GSA has released the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 47QSMD20R0001 Refresh #7—what does this mean for contractors? If you’re a current GSA contractor, you will have 90 days to accept the Mass Modification once it's released. In our recent blog, we cover all the changes to the MAS Solicitation including a new format for the Available Offerings and Requirements attachment, revisions to the Price Proposal Templates, and clause updates. GSA has also revised and added several Special Item Numbers (SINs) which could affect your current solutions or any future offerings you may add to your GSA Schedule. It’s important you read through all these changes and updates before you accept the Mass Mod. Get the breakdown of the Solicitation Refresh to see how it may impact you.
Couldn't make it to last month's Lunch & Learn webinar? Watch it here on demand. We cover what you need to know about the AbilityOne Program including requirements, compliance, and how to become an AbilityOne distributor.
This training session will give you an introduction to MAS industrial products and services, and a better understanding of the tools and solutions available.
This month’s topic is a preview of the upcoming Vendor Support Center refresh. This informational webinar is your opportunity to get your questions answered by experts and policy makers.
Find out how request for Information (RFIs) can help your business. Learn how to respond to GSA’s RFIs from the Market Research as a Service (MRAS) team.
Obtaining a GSA Schedule is a strenuous, time-consuming process. Not every business has the time or money to dedicate to navigating the various rules and regulations that make up the GSA Schedule acquisition process. Fortunately, you have another option for accessing the federal marketplace: you can partner with a reseller. By partnering with a reseller, you can bypass many of the Schedule acquisition requirements and get your products on a GSA contract much quicker than getting your own MAS contract. In this lunch and learn, we’ll discuss:
The pros and cons of partnering with a reseller
How to pick a reseller that’s right for your business
Requirements and processes for manufacturers
Best practices to find success in the federal marketplace
GSA Advantage! is the premier site for government buyers to browse and purchase a variety of products. If you offer products on your GSA Schedule, then it’s vital you are fully compliant with all requirements as they apply to GSA Advantage!. Under the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Solicitation, GSA contractors are required to provide order acknowledgement information so your customers see the status of their order at any time. Contractors who do not accurately report their order status for GSA Advantage! orders are at risk for having their product catalogs removed beginning October 2021.
Contractors can provide purchase order information by using EDI, cMXL, or the GSA Advantage Purchase Order Portal. Contractors can find more information about the GSA Advantage! Purchase Portal here and can access recorded trainings here. Contractors who need assistance with EDI and cMXL can reach out to edistat@gsa.gov with any questions.
QUICK TIP OF THE MONTH
Essential GSA Websites
Navigating the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) process from beginning to end can leave you with lots of questions. Knowing where to go to answer these questions will leave you more confident in your GSA Schedule. GSA provides several online resources that can help you better understand the GSA process and how it relates to you. For example, if you are new to the federal procurement process and looking to learn more about federal acquisitions as a whole, you can visit GSA interact or the Vendor Education Center. Or, if you are a new Schedule holder, you can use GSA eLibrary and GSA Advantage! to update your text file and market your offerings. These are just a few examples of GSA resources available to you and what each site offers. For a more in-depth look of essential GSA websites, you can check out our blog.
EMERGING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
ITES-4H RFP
The Department of Defense has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a $10 billion multiple-award IDIQ contract which will allow the Army to acquire IT products. Awarded contractors will provide for the purchase and lease of several IT products including commercial servers, desktops, workstations, storage systems, networking equipment, and video teleconferencing (VTC) products. This contract outlines a minimum of 17 awards with the intent to set 7 awards aside for small businesses. Responses are due by September 24, 2021, at 4 p.m. CDT. More information can be found under Notice ID: ITES-4HRFPFINAL.
Research and Development Technology Support Services
The Department of Defense has released a Request for Information (RFI) for research and development services. The scope of this potential contract will include accomplishing research and technology development, technical, scientific, and program analyses, systems integration, and systems engineering tasks. This opportunity is listed under Primary NAICS Code 541715 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences. Responses are due by October 7, 2021, at 10 a.m. EDT. More information can be found under Notice ID: M67854-21-R-7203.
NIH and CDC for Small Business Innovation Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are soliciting proposals from small businesses that possess the research and development services that will contribute toward NIH or CDC mission needs and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program objectives. Responses are due no later than October 28, 2021, at 5 p.m. EDT. More information can be found under Notice ID: PHS-2022-1.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What are Order Level Materials (OLMs)?
A:OLMs are “supplies and/or services acquired in direct support of an individual task or delivery order placed against a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contract or FSS Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), when the supplies and/or services are not known at the time of Schedule contract or FSS BPA award.”
Q: How can I get the OLM SIN?
A:The OLM SIN is not proposed when submitting an offer to GSA. Instead, you will need to accept a Mass Modification after the GSA Schedule is awarded which will add the OLM SIN to the contract. If the Mass Mod is rejected, you can add the OLM SIN at a later time through a modification in eMod.
Q: What are some of the best practices for the OLM SIN?
A: Some of the best practices for contractors with the OLM SIN are:
Ensure OLMs are marked as GSA items rather than open market items. You will need to pay the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) on OLM items.
Track percentage of OLM sales in an order so that it never reaches the 33.33% limit of the total order value.
Obtain three quotes if OLM items exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT).
Mark OLMs on your invoices.
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