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What You Need to Know About Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Refresh #15 Blog Feature
Stephanie Hagan

By: Stephanie Hagan on January 6th, 2023

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What You Need to Know About Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Refresh #15

GSA Schedule | 8 Min Read

After a break from what seemed like a deluge of Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refreshes, GSA has announced MAS Refresh #15. On January 18, 2023, GSA plans to release Solicitation 47QSMD20R0001 - Refresh # 15 and subsequent Mass Modification (Mass Mod). Once the Mass Mod is released, contractors will have 90 days to review and accept this modification.

This Refresh includes changes to the overall Solicitation as well as specific Large Category changes, so if you are a GSA Schedule contractor, this applies to you regardless of what solutions you offer.

Changes to the Overall Multiple Award Schedule Solicitation

GSA has made 4 main changes to the overall Solicitation, which we’ll list below.  

1. Incorporate Updates to SCP-FSS-001, Instruction Applicable to All Offerors.

In this update, GSA added a note to further address remarketed and remanufactured items, particularly remanufactured toner. The revised language can be found in the SCP-FSS-001 January 2023 document. GSA has also removed a note related to Acquisition Letter MV-21-03, Waiver of Experience and Annual Financial Statement Requirements. This note was added at the beginning of COVID-19 to provide some relief and temporarily waived the financial statement requirements for new offerors. There is now the Startup Springboard Program which acts similarly for qualified offerors.

2. Incorporate Small Business Administration (SBA) Updates

In this next change, GSA is going to formally implement the 2022 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes, and the new table of size standards (effective October 1, 2022) that reflects these NAICS changes. The Solicitation Refresh will also include the adjustment of monetary-based size standards (effective December 19, 2022) for multiple NAICS. As a reminder, size standards help contractors determine if their business is small in the eyes of the government.

3. Changes to the Price Proposal Templates

The following changes have been made to the Offer and Modification Services Price Proposal Templates (PPT):

  • ‘Description Type’ column was added to define the description type for each proposed labor category.
  • ‘High School Equivalent’ and ‘Other Technical School/Certification’ were added as options to the Minimum Education column
  • ‘Identify High School Equivalent and/or Required Certifications or Licenses’ column was added back in to account for the newly added Minimum Education options.

The following changes have been made to the Offer and Modification Products Price Proposal Template (PPT):

  • Clarified that a detailed product description is required under the ‘Product Description’ column.
4. Incorporate Various Clause and Provision Updates

GSA has implemented clause and provision updates as necessary through the Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2022-08 and GSAR Change 158.

Updates to Specific Large Category, Subcategory or Special Item Number (SIN)

This section will cover changes that have been made to specific categories within the Multiple Award Schedule. If you offer a product and/or service under one of the Large Categories listed, this may apply to you. Bear with us as we cover some of the more detailed updates within these categories.

Office Management Large Category A

GSA has made changes to 4 Special Item Numbers (SINs) in this category.

  • SIN 541611LIT- Litigation Support Services: The description of this SIN has been revised to expand the scope and include stand-alone products.
  • SIN 561990 - Document Destruction Services: the following instructions have been removed from this SIN:
    • NOTE: CHART - LABOR RATES Labor Category, Government Discount, Commercial Rate Hourly/Daily On/site, Commercial Rate Hourly/Daily Off/site, Government Rate Hourly/Daily On/site, Government Rate Hourly/Daily Off/site IF THE OFFEROR'S COMMERCIAL PRACTICE IS TO PRICE THESE SERVICES ON A UNIT/QUANTITY BASIS, USE THE FOLLOWING FORMAT: Description, Government Unit/Quantity, Government Price, Commercial Unit/Quantity, Commercial Price, Government Discount %.
    • SCOPE OF WORK: The objective of this Performance Work Statement (PWS) is to describe the Government's requirement in soliciting contractor support for Destruction Services (DS).
  • OS4 SINs 339940OS4 - Office Products and Supplies and 339940OVER - Overseas Office Products and Supplies: These two SINs have an updated category specific attachment on the MAS Scope and Templates Page replacing an obsolete clause.

Facilities Large Category B

Two SINs have been altered in this category.

  • SIN 561210FAC - Facilities Maintenance and Management: this SIN has two updated sentences:
    • Updated sentence under Complete Facilities Maintenance SIN note to: Two Relevant Project Experience examples are required for Complete Facilities Maintenance to include a complete Statement of Work (SOW) for each project/task proposed.
    • Updated sentence under Special Proposal Instructions related to Fire Alarm System Preventative Maintenance and Repair Services and Water Suppression Services to: Lastly, the Offeror must submit a minimum of 3 Relevant Project Experience examples with three corresponding statements of work (SOWs) for work completed within the last two years of the date of offer submission, which are germane to the scope of work of these services.
  • SIN 811310MR - Machine and Equipment Sales, Maintenance and Repair: The title of this SIN will be revised from ‘Machin and Equipment Maintenance Repair’ to ‘Machine and Equipment Sales, Maintenance and Repair.’ The description of this SIN will also be revised to expand the scope to include the sale of commercial/industrial machinery and equipment.

