Partnering Opportunities Forum

On July 15th, the Coalition for Government Procurement will host an event where small and large businesses will be able to meet in one-on-one sessions to discuss possible teaming and/or subcontracting arrangements.  Click here to learn more about the event and register. 

For GSA Schedules holders, they will also be hosting an event beginning July 29th entitled MAS Bootcamp - Achieving Success in Business Development and Contract Management.  Click here to learn more about this event and register. 

GSA Opens eBuy to State & Local Buyers

GSA has recently opened eBuy for use by state and local buyers. Schedules contractors who are eligible to participate in Cooperative Purchasing and Disaster Recovery Program purchasing may bid on state and local opportunities through eBuy. If you are a contractor and have not opted to participate in cooperative purchasing (if you have a contract that is eligible) or disaster recovery purchasing, you must modify your contract in order to become eligible to use it to bid on state and local opportunities. Having access to state and local procurements may present an even greater opportunity now as much of the stimulus money will be going to state and local governments.

Schedules & Stimulus Projects

GovernmentExecutive.com published an article recently on how GSA is marketing its existing contracts to agencies for purposes of fulfilling new stimulus projects.  The article says that GSA is encouraging agencies to use its government wide acquisition and Schedules contracts for use in stimulus efforts.  In fact, as the article mentions, GSA has put together a list of Schedules that correspond to the various stimulus program areas. So, if you are currently a Schedule contract holder, now is a good time to utilize the contract to win government business.  Not only is the government seemingly the only entity spending these days, but Schedule contractors have an added advantage of GSA marketing your contract vehicle more intensely to that entity.  Now is a great time to take advantage of being in the government market.    

New Link Posted

I have posted a new link under the "News and Notices Websites" heading entitled "Government Contracting Weekly."  It's a link to an NCMA-sponsored radio program on Federal News Radio 1500 AM that is geared specifically toward federal contracting. Shows air Tuesdays at 10:00 am, and you can listen to past shows via the website. It looks like it will be a good source of information for those in the federal marketplace.

New Contract

GSA recently announced the addition of another Schedules contract.  This new contract will provide energy management support services for federal agencies.  Energy management support services under this contract include: energy audit services, energy management program support, planning and strategies, water audits, management and conservation solutions, resource efficiency management and training, innovative renewable energy solutions, building commission services, and metering and advanced metering services. 

"Small" Businesses and Federal Contracts

The Wall Street Journal blog Independent Street recently posted an article about a Washington Post investigation that found billions of federal contracting dollars were going to businesses that were classified as small, but actually were not. For Schedules contractors, the certification you make at contract award is your business size classification for the contract term. The contract term is not 20 years despite the potential 20-year contractual relationship Schedules contracts offer. The contract term is 5 years. When you exercise an option, you must re-certify your size status. 

New Events Calendar

I have recently added an "Events Calendar" to the blog.  See the link on the right-hand side of the page.  I will be adding more events in the coming days and will continue to keep it updated with events that are relevant to Schedules contract holders. Should you know of an event that would be beneficial to MAS contractors, please forward it to me, and I will post it on the calendar. 

MAS Advisory Panel Update

The MAS Advisory Panel will hold its next meetings on Monday, November 10th and Wednesday, November 12th.  For more information on the Panel, including meeting materials, agendas, and minutes, you can visit www.gsa.gov/masap.

Cooperative Purchasing Program

On October 9th, GSA announced the launch of its program to support state and local first responders. The Cooperative Purchasing Program, which implements the Local Preparedness Acquisition Act signed by President Bush on June 26, 2008, will allow state and local agencies to buy law enforcement, security, and first responder goods and services off Schedule 84. If you are a Schedule 84 contractor and agree to participate in the program, an icon will appear next to your company name and products/services on E-library and Advantage.

Increased Spending on GSA Advantage

In an article on FCW.com, Matthew Weigelt reports that  more agencies are using GSA Advantage for purchasing from Schedules contractors. According to the article, GSA Advantage had $558 million in sales in fiscal year 2007 and increased purchasing via online mechanisms such as Advantage and e-Buy are expected.

