With the start of the government’s fiscal year fourth quarter (Q4) coming up quickly on July 1st, it’s important that your company is ready for the opportunities that come this time of year. Government agencies often spend the majority of their yearly budgets in Q4 (July 1st-September 30th) to ensure they have spent their allocated budget by the end of the government's fiscal year. There is a “use it or lose it” mentality for government agencies, so government spending skyrockets during this period. While you should prepare for Q4 year-round, contractors need to get their contracts up to date now in order to capitalize on these opportunities.
If your company is anticipating selling a specific product or service during Q4, you need to do a contract modification to add them now.
Make sure to also delete products and services from your catalog leading up to Q4 so you don’t get orders for something that is no longer available.
Make sure your pricing is current, complete, and accurate. You don't want to realize in the middle of an RFQ that your currently awarded GSA prices are out of date.
MAS Consolidation Training Opportunities If you still have questions about the Mass Mod, join GSA for a live training with MAS PMO Director Stephanie Shutt. The presentation will be the same for each training, so you only need to attend one. Remember, failure to accept this Mass Mod by July 31, 2020 will result in your offerings no longer being accessible on GSA eTools.
On Sunday, May 31, GSA released the new eBuy Contractor Experience website. The refreshed site features an improved look, a site layout that's compatible with any size screen or device, fewer pages to navigate, less clutter, and full compliance with the U.S. Web Design System and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act. GSA's goal is to make it quick and efficient to find opportunities and create quotes. READ MORE.
Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh
This month, the GSA is expected to refresh the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) solicitation. This solicitation refresh will be applied to all MAS Contractors through a Mass Modification, which is automatically sent to all authorized negotiators on the contract. The main updates to the solicitation are as follows:
Updated instructions to better detail current photo requirements for designated Special Item Numbers (SINs) for GSA Advantage!.
General clause updates – Revisions to clause 552.238-77 Submission and Distribution of Authorized Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Price Lists, clause 552.238-82 Modifications, and clause I-FSS -600 Contract Price Lists. More detail on these clauses here.
Include updated Service Contract Act (SCA) Wage Determinations
Implement FAR Case 2014 -002, which concerns changes made by the Small Business Administration
New “Fourth-Party Logistics Supplies and Services (4PL)” SIN under Large Category G (Miscellaneous)
Contractors will have 90 days to accept this mass modification (mass mod). Learn more about the new refresh on GSA Interact.
CRITICAL INFORMATION
Subcontracting Reporting Deadline Extended to June 30th
GSA contractors with an Individual Subcontracting Plan incorporated as a part of their GSA contract are required to submit an Individual Subcontracting Report (ISR) to the electronic subcontracting reporting system (eSRS) twice a year. Reports are typically due on April 30 and October 30 each year. However, due to the declared National Emergency related to COVID-19, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has extended the deadline for ISR submission to June 30, 2020. This change does not affect reporting deadlines after June 30. View the official SBA announcement here. For more information on ISRs, eSRS, or anything else related to GSA Subcontracting, please contact our team of experts today.
QUICK TIP OF THE MONTH
Make Sure Your Contract is Up to Date by Utilizing SIP
There are a lot of resources available to learn more about GSA contracts, but one area that still confounds many contractors is the Schedule Input Program (SIP). Once any changes have been made to your GSA contract through administrative modifications, pricing adjustments, removed products or services, etc., it’s crucial that you utilize the SIP program to reflect the changes on GSA eLibrary and GSA Advantage!. Here are a few easy tips to remember when making changes in SIP:
Know Where to Start! If you don’t know anything about SIP, you will first need to download the program in the Vendor Support Center (VSC). The VSC also provides free weekly training on SIP so you can get a general understanding of the program before trying it out yourself.
Familiarize Yourself with the SIP spreadsheets. There are 16 different spreadsheets you will need to complete for product uploads, but the main spreadsheets to understand are IPRICE, IPROD, and IPHOTO, as that is where most changes will be made. Contractors should know that you can’t have special characters in these spreadsheets and no line breaks in your data. It will take a bit of trial and error when becoming acquainted with the SIP spreadsheets, but it is important to understand the data that is needed and what rules apply.
Make sure you update your text file and your catalog file. Once you’ve gotten the hang of the SIP spreadsheets, make sure you have updated your Terms and Conditions text file as well. Both need to be updated and consistent with your awarded GSA products and services in order to be approved by GSA.
SIP can be cumbersome for many GSA contractors, but it is crucial that you understand the basics in order to keep your contract up to date!
EMERGING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Veterans Health Administration - COVID-19 Digital Thermometers
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has issued a pre-solicitation notice to inform contractors of their need for 250,000 Medline Large Display Digital MDS9953 (or equivalent) thermometers. VHA plans to issue one or more Firm-Fixed Price purchase orders to procure these thermometers to support COVID-19 treatment. Interested contractors must provide manufacturer cut-sheets/specifications for the quoted items as well as an authorized distributor letter that states the contractor is an authorized dealer/distributor of the OEM for the items being procured. This notice can be found on beta.sam.gov under Notice ID 36E77620Q0067.
Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity - COVID-19 Seedling Research Topics
The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has released a solicitation to procure COVID-19 specific research regarding technologies that assist with detection and sensing; supply chain management and integrity; geo-spatio-temporal monitoring and mapping, with privacy protection; information reliability and collaboration tools; and modeling, simulation, and predictive analytics. Per the solicitation, preference will be given to research with the ability to not only provide rapid capability against the current COVID-19 pandemic, but also enhanced warning and response capacity for future similar events. Responses are due on July 7, 2020 by 11:59pm EDT. More information can be found under Notice ID IARPA-BAA-20-01.
Department of the Air Force - Commercial Solution Offering COVID-19 Response
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has issued a solicitation seeking solution briefs/proposals for innovative, commercial technologies that propose new solutions and/or potentially new capabilities. These solution briefs/proposals should fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide potential technological advancements in support of the COVID-19 Response Acquisition Task Force (DAF ACT). The DAF ACT mission is to provide relief, resilience, recovery, and stability to the nation during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Responses are due on September 30, 2020 by 5pm CDT and may be submitted to the DAF’s Commercial Solutions Opening for COVID-19 Response web form. Additional information can be found under Notice ID FA300220S0002.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can I report my State & Local sales on my GSA contract?
A: In some cases, yes, you are able to report state and local sales on your GSA MAS contract. However, state and local governments are only able to purchase using GSA Schedules through the Cooperative Purchasing or Disaster Purchasing Programs. These two programs gives state, local, and tribal governments (and public schools) the authority to purchase GSA MAS approved products and services through approved contracts. Participation is voluntary but it gives GSA MAS contractors access to significantly more buyers. GSA MAS contractors are also reminded to report these quarterly sales separately in SRP and pay the IFF.
Q: When is the deadline to accept Mass Mod A812 for MAS Consolidation?
A: All contractors are required to accept the MAS consolidation Mass Mod by July 31, 2020. At that point, contractors who are not compliant with the consolidation may be subject to temporary suspension of GSA eTools access, which will include removal of your catalog and text file offerings from GSA Advantage, removal of your contract information from eLibrary, and suspension of your ability to respond to any opportunities in eBuy. It is absolutely essential that GSA contractors understand and accept Mass Mod A812 in order to remain in compliance.
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