Furniture Large Category C

There has only been one change in this Large Category—the Packaged Furniture (C07): Revision to Packaged Office Subcategory has been altered to remove a note related to Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTAs) required within 180-days of Refresh 10. This note is out of date, so it was removed to eliminate confusion.

Information Technology Large Category F

There have been several updates to this category.

  • First off, the IT Hardware SIN 811212 - Maintenance of Equipment, Repair Services and/or Repair Spare Parts, has added the specific instructions below.
    • Hardware maintenance and/or service repair shall be authorized by the OEM.
    • All parts furnished in connection with the repair and/or maintenance of equipment shall be parts authorized by the OEM.
  • SIN 54151HACS - Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) has added ‘zero trust architecture’ to the SIN description and instructions. There has also been an addition of category specific attachments, which can be found on the MAS Scope and Templates Page.
  • The IT Solutions Subcategory (F05): SIN 518210FM - Financial Management Quality Service Management Office (FM QSMO) Core Financial Management Solutions and IT Professional Services has removed the FedRAMP Ready minimum requirement of the Core FS Subgroup, and has also updated category specific templates including Technical Narrative Response Template and the Execution Plan.
  • Lastly, SIN 518210C - Cloud Computing and Cloud Related IT Professional Services added instructions to SIN Level Regulations 552.238-81 and 552.238.199 which can be found here.

Professional Services Large Category H

This category has several changes which mainly consist of updating specific language to SIN notes.

  • SIN 562910RMI - Environmental Remediation Services has updated the SIN note to:
    • The scope of this SIN is limited to services associated with NAICS 562910 Exception 1 "Environmental Remediation Services.” This NAICS exception has a size standard of 750 Employees
  • SIN 541330EMI - Engineering Services Related to Military, Aerospace Equipment, Military Weapons, National Energy Policy Act of 1992, Marine Engineering or Naval Architecture has updated the SIN note to:
    • The scope of this SIN is limited to services associated with NAICS 541330 Exception 1 "Military and Aerospace Equipment and Military Weapons", NAICS 541330 Exception 2 "Contracts and Subcontracts for Engineering Services Awarded Under the National Energy Policy Act of 1992" and NAICS 541330 Exception 3 "Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture.” These NAICS exceptions have a size standard of $47.0 Million.
  • SIN 541715AIR - Engineering Research and Development for Aircraft, Aircraft Engines and Engine Parts has altered the SIN note to:
    • The scope of this SIN is further limited to services associated with NAICS 541715 Exception 1 "Aircraft, Aircraft Engine and Engine Parts." This NAICS exception has a size standard of 1,500 Employees.
  • SIN 541715APM - Engineering Research and Development for: Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment, Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles, Their Propulsion Units and Propulsion Parts has been updated to say:
    • Updated SIN note to: The scope of this SIN is further limited to services associated with NAICS 541715 Exception 2 "Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment" and NAICS Exception 3 "Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles, Their Propulsion Units and Propulsion Parts." These NAICS exceptions have a size standard of 1,250 Employees.
  • SIN 541810ODC - Other Direct Costs for Marketing and Public Relations Services has added the below SIN specific instructions:
    • ODCs that the company is providing using its own staff or equipment, rather than staff/equipment provided by a third party, are not appropriate for this SIN and will not be awarded.

Security Large Category J

Last but not least, we have the Security and Protection Category.

  • SINs 334519 - Bomb and Hazardous Material Disposal; Metal and Bomb Detection, 336992 - Non-Tactical Armored Vehicles and Vehicle Armstrong Services , 332999 - Law Enforcement Personal Equipment, & 332216 - Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Rescue Tools, Equipment and Accessories have added the SIN note below excluding items from the Cooperative Purchasing Program:
    • Firearm silencers/suppressors
    • Bayonets
    • Grenades (incl stun and flashbang)
    • Grenade launchers
    • Explosives (except those for accredited bomb squads and explosive detection canine training)
    • Vehicles that do not have a commercial application, including all tracked and armored vehicles, unless the LEA certifies that the vehicle will be used exclusively for disaster-related emergencies

Accepting the Mass Modification and Keeping up with Future Changes

Now that you are well versed in MAS Solicitation Refresh #15, you will be ready to review and accept the modification in the Mass Mod System 90 days after it’s officially released. As mentioned above, GSA plans to release this Refresh on January 18, 2022.

While GSA did not give guidance on new Joint Venture policies, they hope to in the next Refresh. To stay updated on future Solicitation Refreshes, check out our blog and our monthly newsletter. If you have questions about your GSA Schedule or accepting Mass Modifications, one of our consultants would be happy to help you.

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About Stephanie Hagan

Stephanie Hagan is the Training and Communications Manager for Winvale. Stephanie grew up in Sarasota, Florida, and earned her Bachelor's of Arts in Journalism and Rhetoric/Communications from the University of Richmond.