What’s up with GSA Schedules?

New OLM rule; Schedule 75 reopens; Streamlined offers

      Changes are happening in the General Services Administration’s Multiple-Award Schedules program. They include a final rule on Order-Level Materials; reopening of Schedule 75 for office supplies; and reports of increased financial reporting required when applying to renew a schedules contract under a “streamlined” offer.

      Here is the rundown.

OLM final rule

     GSA issued a final rule, effective on Jan. 24, amending its acquisition regulation (GSAR) to clarify the authority to buy order-level materials (OLMs) when placing a task or delivery order against a schedules contract or blanket purchase agreement.

      OLMs, also known as Other Direct Costs, are the supplies and services that directly support an order, and are not known at the time of the contract or BPA award.

      In the past, agencies were not allowed to include OLMs in task or delivery orders against a schedules contract or BPA; the agencies had to make a separate procurement for the OLMs.

      By contrast, agencies are allowed to purchase OLMs in task orders against commercial item indefinite-delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts. The goal of the OLM amendment was to create parity between buying OLMs on the schedules and on IDIQ contracts.

More information:
Fed Register final rule: http://goo.gl/H12ZvH
Morgan Lewis statement: http://goo.gl/atnU7g

Schedule 75 reopened

      On Jan. 16, the GSA announced it had reopened Schedule 75 for office supplies to new offerors. GSA closed down the schedle to new offers in 2010 as part of its strategic sourcing initiative.

      GSA Administrator Emily Murphy said in a news release that the reopening means better value for customers and more opportunities for small businesses.

      The schedule is run by GSA’s Northeast Caribbean Region. It includes a new “enhanced” Special Item Number (SIN) for fourth-generation office supplies (OS4). Other GSA statements referenced another enhanced SIN for office supplies sold overseas.

More information:
GSA Schedule 75 home page: http://goo.gl/sxChYo
GSA release: http://goo.gl/MwHzaU

Streamlined offer requests

      The GSA two years ago introduced a streamlined process for existing schedules holders seeking a new 20-year contract.

      Aronson LLC reports that contracting officers recently have been making “troublesome” requests of offerers using the streamlined process, including requests that the contractor go through a financial capability review, known as a “527 review.” Such reviews should not be necessary, Aronson LLC’s Sonia Pesantes wrote in a blog.

      Also, the financial reviews can take several weeks to complete and require the contractor to disclose significant banking and credit information.

More information:
Aronson blog: http://goo.gl/5s99kn

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