December 2018
In November, OMB designated GSA Global Supply™ as a Best-in-Class (BIC) governmentwide acquisition solution. To achieve this designation, the program was evaluated according to the following criteria outlined in OMB’s Category Management Guidance document:
- Rigorous requirements definitions and planning processes
- Appropriate pricing strategies
- Data-driven demand-management strategies
- Category- and performance-management strategies
- Independently validated reviews
A key factor is the ability to demonstrate the potential savings agencies could obtain by using GSA Global Supply for their non-tactical commodity purchases. GSA provided cost-comparison studies of GSA Global Supply items and commercial alternatives, factoring in the “soft savings” that customers could achieve by letting GSA Global Supply handle much of the administrative work that goes into purchasing. Customers save time and money because GSA ensures compliance with the FAR, AbilityOne mandates, and more.
To access the hundreds of thousands of GSA Global Supply items available every day, visit www.GSAglobalsupply.gsa.gov.
GSA Global Supply Expands Offering
GSA Global Supply™ is continuing to refine its program to build on the 20-plus percent growth it experienced in FY 2018. To expand your choices, we’ve added hundreds of thousands of part-numbered items. Now visible online, several thousand Janitorial and Sanitation (JanSan) products (with the FJSA prefix) and more than a half-million Maintenance, Repair, and Operating (MRO) supplies (with the prefix of FMRA) are available. Like our National Stock Number (NSN) items, all of these products are available via simple requisitions and require no comparison shopping.
For a handy reference to GSA Global Supply’s most popular items, see the Supply Catalog 2019 or request a free printed copy.
Save Money by Acquiring Excess Property
In this era of shrinking budgets, now is a terrific time for your agency to save time and money by acquiring excess property instead of making new procurements. Using excess property to fulfill mission requirements has saved agencies and taxpayers billions of dollars, including $1.1 billion in FY 2018. Furthermore, FAR Subpart 8.1 requires federal agencies to try to use excess property before initiating a new contract action.
GSAXcess® makes locating and requesting excess property easy – and it features all types of personal property available across the country. Most property is transferred to the receiving agency at no cost (though the receiving agency must pay for transportation and handling). Federal employees with a “.gov” or “.mil” email address can self-register in GSAXcess to view the available property. To request property, you will need a user ID, which you can obtain by contacting your agency’s National Utilization Officer (NUO).
For more information, visit www.gsa.gov/property or contact your local GSA Area Property Officer.
View or Download the New GSA Furniture Catalog
GSA Global Supply offers the 2019 Furniture Catalog to help users easily find and buy needed items. The catalog contains more than 1,200 products, ranging from office chairs and desks to dormitory and quarters furniture. All are available via simple requisitions from GSA Global Supply, so they require no comparison shopping or other research.
You can view or download the electronic flipbook of the furniture catalog on GSA’s publications website. The site also includes a 508-compliant version. If you have questions about any of our furniture items, please call our National Customer Service Center at (800) 488-3111.
Get Quick, Easy Training on Furniture Ordering
Earlier this year, GSA hosted a webinar for federal furniture buyers that demonstrated the quick, easy way to purchase furniture through GSA Global Supply’s National Stock Number (NSN) program. The NSN program offers a lot more than folding tables and metal cabinets, providing federal buyers with fast, convenient access to workstations, sit-to-stand desks, ergonomic seating, a wide selection of storage, and much more. GSA has already procured these furniture products, so your purchase is a simple requisition and requires no comparison shopping.
To learn more, watch the one-hour session. You can also download the webinar slides and a helpful Q&A sheet. If you have questions, please contact us at furniture@gsa.gov.
Access Snow-Removal Services through GSA MAS 03FAC
It’s time to plan for snow removal! GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 03FAC offers complete maintenance and management services for all of your facility-related needs. The services under Special Item Number (SIN) 811 002 can help meet your requirements for snow and ice removal while saving your agency time and money.
Setting up a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) makes it easy to manage snow and ice removal during periods of peak demand. A BPA that includes information on the estimated snowfall and where and when the service is needed can help ensure the area is safely cleared when you need it.
To learn more, please visit us online – or contact us at (800) 488-3111 or HSS_Marketing@gsa.gov.
GSA MAS 56 Offers Maintenance and Repair Services
GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 56, Building and Building Materials/Industrial Services and Supplies, offers vendors who are ready to provide maintenance and repair services on schedule, even when the product being serviced is not offered.
You can count on high-quality, reliable service from GSA Schedule vendors. We require contract holders to be certified and authorized to service specific brands. This ensures the vendor is responsible for and capable of providing the requested repair and maintenance services. If you have any questions, please contact Mataya Jordan at mataya.jordan@gsa.gov or (817) 850-8161.
The Policy on Order-Level Materials has been Revised
The FAS Office of Policy and Compliance (OPC) has revised PAP 2018-05, “Order-Level Materials – Federal Supply Schedule Program Implementation,” to administer the technical amendment published to GSAR Case 2016-G506, “Federal Supply Schedule – Order-Level Materials.”
The technical amendment revised GSAR clause 552.238-82,“Special Ordering Procedures for the Acquisition of Order-Level Materials,” paragraph (d)(4), to clarify how the 33.33 percent limitation on Order-Level Materials (OLMs) applies to Schedule Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). The 33.33 percent limitation on OLMs for individual orders remains unchanged. The technical amendment clarifies that for Schedule BPAs, this limitation applies on an aggregate basis (a single BPA order may exceed this limitation if the cumulative value of OLMs across all orders placed against the BPA does not exceed 33.33 percent).
The revised PAP has been posted to the FAS Acquisition Policy Library.
For more information on OLMs, please visit GSA’s OLM website at www.gsa.gov/olm.
Shopping on GSAAdvantage! has Never Been Easier
GSAAdvantage!® makes it easy to find Best-in-Class (BIC) solutions, including (but not limited to) GSA Global Supply IT Schedule 70 for IT Hardware and Software and these FSSI programs:
- Office Supplies (OS3)
- Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO)
- Janitorial and Sanitation (JanSan)
- Building Maintenance and Operations (BMO)
BIC solutions are designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as preferred contracts that:
- Reduce duplication
- Provide transparency and standardization for better, data-driven decisions
- Lessen administrative burdens and costs
- Optimize spending within the category-management framework
Make GSAAdvantage! your go-to place for BIC solutions.
GSA is here to help! If you have questions about GSAAdvantage! or GSA’s BIC solutions, contact our National Customer Service Center at (800) 488-3111 or NCSCcustomer.service@gsa.gov.
Visit the Acquisition Gateway!
Act as One for smarter acquisition. Log in to this online community for acquisition professionals.
Take Advantage of GSA Training Opportunities
GSA offers a wide variety of training to help achieve your agency’s mission goals. Visit the GSA Events page to learn the dates and locations of GSA-sponsored training, seminars, workshops, meetings, and other events.
For other training opportunities, visit the GSA Training Programs page for descriptions, by topic, of webinars and other online training offered to federal employees and vendors.
For More Information and Customer Service
If you have questions or want to learn more about any of GSA’s solutions or programs, please contact the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at (800) 488-3111 or NCSCcustomer.service@gsa.gov.
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