Two recent developments are contributing to skeptical talk about the future of the General Services Administration’s Multiple-Award Schedules program. Schedules annual sales are about $40 billion.

      For one, the GSA just briefly touched on the schedules in the draft of its new strategic plan (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/183023).

      “The plan is devoid of any discussion on improving the program for the long term,” Roger Waldron, president of the Coalition for Government Procurement, wrote in a recent blog entry. “Is GSA, as many in industry believe, seeking to dismantle the program?”

      GSA spokeswoman Cara Battaglini said the agency has long-term initiatives for the schedules, including modernizing them to make them more flexible.

      The other recent development raising concerns is the full and open competition on the Office Supplies-3 (OS3) program. Sam Bornstein, consultant, claims OS3 “will effectively eliminate any benefits to holding a GSA Schedule 75 Office Supplies (contract).”

      GSA officials have said that since OS2 had 76% small business participation, they anticipate OS3 to have high levels of small business participation as well.