GSA’s E-Gov Travel Service (ETS) is a governmentwide, Web-based, world-class travel-management service. ETS continually applies commercial best practices to realize travel efficiencies and deliver a transparent, accountable, sustainable service that yields exceptional customer satisfaction. By optimizing online travel reservations, ETS saved the federal government $26 million in FY 2017.
ETS enables the government to consolidate travel services, platforms, and channels; improve leverage of government travel spending; reduce waste; and increase transparency for improved accountability. The benefits of ETS include:
- Improved usability and optimized online travel planning
- Increased navigation and ease of use, enabling informed cost and sustainability decisions at the point of sale
- Strengthened operational environment; improved management by adopting commercial best practices in software development; data transparency; and improved security controls
Get Reduced Airfares through the City Pair Program!
The GSA City Pair Program (CPP) is a governmentwide program designated as a Best in Class (BIC) procurement vehicle by OMB. It delivers best-value airfares, ensuring federal agencies effectively and efficiently meet their missions.
Fares are negotiated annually and set at fixed prices. In FY 2018, awarded fares benchmarked 53 percent lower than comparable commercial fares (with the same refundable benefits) and are expected to save the federal government $2.26 billion.
Each year, these contracted fares enable government agencies to project travel costs and forecast their travel budgets more accurately.
In addition to cost savings, the City Pair Program has many features that allow government travelers maximum flexibility when planning official travel. The features of this program include:
- Fares priced on one-way routes, permitting agencies to plan multiple destinations
- No advance purchase required
- No minimum or maximum stay required
- Fully refundable tickets
- No blackout periods
- Stable prices enabling travel budgeting
- Dual fare availability
- Last-seat availability on the YCA fare
- Deeply discounted, availability dependent upon demand, on the _CA fare
Plan Travel Wisely by Using FedRooms!
GSA’s FedRooms® program provides federal government travelers on official business with safe, economical, and compliant hotel rooms at or below per diem. In the United States, you can cancel a FedRooms reservation without penalty until 4 p.m., and there are no hidden fees. All FedRooms rates include free Wi-Fi. FedRooms is the only government-managed lodging program and is an OMB-designated Best in Class (BIC) solution.
The program leverages government buying power and secures properties in the cities where federal agencies fulfill their missions. Since 2015, that buying power has been realized, nearly tripling savings off per diem from $7 million to more than $21 million in 2017.
To obtain FedRooms hotel rates and benefits, reservations must be booked through your agency’s online travel booking system, ConcurGov, E2 Solutions, the Defense Travel System (DTS), or your travel agent. Nearly 5,000 properties offer FedRooms rates.
To learn more about FedRooms, visit the www.fedrooms.gov.
Discover GSA’s Employee Relocation Resource Center!
GSA’s Employee Relocation Resource Center (ERRC) provides federal agencies with employee-relocation products and services solutions. The ERRC offers a streamlined procurement process with flexible programs, subject-matter expertise, and program support.
- GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 48: This contract vehicle assists federal agencies offering relocation benefits for employees and their families, including move-management services, home-sale services, property management, relocation software, and office relocation. The home-sale services solution recently attained the designation of Best in Class (BIC), a contracting and acquisition designation used to denote contracts that meet rigorous category-management performance criteria as defined by OMB. The home-sale services solution integrates employee-relocation commercial best practices into requirements and service options tailored to government operations.
- Centralized Household Goods Traffic Management Program (CHAMP) is a tender procurement method allowing quick and easy access to highly competitive rates for household-goods shipment services.
To learn more, visit us on the Web or log in to the Acquisition Gateway.
GSA SmartPay Supports More Than 2.5 Million Federal Travelers!
GSA SmartPay® travel payment solutions enable authorized government employees to pay for expenses incurred while on official government travel. More than 2.5 million card and account holders use GSA SmartPay travel solutions to pay for their hotel rooms, flights, and other related expenses while on official travel. In 2017 alone, more than 46 million transactions were processed, totaling more than $8.3 billion.
