing (C&P) Report prior to submitting a modification for review. The C&P Report provides market research and analysis, and flags items on the Product File to help contractors with pricing strategies and compliance issues.

Recent 2024 FCP Updates

In an earlier December blog, we focused on the steps contractors will need to take to use the FAS Catalog Platform. In this section, we will address the updates that GSA released in January 2024 for the FCP and look at some of the features that will be included.

As we continue to progress into 2024, more and more GSA users are making the transition from SIP to the FAS Catalog Platform. The original “soft launch” of the FAS Catalog Platform was released to 140 GSA Schedule contractors, but GSA plans to release the “full launch” early this year. Contractors who provide “Commercially of the Shelf” products, or COTS, will be eligible to use the FAS Catalog Platform UNLESS they fall under any of these exceptions:

While GSA is making a push for product vendors on the Schedule to move over to FCP in early 2024 and throughout the year, contractors the Schedule who offer services can expect their transition to FCP to occur in FY2025.

Contractors who offer products will receive a 60-day notice email stating that their Contract is eligible for FCP, and the other necessary steps will be outlined with this email. It is important that Contractors who are eligible for FCP and receive the 60-day notice close out all open modifications before the transition to FCP is made.

Managing Product Catalogs in FCP

In anticipation of the full launch of the FAS Catalog Platform, GSA has released a training video that focuses on the Options and Accessories tools in FCP. The video not only highlights how to use Options and Accessories with the Catalog Platform, but also shows how contractors can utilize these tools to best represent their offerings to government buyers on GSA Advantage.

The “Accessories” aspect of the Catalog Platform focuses on standalone products that are associated with other products (a television and a television remote, for example). Accessories have their own product attributes, and therefore still undergo market research as any standalone item would. “Options” on the other hand, are not standalone products but rather variations of the same product.

For instance, a contractor on the GSA Schedule may sell t-shirts to government entities. While the t-shirt posted on GSA Advantage! green, the contractor may also offer the shirt in blue, red, and yellow, each with a different Option number.

MAS Services Updates

A huge benefit of the FCP is that it will align documents that are compatible with eMod and should be much more user friendly than the earlier version SIP. The Services Plus file, previously called the Service File, will accept all of the service contract and catalog information currently found in the Services and Training and the Language Services Price Proposal Templates (PPTs). According to the most updated FCP release, a vendor can align their offerings with eight different catalog item types in the new template:

1. Commercial Labor Categories: Labor categories defined by the vendor, using the hour (HR) unit of measure.
2. Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS) labor categories: Labor categories governed by laws and regulations from the Service Contract Act, using the HR unit of measure.
3. Fixed Price Solutions: Services that are bought outside the labor category paradigm of personnel per hour, using any unit of measure.
4. Courses and Training: Sessions bound by a minimum number of students and maximum number of students.
5. Other Direct Costs (ODCs): Items defined at the contract level that are sold in support of public relations (PR) and marketing services.
6. Language Services: A service centered around translating languages (either one way or both ways).
7. Highly Customizable Products: Used to sell products with numerous layers of options that cannot be sold on GSA Advantage!. Pricing is based on a discount to a manufacturer group or family of products/ features, instead of pricing products as a discrete set of line items.
8. Ancillary Items: Products or services sold in support of the dominant service in the Services Plus File. Not sold on GSA Advantage!.

Market Threshold Update

In addition to the new FCP release, GSA is updating how market research will be conducted for COTS. Some of these updates include:

• Adding Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) data to the calculation when high quality, comparable data is available.
• Adding Commercial Pricing data from major websites to the calculation.
• Moving away from using just the lowest price; the new benchmark will more heavily weight centricity, or the median price.
• Introducing new demand weighted ceilings where pricing targets are more aggressive for high demand products.

Navigating the Transition to the FCP

While the FCP may be more user friendly and easier to navigate than SIP, it’s still best to be prepared for the transition between the two programs. If you are a GSA Schedule contractor who provides products on the GSA Schedule, keep a look out for the 60-day notice email from GSA determining your qualifications for FCP.

You can also contact the Vendor Support Center’s helpdesk if you’re encountering technical issues with the platform. And if you have any additional questions about transitioning from SIP to FCP, or if you need help with other aspects of managing your MAS contract, one of our consultants would be happy to assist.