Schedules consolidation: what next?

      The General Services Administration held a popular Federal Marketplace Industry Day, intended to foster a dialogue with industry on plans to consolidate the Multiple-Award Schedules into a single schedule. GSA has released a 268-page transcript of the event.

      Emily Murphy, GSA Administrator, said the consolidation is part of a broader strategy. GSA also needs to improve contract writing systems and incorporate the new authority for unpriced services contracts.

      While the industry speakers all reacted generally favorably to the consolidation plans, they raised concerns.

      Larry Allen, president of Allen Federal Partners, said GSA must improve its systems. “We must have a new online interface system, a new 21st century e-commerce experience... That’s going to take some standardization of contract terms and some standardization of product and service descriptions,” Allen said.

      Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president and counsel, Professional Services Council said GSA should take lessons from its past experience with mass modification terms and conditions which “have been the bane of many of us.”

      He also urged GSA to continue to examine how the consolidated schedules will compete with other acquisition vehicles, especially those under category management.

      Julia Conti, a contracts director for CGI Federal, said it is important for GSA to ensure consistency in administering modifications. “In my experience, I found it varies from Center to Center, within a Center, from Contracting Officer to Contracting Officer, and even with the same Contracting Officer, from one modification to the next.”

      Roger Waldron, president, Coalition for Government Procurement, said GSA could help agencies streamline contract requirements to focus on core needs. Also, Waldron and Allen both emphasized that the Price Reduction Clause is outdated and needs to go.

More information: GSA Interact Industry Day agenda, slides and transcript: https://bit.ly/2BRM58d

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