As a current GSA Schedule contractor, you are likely very familiar with the somewhat infamous Special Input Program (SIP), which is the current system used to upload your I-FSS-600 pricelist to GSA eLibrary and your products to GSA Advantage. Over the years, contractors have encountered issues with the outdated and user-unfriendly nature of the program. One common issue faced by Schedule holders when revising their SIP catalog files is encountering errors, which can lead to delays and non-compliance with their contracts.
To address these issues, GSA has introduced the FAS Catalog Platform (FCP), a new program to replace SIP with the goal of eventually phasing out SIP entirely. Although there is currently a pause on new product contractors entering the new program, the plan is for all contractors to eventually transition to it. This blog will provide updates on the ongoing changes to the FCP and what you can expect to see in the future.
Pilot Program Released for MAS Services
Back in Q3 of 2024 (July/August), the FCP launched a pilot program specifically focused on MAS services vendors with the Professional Engineering Special Item Number (SIN). The mechanics of the program allows contractors to automatically publish their price lists to GSA Advantage, eLibrary, and eBuy. If you are currently enrolled in the pilot program, you will be able to continue operating until the end of this calendar year.
If you are not in the FCP program yet, you can expect to hear more from GSA in the next few months. Vendors will not see any catalogs in FCP until their contract is transitioned to FCP for catalog management. Once FCP registration returns within the next several months, be sure you’re using your existing FAS ID credentials when you’re creating an account. As a reminder, all vendors must have the Authorized Negotiator role to access FCP. The Authorized Negotiator role can be with or without signing authority.
The Services Plus File (SPF) Introduced to FCP
In the pilot, vendors who use Price Proposal Templates (PPTs) and Product Files are going to need to transition to a Services Plus File (SPF) for their service offerings. At the outset, vendors are required to define their catalog offerings within the Seller Profile, which will be followed by a Baseline Services catalog action. As November approaches, note that the new services workflow will be extended to all FCP users, as it is set to be the standard for newly onboarded vendors in the calendar year 2025.
If you find a product on GSA Advantage, it means that the individual who uploaded that item used the Product File. The Service Plus File (SPF) works in a similar way, but the services uploaded through SPF are published on a vendor’s price list. While the SPF is designed to replace the Services and Training Price Proposal Template (PPT), it is also designed to replace the 541930 Translation and Interpretation Services and 611630 Linguistic Training and Education PPT. You’ll also find that SPF accepts the following items:
- Labor Categories
- Fixed Price Services and Solutions
- Other Direct Costs (ODC)s
- Ancillary Items
- Products that are not sold on GSA Advantage
The SPF enables the FCP to generate a price list for the public to view. Currently, MAS service vendors use their Terms and Conditions text files in Word or PDF format for their government customers.
With FCP, the price list is automatically published when final modifications such as additions, deletions, or descriptive changes are made. This price list will be separate from the Terms and Conditions (T&C) file. This saves a lot of time for contractors. Previously, contractors had to manually edit their PDF documents when modifications were finalized and the price list appeared at the end of a T&C file, but now, FCP will implement these changes automatically without any additional actions required.
In other words, you will always have a price list that reflects your last catalog update to the Services Plus File, and your pricing will be shown in a more consistent format. A more simplified T&C file won’t need to be updated unless contractual information changes.
Future Developments in the FCP
As mentioned above, in November, the new services workflow will be implemented for all vendors currently using the FCP. These updates are significant in contributing to the new standardized process of adding services to your catalogs and eventually replacing SIP.
The transition of product contracts was paused to avoid the end of the federal Fiscal Year, but now that the new year started October 1, we expect to see onboarding of product catalogs to resume soon.
The FCP requires some training and getting used to, but it is a promising program that includes modernized features. For more information or assistance on navigating through FCP and understanding its offerings, feel free to contact one of our consultants. If you want to stay tuned for further updates on the FCP, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter and our weekly blog email.
