MAS Solicitation Refresh #22 to Add 67 More SINs to the TDR Program
We finally have good news on the Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) expansion—GSA plans to add 67 new Special Item Numbers (SINs) to the TDR program under Solicitation Refresh #22. These SINs are all non-configurable products across multiple Large Categories, including but not limited to: Facilities, Furniture & Furnishings, Industrial Products & Services, and Security & Protection. If you have one SIN on the list, your entire contract is eligible.
Opting in to TDR means you have more pricing flexibility and can reduce your contract compliance risk, but you will have to report more frequently on a wider variety of elements. Also in Refresh #22, GSA will add Joint Venture (JV) requirements to the MAS Modification Guide and sample cover letters, and make various updates to clauses and SINs. You can read up on all the Solicitation Refresh updates in our blog.
Couldn't make it to last month's webinar? Watch it here on demand. In this webinar, we offer guidance to help you navigate the MAS program as a small business. We cover, how to determine if you're a small business, checking your size standards, set-asides and more.
Are you interested in selling to the federal government? Are you a current GSA industry partner? If yes, make sure to attend GSA's Industry Symposium virtual event! Register for the event here.
This session will cover topics including maintaining compliance with the MAS contract and understanding the Industrial Operations Analyst (IOA) compliance assessment process. Also discussed will be the roles of the GSA Procurement Contracting Officer (PCO), Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO), and the IOA. Register for the event here.
By participating in this session, you will better understand why GSA collects industry responses and how the data gathered shapes future purchasing decisions. Register here.
Are you looking to get a GSA Multiple Award Schedule but don't know where to start? As your company begins the journey of acquiring a GSA Schedule contract, it's important to know the key requirements it takes to successfully submit an offer.
If you're aware of the proposal process ahead of time and follow a few of our tips, you'll find it smoother and more manageable.
In this webinar, we'll discuss the ins and outs of Schedule acquisition, including:
What is a GSA Multiple Award Schedule?
Requirements to pursue a GSA Contract
The three sections of a GSA Schedule offer
Common pitfalls of the Schedule acquisition process
New SBA Rule Eliminates Self-Certification for all Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
This past June, the SBA published a new rule eliminating self-certification for all Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). Self-certification has already been removed for SDVOSBs going after prime SDVOSB set-asides, but now the self-certification option will be eliminated entirely. As a result, all SDVOSBs will need to be officially certified through the SBA.
Currently, SDVOSBs who aren’t going after set-aside or sole source contracts—but meet Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) Program requirements—can self-certify their SDVOSB status for subcontracting and government goaling purposes. However, the SBA’s new rule will remove this option, as it eliminates self-certification for SDVOSBs who are awarded federal government contracts or subcontracts that count toward agency goals.
This rule will go into effect in the federal register on August 5, 2024, but the actions listed above will not go into full effect until October 1, 2024, the start of the new federal Fiscal Year. There will be a grace period until December 22, 2024. If firms do not certify or do not have a pending application by this date, they cannot self-certify for any purpose. To learn more about the background for this new rule, check out our blog.
QUICK TIP
Back-Up for Entity Registration in SAM
If you already have a GSA Schedule, you are familiar with SAM.gov. Every year, you need to renew your registration on SAM so you can continue to do business with the government. The only people who can manage your entity registration and renew it, are designated Entity Administrators in SAM. If your company only has one Entity Administrator in SAM, we suggest you add at least one more. If for some reason your Entity Administrator leaves your company or is out on leave when your registration renewal is due, no one else can get into the system.
To remedy this, you will need to ask your Entity Administrator to invite others to join SAM. Any added users will have the ability to manage your registration and entity, so you’ll want to choose people carefully.
EMERGING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Small Business Opportunity Alert: Pre-solicitation - US Forest Service, DeSoto NF, MS ASHE and BIG BILOXI WATERLINES REPLACEMENT
The U.S. Forest Service is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) that will result in the award of a firm-fixed price contract. This pre-solicitation is a Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5), meaning that only small businesses can participate in the bid for this contract. This potential contract has two work packages in two locations: Ashe Seed Extractory in Brooklyn, MS and Big Biloxi Campground in Saucier, MS. Scope of work between worksites differ slightly but both are chiefly concerned with installation of a new watermain to connect to existing watermains, along with standard testing to support product installation. The applicable NAICS Code is 237110 - Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction. This opportunity is due no later than September 9, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. CDT. More information can be found through this link.
Sources Sought - Applying NASA Capabilities to Address Water Management Needs in the Missouri River Basin to Support Water Resources Management RFI (Request for Information)
NASA’s Western Water Applications Office (WWAO), headquartered at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, is requesting interested parties to describe their processes, technical capabilities and demonstrated experience in applying NASA capabilities to address water management needs in the Missouri River Basin. Through this RFI, the WWAO is seeking descriptions of current or planned activities to develop or deploy tools and services that use NASA data and technologies that could address the specific data gaps and high-priority information needs identified in the 2023 WWAO Missouri River Basin Needs Assessment Report. For more information, visit this link.
The applicable NAICS Code is 541715: Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). Responses are due no later than October 25th, 2024 at 3:00 pm PDT.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is a CAGE Code?
A: The Commercial and Government Entity Code (or CAGE Code) is a unique five-character code that represents your company’s physical address. CAGE Codes are assigned by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) as a way of providing a standardized method of identifying a given facility at a specific location. A CAGE Code is required in order to sell to the government, but the process of obtaining one is free and fairly simple.
Q: How Do I Get a Cage Code?
A: The good news is, obtaining a CAGE Code is not hard to do. If you are located in the US, you will automatically be assigned a CAGE Code when you register your business in SAM.gov. Registration in SAM is also required to do business with government, so by registering yourself in SAM and getting your CAGE Code, you’re able to kill two birds with one stone. If you are located outside of the United States, however, you will need to obtain an NCAGE Code (NATO Commercial and Government Entity Code) before registering in SAM. NCAGE Codes can be applied for through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency’s website.
Q: What is the Difference Between a CAGE Code and a UEI?
A: CAGE Codes and UEIs (Unique Entity Identifiers) can be easy to confuse, as they are both unique alphanumeric codes which represent your business in some way. Although they are similar, they represent different things. CAGE Codes are a way for the DLA to track businesses’ physical locations across the world, while UEIs are used as a way to authoritatively identify your business in place of your business name. While CAGE Codes are more related to the physical aspect of your business, UEIs pertain to digitally identifying your business. UEIs provide a way to quickly search for and identify businesses without having to use the business name. This helps eliminate confusion, as each UEI is unique to only one business—but many businesses have the same or similar names. Both CAGE codes and UEIs provide a vital method of identification for your business.
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