MAS Advisory Panel Update

The Multiple Award Schedule Advisory Panel has recommended removing the Price Reductions Clause altogether from the Schedules program. In September, the Panel recommended that GSA stop using the Price Reductions Clause for services contracts. At the October 6th meeting, the Panel further decided to eliminate the Clause for products as well. The recommendations will be sent to GSA's administrator for further action. 

New Schedules Office

GSA has announced that it will create a new office to oversee the Schedules program.  The new office will not take over management of the Schedules contracts.  Those responsibilities will remain with the various offices that administer the more than 17, 000 contracts.  Instead, the new office will attempt to provide consistency across departments by developing and applying acquisition policy and practices that should improve the process and management of the contracts.  

What do you think?

What do you think about the MAS Advisory Panel's recommendation to discontinue using the Price Reductions Clause for professional services contracts?  Leave a comment or participate in the new poll on the right.

MAS Advisory Panel Update

At the last meeting of the Multiple Award Schedule Advisory Panel on September 22d, the Panel recommended that GSA's administrator lay out a clear plan for how Contracting Officer's obtain the lowest price when negotiating with an offeror for professional services. The Panel also voted to recommend that for professional services contracts GSA issue new guidelines for determining fair and reasonable without using the Price Reductions Clause.

New Deputy Administrator and FAS Administrator

Effective September 21, Barnaby (Barney) L. Brasseux began serving as GSA's Deputy Administrator. Tyree Varnado, who had served as assistant regional FAS (Federal Acquisition Service) commissioner in GSA's greater southwest region, assumed Brasseux's former position as the national FAS commissioner. 

Williams Assumes Role As GSA Administrator

On September 2nd, GSA announced that James Williams assumed the role of Acting Administrator at GSA on August 30, 2008. I previously posted on this controversial appointment on August 20th. Williams had served as head of the Federal Acquisition Service and replaces Acting Administrator David Bibb who retired.

Top 100 Prime Contractors List

WashingtonTechnology recently posted their list of the Top 100 Federal Prime IT Contractors of 2008. No surprises as to who appears on the list, but it's still worth taking a look at the numbers. The list is also informative because you can view it in a variety of ways: industry sector, newcomers, defense revenue, small businesses, etc.  

August Steps Newsletter Available

If you have not already read it, the latest edition of GSA's Steps Newsletter is available at the Vendor Support Center. Steps is a good, informative tool for current contractors. This current edition has articles on subcontracting, GSA SmartPay 2, the new construction management SIN on the Professional Engineering Schedule, and more.

Fees Associated With Schedules: The IFF

Reporting sales and remitting the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) is a fundamental requirement of a Schedules contractor. However, tasks as simple as these can create confusion. For instance, when it comes to what percentage of sales should be remitted, it depends on what type of Schedule you hold. The IFF for Schedule contracts is currently 0.75%. However, for VA Schedules the fees are different and range from 0.5% to 1%. All of these fees by the way should be added to your approved GSA pricing that was negotiated during contract formation. Contractors should not have to take these fees, whichever applies, off their bottom line. Also, what constitutes a "GSA sale" for purposes of reporting and remitting can create uncertainty. A GSA sale is one that is for the product or service on your GSA Schedules price list and incorporates the terms of your Schedules contract. Other sales to the government are not GSA sales for purposes of paying the IFF. In addition, other direct costs and travel that appear on a GSA sale invoice do not incur the IFF. Finally, contractors shouldn't forget that even if they have zero sales and therefore no IFF to remit for the quarter, they must still report the zero sales on the 72A system.  

Article on Government Market Sustainability

An article recently posted by WashingtonTechnology  and written by Rick Knop discusses the sustainability of the government market as opposed to other industries. Specifically, Knop writes that although there are concerns on the impact of the current economic climate as well as the upcoming national election, the government market has weathered the overall economic downtown successfully, at least more so than other industries.  

Oftentimes contractors can get bogged down in the administrative hassle of obtaining and maintaining their Schedules, but a diversified business model that includes government contracts is well worth the time and effort, particularly when economic conditions in the private sector are poor.