GSA has been teasing a spring Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh release for the past few months, and the time has come—Refresh #20 will be released in April 2024. This Refresh will be accompanied by a Mass Modification, which must be accepted within 90 days. Let’s talk about this Refresh including what changes GSA plans to make and how it affects you as a contractor, so you’re well prepared to accept the Mass Modification when it’s released.
Overall Changes to the MAS Solicitation
First, let’s talk about the overall updates to the Solicitation before we start diving into specific Large Category changes. GSA plans to incorporate the following updates to SCP-FSS-001 (Instructions Applicable to All Offerors):
- Revise provision xi, “Applicable to product offers” regarding Supplier Authorization and Letter of Supply Requirements to:
- Bring back bullet A, a copy of the cancellation letter of notification of determination not to exercise an option. This was removed in error and will be added back for clarity.
- Address the 12-month waiting period if GSA Schedule contract is canceled/allowed to expire due to non-compliance.
- Add note to xviii, “Applicable to product offers” regarding the Purchase Order (PO) portal.
- Update various gsa.gov links and page titles that are outdated throughout the document.
GSA will also add the following note to clause I-FSS-600:
All Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) type products are prohibited from being duplicated and published to the text file posted on GSA eLibrary. All Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) type products should be published for sale on GSA Advantage.
Updates to the Price Proposal Templates (PPTs)
With every Solicitation Refresh generally comes an update to the Price Proposal Templates (PPTs). Here are the changes we expect to see in this Refresh.
In the Offer PPT template for products, GSA will:
- Update the ‘Read me First’ tab to reflect Refresh #20
- Add 2 tabs for Options and Accessories
- In the ‘Read me First' tab, GSA will add instructional language for Options and Accessories
- Add ‘Base Product or Accessory’ column to all tabs
- Update the glossary
In the modification PPT for products, GSA plans to:
- Update the ‘Read me First’ tab to reflect Refresh #20 just as the PPT above
- Add 2 tabs for Options and Accessories
- Add instructional language for Options and Accessories in the updated ‘Read me First’ tab.
- The note for Options will read: For option item price increases or price decreases, utilize the associated EPA tabs with base products information only.
- The note for Accessories will read: This tab should only be used when adding/changing/removing an accessory relationship with the base item.
- A ‘Base Product or Accessory’ column will be added to all tabs
- Update the glossary
In the Offer and Modification Services and Training PPTs, GSA will add instructional language for Mark-ups to the ‘Read me First’ tab. This applies to contractors who offer markups on the commercial services that are also reflected on their GSA Schedule. The note will read:
Contractors who offer mark-ups should enter the discount (X%), as a negative discount, from commercial pricing (commercial market rates or Commercial Price List rate) offered to the Most Favored Customer and GSA for the direct labor or task element entry.
The same note will also be applied to Special Item Numbers (SINs) 541930 -Translation and Interpretation Services, and 611630 - Linguistic Training and Education.
Letter of Supply Changes in Refresh #20
This update applies to contractors who sell under the Office Management Large Category. The category and offerings requirements below will be removed from the solicitation:
- Manufacturers listed on the Business Solutions Association (BSA) website are part of the Dealer Authorization Program.
- A roster of wholesale agents and dealers segregated by manufacturer can be found on the BSA website. [Vendor] may also inquire with the manufacturer for information regarding its authorization status.
Updates to Specific Large Categories and Special Item Numbers (SINs)
Solicitation Refresh #20 will also include changes to specific Large Categories and SINs, so you should check below and see if any of these impact you.
Facilities (Large Category B)
The description of SIN 561730 – Grounds Maintenance, will be revised to include snow removal. It currently includes soil preparation, planting, and cultivating grounds.
Furniture (Large Category C)
In the Large Category C instructions, the following note will be added to the General Requirements section:
NOTE: References may be made to various Federal Specifications and Standards. Any referenced Federal Specification and Standard can be accessed by searching https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsSearch.aspx.
If you are looking to add a SIN under this category or acquire a GSA Schedule for the first time in this category, this applies to you.
Information Technology (Large Category F)
SIN instructions will be added to IT services SIN 54151HACS - Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS):
The requirements for SIN 54151HACS oral technical evaluation and additional information beneficial to complete your offer for SIN 54151HACS can be found on the Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) gsa.gov website.
Additionally, in the IT Solutions Subcategory, various use cases listed in the Execution Plan for SIN 518210FM - Financial Management Quality Service Management Office (FM QSMO) Core Financial Management (FM) Solutions and IT Professional Services have been updated.
Miscellaneous (Large Category G)
Under the Order Level Materials (OLM) SIN, the instructions are being revised for 60 OLM-eligible subcategories to add the ‘Transportation of Things’ subcategory.
Professional Services (Large Category H)
In this section, the Environmental Services subcategory will add the following statement to address climate change:
The following services may be utilized by ordering agencies to fulfill a broad range of Environmental services to include planning for and response to environmental issues including climate change.
Also in this category, SINs 541620 - Environmental Consulting Services, 562910REM - Environmental Remediation Services, and 562910RMI - Environmental Remediation Services - Multiple Industries, will be revised to include climate change in the description.
Transportation and Logistics Services (Large Category K)
In the Transportation of Things Subcategory, GSA will revise the Statement of Work (SOW) for SINs 481211B - Air Charter Services - Brokers and 481211O - Air Charter Services - Owner Operated, to account for changes in safety requirements for U.S. Commercial Air Carriers (i.e, Safety Management Systems (SMS), SMS Inspection Certifications, and safety requirements for Rotorcraft. GSA will also include the of expansion into Order-Level Materials (OLMs) SIN.
Preparing for Future GSA Changes
Now that you have a better understanding of the MAS Refresh #20 updates, you are hopefully well prepared to review and accept the Mass Mod once it’s released sometime this month.
To stay updated on future changes related to your GSA Schedule contract, sign up for our weekly blog email and our monthly newsletter. If you have any questions about accepting the Mass Mod or anything else related to this refresh, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our consultants.
