The General Services Administration plans to reopen Schedule 75 for office supplies on Oct. 1, 2013, a spokeswoman confirmed to Set-Aside Alert.

Under the new timetable, Schedule 75 will remain closed to new vendors for three years. Originally, it was to close to new offerers for two years.

“Over the last 24 months, GSA has evaluated the effectiveness of the Schedule 75 Multiple Awards Schedules Program,” Cara Battaglini, spokeswoman for the Federal Acquisition Service, wrote in an emailed statement to Set-Aside Alert.

“After review and careful consideration, it has been determined it is in the best interest of the government for Schedule 75 to remain closed to new offers for an additional 12 months. The Schedule will re-open effective October 1, 2013 and new offers will be accepted at that time,” Battaglini wrote.

GSA Spokeswoman: “The Schedule will re-open effective October 1, 2013 and new offers will be accepted at that time...”

On Oct. 1, 2010, the GSA stopped accepting new vendors on Schedule 75 for two years as part of a cost-saving effort.

At that time, Schedule 75 was the 11th largest GSA Schedule, with almost $690 million in sales in FY2009.

GSA issued 15 Blanket Purchase Agreements to Schedule 75 contractors in June 2010 under the Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative.

The GSA has claimed $39 million in savings over 18 months from strategically purchasing office supplies. The agency said it expects to accrue $208 million in savings by 2013.