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Your GSA Service Schedule Contract: Get it and keep it!

Breakout Session # 1204

Ralph Lentz

April 7

2:30-4:00 PM

GSA Service Schedules

• Over $23,000,000,000 FY08 sales

• Services - 60% of all schedule sales

• Sales leaders - IT, MOBIS, PES, Security, FABS, LogWorld

• Over 17,000 schedule contracts

• Over 80% contracts with small business

Multiple Award Schedules Program Management

• Federal Acquisition Service– Acquisition Management– Integrated Technology Services– Travel, Vehicle and Card Services– General Supplies and Services

• Acquisition Centers

GSS Acquisition Centers

• Admin Services & Office Supplies• Facilities Maintenance & Hardware• Greater Southwest Acquisition Center• Integrated Workplace Acquisition Center• Center for Services Acquisition• Management Services Center

Is a Multiple Award Schedule Contract Right For You?

• Assess the marketplace

• Identify and assess competition

• Can you meet the solicitation/contract requirements?

• Develop a schedules contract business plan

• Take advantage of available training

Available Training

• Vendor Support Center– vsc.gsa.gov

• Pathway to Success

• The Center for Acquisition Excellence– cae.gsa.gov

• How to Become a Contractor – GSA Schedules Program

• Office of Small Business Utilization– www.gsa.gov/sbu

How to get a MAS contract!

• Go to www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov• Locate the applicable schedule• View the solicitation on FedBizOpps• Start with “Read Me First”• Prepare your offer• Submit your offer to the applicable GSA

acquisition center

Why Offers are Rejected

• Incomplete offer• Significant errors• Incomplete or unacceptable project

experiences• Inappropriate or unsupported labor categories• Incomplete or unacceptable pricing• Failure to respond to clarification/negotiation

requests in a timely manner

Incomplete Offer Examples

• 1449 not completed• Not registered in Online Reps & Certs Application• Central Contractor Registration (CCR) not current• No Vendor Response document provided• Financial reports not submitted• No order form for Open Ratings• Commercial Sales Practices Format not completed

Significant Error Examples

• Offer submitted under expired solicitation• Applicable NAIC not included in CCR• Pathways training not completed by current

employee/authorized negotiator• Lack of corporate experience (2 years)• Unresolved financial/performance issues• Inconsistent information

Examples of Incomplete or Unacceptable Experiences

• Untimely experiences

• Inadequate number of acceptable experiences

• Out of scope experiences

• Unsupported experiences

• Experiences do not match offered Special Item Numbers

Examples of Inappropriate or Unsupported Labor Categories

• No position description provided

• No education/experience requirements

• Overhead labor categories offered

• Labor categories that do not relate to the service proposed

Examples of Incomplete or Unacceptable Pricing

• No identified Most Favored Customer• Basis of pricing not identified (Commercial

Price List or Market Pricing?)• Pricing not supported• No method of escalation proposed• Inclusion of Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) not

indicated• Foreign/domestic and government/contractor

site not addressed

How to keep your MAS contract!

• Complete/current GSA Advantage SIP file• Market your services• Timely submission of IFF on sales• Maintain your contract

– Mass modifications– Address or contact changes– Novation or name change– Price changes– Add/delete services

Why Contracts are Cancelled

• Lack of Sales (no/low sales)• Contractor request or contractor goes out of

business• Multiple contracts, same schedule• Out of scope work• Poor contractor performance (not reporting

sales/remitting IFF, not in GSA Advantage, inadequate contract management)

Meeting Sales Requirements

• Required Sales: $25K 1st two years, $25K yearly after two years

• Marketing Resources– www.sba.gov– www.fedbizopps.gov– www.gsaadvantage.gov– www.gsa.gov/mgmtservices

Industrial Operations Analyst Reviews

• Administrative Contracting Officer representative

• Not an “auditor”

• Conduct periodic reviews– Contractor Assist Visit Report

• Administrative Report Card

Available Information

• View the New Contractor Orientation website at http://vsc.gsa.gov– Vendor Information

• Reporting Sales• The Steps to Success

– Vendor Training• New Contractor Orientation Webcast• SIP Web Training

Additional Information

• Office of Small Business Utilization– www.gsa.gov/sbu

• Doing Business With GSA

• Schedule Specific Help (Example)– www.gsa.gov

• Products and Services– Professional & Technical Solutions

» Business Consulting (MOBIS)

Options

• GSA sends initial letter sent 150-180 days prior to contract expiration date

• Timely contractor response required

• Reviewed by contract specialist

• Goal is to exercise 30 days prior

• Pre-award audits are the exception

Options Continued

• Expect to be asked to “clean up” the contract– SIN, labor categories, support products not

sold– Update GSA Advantage file– Address unresolved performance problems

Pre-Award Audits

• GSA IG reviews• Coordinated with GSA PCO• Audits selected based on sales and

PCO identified issues• Notification letters sent 210 days prior to

contract expiration date• May result in temporary contract

extension

Why Options are not Exercised

• Lack of sales (no/low sales)• Out of scope work• Lack of required documentation (CCR, ORCA, Sub K

Plan, CSP, novation, etc.) • Contractor request or contractor goes out of business• Pricing not fair and reasonable• Poor contractor performance (not reporting sales/IFF,

not in Advantage, inadequate contract management)• Multiple contracts, same schedule• Response to GSA contract specialist not timely

Want to know more?

• GSA Schedules Contract Training– www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/eventView.do?

audienceId=1168&byAudienceId=y

• GSA EXPO 2009– June 9-11, San Antonio TX

• Center Industry Day(s)– MSC Industry Days, Aug 18-19, Seattle

Questions?

ralph.lentz@gsa.gov