A GSA SmartPay travel card or account is the recommended way to pay for official government travel. GSA SmartPay solutions provide the powerful capabilities needed to manage the complex federal government travel programs, while offering savings to taxpayers.
GSA SmartPay transactional data provides important information about how GSA’s travel programs, including the City Pair Program (CPP) and FedRooms®, are used. Valuable data generated from GSA SmartPay travel transactions are used in contract pricing negotiations and allow GSA to realize significant savings on commercial airfares and hotel room rates. Visit GSA’s City Pair Program and FedRooms websites to learn more.
GSA SmartPay program standard tools and data are available with no up-front costs, allowing customers to easily leverage streamlined commercial payment processes to conduct the government’s business. To learn more about how GSA SmartPay provides value to customers, visit the GSA SmartPay website.
The Acquisition Gateway Includes Resources for Travel and Relocation!
For relocation resources and information, visit the Employee Relocation hallway on the Acquisition Gateway. For governmentwide solutions, program information, tools, and best practices, visit the Travel hallway on the Acquisition Gateway. If you already have an OMB Max account, you can access the hallways after logging in. If not, you can register an account with OMB Max.
Ensure that You Don’t Order Non-Compliant PACS Equipment!
When your agency orders Physical Access Control Systems (PACS), be sure they comply with FIPS 201-2. These new systems are meant to update our customers’ systems and ensure they meet applicable federal regulations and OMB guidance.
Meeting FIPS 201-2 (or most recent) specifications means the system will meet FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act) requirements; be capable of achieving Authority to Operate (ATO); and detect and deny access to persons no longer employed by the agency or who present a lost, stolen, copied, or forged card. Only PACS that have proven capable of satisfying these requirements by successfully completing a comprehensive evaluation at one of the GSA Evaluation Program test laboratories are included in GSA’s Approved Products List (APL) and authorized for procurement. Read the full article on the Acquisition Gateway (log-in required).
Scientific Equipment and Services: Now Get More Choices and Flexibility from GSA!
The latest technologies and services available through GSA’s Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) program can help researchers and scientists achieve breakthroughs to improve the lives of people all over the world. GSA provides one-stop shopping for geophysical and environmental analysis equipment; laboratory instruments, furnishings, and LIMS (Laboratory Information Management Systems); mechanical, chemical, electrical, and geophysical testing services; test and measurement equipment; unmanned scientific vehicles; ancillary supplies and/or services; and professional scientific services.
Through GSA MAS 66, your federal agency can save time and money while accessing highly qualified product and service providers. These providers tailor solutions to meet your agency’s unique requirements via the efficient, simplified ordering processes available through the MAS program. MAS contracts offer complete, ultramodern solutions designed to meet today’s challenges. Also, though GSA has already negotiated fair and reasonable pricing, you can seek additional discounts with MAS contractors before placing an order.
Learn more at www.gsa.gov/scientific.
If you have questions, please contact Richard Armstead at (817) 850-8124 or richard.armstead@gsa.gov.
Maintenance Repair and Operations (MRO) Purchase Channel BPA is Best in Class
The federal government currently spends almost $1.6 billion a year on MRO supplies. In partnership with numerous federal agencies, both military and civilian, GSA has established multiple Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) under GSA Multiple Award Schedule 51 V to leverage this spending. Awarded contractors include varied small businesses, including Women-owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-owned. In 2016, the MRO solution achieved the Best in Class (BIC) designation, which signifies contracts that meet rigorous category-management performance criteria as defined by OMB.
The MRO solution offers agencies a better way to purchase commonly used hardware and tool products. Many thousands of choices are available. Items include screws and screwdrivers, power tools, tool cabinets, paints, ladders, generators, and more! Agencies can order products and access pricing through GSAAdvantage!®, FedMall, or contractor-operated websites. In addition, agencies may contact vendors directly or visit retail stores, where applicable. Purchases of MRO products are made by using the GSA SmartPay® 2 government purchase card, or purchase order. Learn more at www.gsa.gov/fssimro.
For assistance, please email us at fssi.mro@gsa.gov or call the GSA National Customer Service Center (NCSC) toll-free at (800) 488-3111 (option 3).
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 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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