Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to right sidebar Skip to footer

GSA Schedule contract

Keep it Under Lock and Data Key

GSA officials announced plans to rebrand Special Item Number 520-20 on September 20th. The SIN will act as the official Data Breach Response and Identity Protection Services offering on the Professional Services Schedule. GSA hopes that this move will offer industries and agencies more flexibility and responsiveness.

Ordering offices will “now have the ability to obtain specifically what is needed for their immediate situation,” explained Stephanie Kenitzer, professional services category community manager.

The new SIN offers “identity monitoring and notification of Personally Identifiable Information and Protected Health Information, identity theft insurance and identity restoration services, and protect (safeguard) the confidentiality of PII and PHI.”

The changes will occur with the next solicitation refresh, projected for mid-October.

When a competitive number of vendors are on schedule, GSA plans to swap identity protection services from the current blanket agreements to the SIN.

For more information see the official statement.

Nervous about TDR? Drop Out or Don’t Even Join the Pilot!

Transactional Data Reporting now voluntary for contractors

Any contractor that has received multiple-award schedule contracts and special item numbers can now opt out of participating in the TDR pilot. To remind you, the TDR rule allows the agency to collect transactional-level data, which informs buying strategies and purchases.

Mary Davie, acting deputy commissioner of FAS explains that “GSA is altering TDR’s implementation to give new offerers and contractors approaching an option period the choice to adopt TDR….” For those contractors who were previously required to accept TDR, GSA is extending them the option to execute a one-time reverse modification to undo this action and work with their contracting officer to revert back to operating under the structure and tracking requirements of the price reduction clause.

Jack St. John, GSA chief of staff, said the modification of the TDR rule supports agency efforts to transition the current administration’s priorities into acquisition policies.

GSA Interact published the full announcement and further information. If you’d like assistance in reversing your TDR option, contact us at 301-913-5000 or mbotello@ezgsa.com.

GSA System Delays

We wanted to let you all know that GSA is experiencing a few delays, specifically with all e-filing and some modifications.

At this point, our contract management team is reporting that all Schedule 70 mods are being reviewed between 45 and 60 days after receipt, much longer than usual. We assume that this is due to the typical summer slow down (vacations) as well as trainings and technical issues.

Technical issues are affecting the VSC website, as well as eMod, eOffer, and mass mods. We have had reports of PINs not working, the database not finding contractors, incorrect DUNs numbers being returned, etc.

So if you’re experiencing either of the above — it’s not you, it’s GSA (!).

Helping the Feds to secure civilian networks: new Schedule 70 SIN is on its way!

So there are some BIG things going on with this new CDM Special Item Number (SIN). Get used to SIN 132-44, especially if your company works in cybersecurity, because it is here to stay. Released as a Schedule 70 SIN jointly between GSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — has this happened before? — the SIN will be useful in the government’s quest to strengthen and automate computer network monitoring, certainly an important topic with recent international hacking incidents.

Before you submit your proposal for 132-44, you must receive approval from DHS to qualify for the CDM Approved Products List. To achieve this, an entire package must be submitted, including 508 Testing results, counterfeit avoidance and mitigation, and insider threat management (among other items). Once the product qualifies, you may submit a proposal to add the SIN. EULAs (end user license agreements) and Letters of Supply will be required, as necessary.

Adding the new SIN should provide better access to products, services, and new commercial offerings. It also means increased visibility for CDM tools, flexibility in contract durations, and cost efficiency. Although we haven’t heard yet, it also means that GSA will be refreshing Schedule 70 sooner rather than later, with all the attendant Rapid Action Mods following.

Subcategories for the SIN include: managing what is on the network; managing who is on the network; managing what is happening on the network; and emerging tools and technology.

Please note: the TDR pilot does NOT apply to this SIN.

The new SIN comes about from a cybersecurity review two years ago and the upcoming expiration of a BPA resulting from that review. Like any SIN on a GSA Schedule, 132-44 can be added via modification by those already holding a contract and can also be awarded as a stand alone SIN when appropriate.

For more information about the new SIN, please contact your EZGSA account manager or call us at 301-913-5000.

Welcome to the Jun(GSA)le

GSA opening up to businesses and industry partners

Jack St. John, Chief of Staff at GSA, has released a statement promising GSA will be more business friendly by improving industry partnerships, streamlining acquisitions, and easing the onus  of regulations. He announced that GSA will make Transactional Data Reporting optional and asked for public comment in reexamining the policy.

Also of interest to many of our clients, Schedule 75 for Office Supplies and Services will reopen, making a significant statement about increased access to dynamic pricing and innovation from the competitive marketplace. St. John further outlined GSA’s goals for uniting and simplifying the Professional Services Schedule (PSS) to increase the efficiency of the contract for agencies and industry partners. The suggested PSS solicitation is available to read and open for comment until May 26.

You can read more about it here or contact EZGSA at 301-913-5000 or mbotello@ezgsa.com