Veteran’s Day is approaching, so we would like to celebrate our veteran clients by spotlighting resources available for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. Under the SBA, there are two veteran set-asides: the Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) program and the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) program. The federal government awards a portion of contracting dollars to both of these set asides each year. Contracts in general are inherently competitive, so having a designated budget within the federal government already sets your contract up for success.
Couldn't make it to last month's webinar? Watch it here on demand. In this webinar, join Keiter as they discuss the latest on CMMC 2.0, the draft CMMC Assessment Process (CAP), and issues that could cause non-compliance with CMMC.
GSA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is collaborating with the U.S. Small Business Administration for a 2-part series, guiding you in creating a Business Model Canvas (BMC) for your small business.
The BMC focuses on the who, what, when, where, why, and how a business delivers value to its customers visually displayed on a canvas, outlining how you will achieve a repeatable and profitable business model. Register here.
GSA’s Public Buildings Service (PBS) is hosting a National Industry Engagement Summit to increase small business and socio-economic small business participation in PBS acquisitions, encourage and assist new entrants to help make them more competitive, inform small business of upcoming contract opportunities, as well as provide a platform for partnering and subcontracting. Be sure to register here.
Did you know the federal government sets aside contracts for small businesses? This means small businesses can bid on special government opportunities and they are often further narrowed down into socio-economic programs, such as Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs). In this webinar, we’ll cover what you need to know about certifying and finding contracting opportunities for your Veteran-Owned Small Business. We’ll discuss:
What is a VOSB and SDVOSB?
How current VOSBs and SDVOSBs are performing through the GSA Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) program
Pay Close Attention to Your GSA Advantage! Order Status and Avoid Suspension
GSA is getting serious about contractors who fail to properly report their order status. On October 3, 2022 contractors with combined shipped/backordered scores of 50% or below with at least 11 line items on the bi-weekly report, were suspended from GSA Advantage and GSA eBuy. While this date has passed, it’s an ongoing compliance concern for GSA contractors. It’s important you are paying attention to any communication from GSA about your order status, and you are aware of how to properly report your GSA Advantage! order status. This means staying on top of GSA orders as they come in, updating their status as they progress throughout the shipping process, and knowing how to use the Purchase Order (PO) Portal. You can learn more in depth about GSA order reporting and tracking here.
QUICK TIP
Take Advantage of State and Local Contracting Opportunities
Did you know certain GSA contractors can sell to state, local, educational, and tribal governments too? There are different avenues you can take both through your GSA Schedule and through related contracts. We’ll briefly cover a few below.
Cooperative Purchasing: Allows state and local entities to purchase off a GSA Schedule for IT, security, and law enforcement products. If you sell solutions under Large Category F and Large Category J, this would apply to you.
Disaster Purchasing: allows state and local governments to buy products and services from GSA Schedules for disaster preparation, response, or major disaster recovery. These purchases must be made in response to a Stafford Act Presidential declaration (ex. COVID-19 pandemic).
California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), Texas Multiple Award Schedule (TXMAS), and other related contracts: While these contracts are separate from your GSA Schedule, they are fairly quick and easy to get on if you already have an existing GSA contract. You can use your GSA Schedule as a base contract to streamline the submission process, but you must be registered to sell in the applicable state. Once awarded, an independent agreement will be created for the same products or services.
If you want more information on state and local opportunities, check out our blog.
EMERGING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Request for Information – Medical Supplies
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has published a Request for Information (RFI) to identify sources for medical and surgical instruments, equipment, and supplies. The purpose of this RFI is to identify potential sources which will aid in defining the procurement strategy (e.g., set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation the VA intends on issuing shortly for the following: Model / Part Number Manufacturer Item /Description of Supplies/Equipment Qty CIS-DATABRIDGE-M DSS, Inc Clinical Information Systems (CIS) DataBridge Suite Hospital Perpetual license software subscription maintenance and support with 24 x 7 coverage. Responses are due no later than December 1, 2022. More information can be found under Notice ID: 36C25623Q0091.
Request for Information – Next Generation Transportation Technologies (IT / TELECOM)
The Department of Defense (DoD) is seeking sources for the development of future transportation systems within the DG11 – IT and Telecommunications and network product services code. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Infrastructure Executive (IE) Directorate, and Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization are seeking information from industry to assist with the development and planning of a potential new requirement. Responses are due no later than December 31, 2022. More information can be found under Notice ID: 51057.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is a Procurement Instrument Identifier (PIID)?
A: A Procurement Instrument Identifier (PIID) is a unique code assigned to a federal contract, purchase order, basic ordering agreement, basic agreement, or Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). This code is used to help track solicitations, contracts, agreements, or orders and their subsequent modifications and/or amendments.
Q: Can You Change Your PIID?
A: There are only two cases in which your PIID should be changed:
If the PIID numbering system is exhausted
If the continued use of the PIID becomes too difficult to manage (ex: implementation of a new agency contract writing system)
In both instances, the Contracting Offer will assign a new PIID by issuing a contract modification.
Q: Why Are PIIDs Important for GSA Contractors?
A: Understanding the PIID structure will allow you to easily navigate through the procurement process and identify information abut contracts such as the type of agreement and the year it was issued.
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Winvale, 3951 Westerre Parkway, Suite 250, Richmond, VA 23233, United States, (202) 296-5505
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