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Federal Contracting

Speak now or forever hold your piece

GSA Extends Comment Period

Good news for the procrastinators among you! GSA extended the deadline to comment on rules governing acquisition, federal travel, and property management. This extension could signal an increase in flexibility and a re-commitment to vendor and customer relations on GSA’s part.

If you haven’t yet commented on  these policies, now is your chance! Head on over to the federal register to offer your input on leasing acquisition policy, federal travel rules, and property management regulations.

DoD eMall is dead. Long Live FedMall!

Same function, different name. We welcome FedMall to the land of commerce, contracting, and commercial-off-the-shelf federal purchasing.

With this new site, government buyers experience a more user-friendly interface, enhanced search functions, and easy comparability of similar products.

Contractors must complete a familiar process, very similar to what was required of eMall. This includes having an authentication certificate (CAC card, PIV card, etc.); your CAGE code; active SAM registration; and your contract number. The contract number represents your existing GSA Schedule or other Long Term Agreement or Blanket Purchase Agreement. Office supply providers are the one exception to this — they simply upload their products.

To begin the process of being listed on FedMall, go to https://www.suppliers.fedmall.mil. For more information, you can review the Quick Start Guide or contact us here at EZGSA (301-913-5000).

Uncle Sam Wants You … To Comment on Acquisition Regulations

Per the Trump administration’s mandate, GSA continues to streamline federal regulations. They have subsequently requested industry comment on policies that may be due for repeal, modification, or replacement. GSA especially needs input on less recent items, such as evergreen contracting. The office also encourages information on newsworthy topics such as the Transactional Data Reporting rule.

Of particular interest are regulations that inhibit job creation, seem outdated, have more drawbacks than benefits, create serious inconsistencies, derive  from non-transparent data, or rely on executive orders that have since been rescinded.

Send in your comments to take advantage of this opportunity to comment  on GSA’s policies and practices. Read more at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-05-30/pdf/2017-11052.pdf

 

EIS Schedules (tele)Coming to America

GSA Asks for Industry Help Transitioning to EIS Contracts

GSA is moving small agencies and Native American tribes that hold telecommunications Networx and WITS 3 contracts to Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions(EIS) contracts. Officials expect a May 2020 completion date for the transition.

GSA asked industry for input on how to transition these 36 entities to the new plans.

If groups do not have the resources to transition, they can ask GSA to do most of the heavy lifting. However, groups that use this service must reimburse GSA through contract fees.

For more information, read the RFI.

Effectiveness of TDR is TBD

GSA Responds to Criticisms of TDR

The new pilot program for Transactional Data Reporting has met widespread criticism, leading many to question its supposed benefits.

GSA wrote the Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) requirement as an alternative to the Price Reduction Clause (PRC) and Commercial Services Practices (CSP) provision, in response to contractor complaints. The CSP provision requires government contractors to inform GSA of any discounts they offer to commercial partners. Meanwhile, the PRC requires contractors to offer government clients discounts equal to those given to commercial customers, as determined by the contract itself.

Because vendors tend to loathe these clauses, the TDR requirement generated widespread enthusiasm before its June launch. However, since then, it has met with criticism from the contractor side and has included anecdotal evidence of contracting officers still requesting CSP, or CSP-esque information from contractors enrolled in the TDR pilot.

Kevin Youell Page, the deputy commissioner of the Federal Acquisitions Service has publicly stated that “We haven’t really heard from anyone that this has specifically happened.” Most of the criticism appears based more on worries that COs could still require these, as well as general apprehension. Nonetheless, Youell Page is trying to answer feedback and reform the program. FAS has set up an email address exclusively for questions, comments, and concerns about the program; worked closely with the inspector general’s office to alleviate confusion; and continues a cross-country campaign to train and educate contractors and stakeholders.

This is a dramatic shift, made more  so by the risks associated with the new administration. GSA has only committed to a three-year pilot, and as yet the Trump administration has not moved to support TDR. This creates concerns about the liability of participating contractors for PRC and CSP data after the pilot ends.