Since GSA announced their intention to open Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) up to more contractors last year, we have been waiting (not so patiently) for more information. In Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh #22, GSA announced they were expanding the TDR program to 67 new Special Item Numbers (SINs). Now that TDR is available to 130+ SINs, and you only need to have one of the SINs to participate, you might be wondering whether you should opt in to TDR instead of Commercial Sales Practices (CSP). Let’s cover some of the highlights of TDR to help you decide what will work best for your business:
TDR allows for more pricing flexibility, meaning you do not have to disclose your Commercial Sales Practices or Most Favored Customer (MFC)/Basis of Award (BOA).
TDR can reduce your compliance risk because you are not bound to the Price Reductions Clause, which mandates you maintain the same discount delta between your BOA customer and GSA.
Contractors can review demand data of what is being sold through TDR and at what volume. The more contractors that participate the richer the data will be.
TDR does require more frequent (monthly) and comprehensive sales reporting, so it’s best for contractors who have a sales tracking system in place or plan to add one.
If you want to learn more about TDR and whether you may qualify now, check out our blog.
Couldn't make it to last month's webinar? Watch it here on demand. In this webinar, we discuss the ins and outs of GSA MAS Schedule acquisition so you can go through the process smoother and more efficiently.
MAS are invited to join this session to learn more about the Sales Reporting Portal (SRP). The Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) SRP supports the collection of data required by FAS procurement programs including MAS, non-MAS programs such as the Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACS) and others. During this session you will learn about the importance of reporting in SRP and get an overview of using the system. Register for the event here.
Want to increase your small business influence? Join GSA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and learn how to develop effective responses to Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Requests for Quotes (RFQs). During this training, they will explain the differences in these requests and provide your small business with the most effective strategies for creating effective responses. Register for the event here.
The GSA Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Office of Policy and Compliance (OPC) invites you to the last Industry Policy Landscape webinar of FY24 on emerging policies and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) impacting federal contractors. Register for the event here.
In GSA Contract Maintenance 101, we've covered the basic compliance and maintenance elements including sales reporting and Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) payments, mass modifications, pricelist and administrative modifications, uploading your pricelist to GSA Advantage! and more.
This webinar will take a more in depth look at how to strategically approach setting your GSA contract up for success in the federal marketplace such as Special Item Number (SIN) add modifications, and pricelist optimization.
In this webinar, we'll cover critical questions related to your GSA Schedule maintenance, including:
Do you have all the SINs on your contract that you need to compete?
Does your firm have past performance examples you're not leveraging for GSA opportunities?
How is your pricing set up/are you keeping up with necessary price adjustments?
What are some common trip ups that have a major impact on your contract?
Are your administrative details up to date with all the right POCs?
Is your GSA price list easily accessible and appealing to GSA eligible customers?
GSA is standardizing and simplifying the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) clauses for Economic Price Adjustments (EPAs), through an amendment to the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulations (GSAR). GSA’s new Economic Price Adjustment rule will remove prior restrictions to EPAs, making it easier for contractors to raise their prices. Specifically, the four EPA clauses (the two types under clause 552.216-70 and the two types under clause I-FSS-969) will be consolidated into one single EPA clause for GSA Schedule contracts. It's important to note this change will not happen for GSA MAS contractors yet--there needs to be a Solicitation Refresh along with a Mass Mod first which has not been announced.
Contractors can expect to see benefits from this change, including greater flexibility around EPA requests and greater agility when responding to changing market conditions. Notably, this change removes the language that mandated a set ceiling on price increases. Contractors can now request price increases for their GSA contracts when needed, with a few exceptions. Keep in mind that contracting officers will still be reviewing the supporting documentation submitted with price increases to determine that contractors’ pricing remains “fair and reasonable.” You can view GSA’s official announcement describing the new EPA rules here.
QUICK TIP
FedMall MarketPlace is Sunsetting this Month
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and Defense Pricing and Contracting (DPC) have made the decision to sunset FedMall MarketPlace offerings due to lack of sales and availability of other government outlets. The MarketPlace will run through the end of Fiscal Year 2024, which is September 30, 2024, and all vendor catalogs will be removed on October 1, 2024.
While FedMall MarketPlace catalogs accounted for over 60% of the items for sale on the site, less than 1% of the items were sold in the past 5 years. The DLA suggests that buyers and contractors turn to GSA’s Commercial Platform Initiative, which provides federal cardholders access to eight commercial online marketplaces. Contractors and buyers can also consider the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, the largest program for federal buyers. Learn more about the major FedMall update here.
EMERGING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Request for Proposal – Alliant 3 GWAC
The General Services Administration (GSA) is issuing an official Request for Proposal (RFQ) for the Alliant 3 governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC). This contract vehicle is indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) and the applicable NAICS code is 541512 – Computer Systems Design Services. The Alliant 3 GWAC will provide Federal Government agencies with integrated IT services-based solutions for current and evolving needs on a global basis. This Master Contract provides maximum flexibility in acquiring an IT services-based solution for any conceivable IT services-based requirement. The scope includes all current leading-edge technologies and any new technologies which may emerge during the Master Contract Period of Performance. For a more in-depth description of the objectives and scope of this solicitation, along with terms and conditions, see the Alliant 3 Request for Proposal documentation on SAM.gov. Responses are due by October 28th, 2024 at 04:00 pm EDT and submission guidelines are available on SAM.gov.
Special Notice – Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS)
The Department of Defense is announcing that it has finalized plans to consolidate two contract vehicles, Information Technology Enterprise Solutions – Services (ITES-3S) and Responsive Strategic Sourcing for Services (RS3), into one contract: the Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS). MAPS will be a multiple-award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity acquisition vehicle that offers a more efficient way for the Army, Department of Defense, and federal agencies to procure knowledge-based professional services, namely IT and engineering services. MAPS is set to replace ITES-3S and RS3 in 2027, when the older two contract vehicles are set to expire. The Army’s news release on MAPS can be found on the announcement page on SAM.gov and additional announcements will also be tracked there.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is the Micro-Purchase Threshold?
A: The Micro-Purchase Threshold (MPT) is currently set at $10,000 for most government purchases. For purchases under this amount, government agencies can simply make the purchase using their Government Purchase Card (GPC), without having to complete any formal, competitive ordering procedures. This greatly simplifies the purchasing process for government agencies by reducing their administrative needs. Government agencies will commonly use sites such as GSA Advantage! in order to make purchases under the MPT.
Q: What is the Difference Between the Micro-Purchase Threshold and the Simplified Acquisition Threshold?
A: The Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) is currently $250,000. For purchases under this amount (but above the MPT), government agencies are able to use a streamlined acquisition process. They still must consider competition, but not to the degree required by purchases over $250,000. The main difference between the MPT and the SAT, then, is that purchases under the MPT require no competition, while purchases under the SAT require limited competition. Additionally, purchases under the SAT must give preference to small businesses, while no such requirement exists for purchases under the MPT.
Q: What do Contractors Need to Know about the MPT?
A: There are a few important details about the MPT that contractors should be familiar with. First, if you are a GSA Schedule holder, you are required to accept the use of GPCs for purchases under the MPT. Second, and perhaps most importantly, Contracting Officers cannot “dodge” formal ordering procedures by splitting one large purchase into smaller ones solely for the purpose of making them fall under the MPT. Finally, there are certain circumstances where the MPT is actually higher than $10,000. When purchasing supplies for disaster response or defense situations, the MPT is set at $20,000 within the US and $35,000 outside of the US.
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