Panel Promotes Competition on GSA Schedules The federal Acquisition Advisory Panel is recommending that GSA create a new schedule for IT services. Panel members said current GSA schedules are designed for the purchase of goods rather than services. They said prices on the new professional services schedule should be set by competition for task orders rather than posted rates. That was one of several recommendations aimed at increasing competition on GSA schedule orders. The panel also recommended expanding the Defense Department’s “rule of three” to cover task orders from civilian agencies. Section 803 of the 2002 Defense Authorization Act requires Pentagon buyers to get at least three bids on all purchases through the schedules, or justify why they could not get three. The group said agencies should be required to publicly announce all sole-source orders on multiple award contracts that exceed $100,000. Members said such a rule would improve transparency. The panel also said protests should be allowed over awards of task and delivery orders above $5 million. Industry groups have opposed allowing protests on GSA schedules. The panel of experts from inside and outside government was chartered by Congress to review all procurement laws and regulations. It is scheduled to hold its last public meeting this month, with a report and final recommendations to be issued in the fall.