Services Ordering Solutions: Avoiding MAS Confusion
Services Ordering Solutions: Avoiding MAS Confusion

Visit us at our new Site!


What?!?  You guys are moving again?

Yes, it's true.  We are now located on GSA's new Interact platform at Interact.gsa.gov.  Or you can click here to go directly to our new site.  You will need to register for the Interact Platform (which is really easy and painless) and then request to join the Services Ordering Solutions group.  Why all this joining business?  One word...spammers!  Seriously, it's just ridiculous how hard it is to keep those clowns off your site.  I'm sorry but I just am not interested in buying discount Ugg boots from a site written in Russian!

Anyway, in case you are wondering why we are moving again, there are two primary drivers:

(1)  The Interact platform is extremely flexible and easy to use yet is still "official" and located on the gsa.gov domain.

and 

(2)  Even if we liked the Domino platform (which we most certainly do not) our most recent blog was hosted on, that whole server is going away as GSA moves "to the cloud."

But wait, you say, you guys haven't been updating your site for over a year so who cares?  Well, that's a point well taken.  After Dave left government service to pursue other interests about a year ago, the blog fell onto the back burner and kind of stayed there.  No more!  The new Interact site is so easy to use that we are out of excuses.  Not only will you find new content there now (the old content has been updated and migrated over), we promise you that we'll continue to keep publishing something new on a regular basis.

Moving (Gradually) to a New Blogsite Address at GSA.GOV

This summer, I will be gradually moving most of the content from this blogsite to a new GSA-hosted blogsite.

All new content added after today will be posted at that new blogsite rather than here.

I have no current plans to delete anything here. This site will be our blog archives for now. This means that some of the old material here may be outdated when you read it, so you'll want to check it out at the new GSA blogsite home!

The catchy new GSA blog shortcut name is:

http://www.gsa.gov/blogs/masservicesordering



Thanks!
Dave

15. Performance Incentives and Schedule Orders [Linked]


Can Performance Incentives Be Included on Schedule Task Orders?
Can Schedule Task Orders Be of the “Fixed-Price Incentive” Type as Described in the FAR?

See:

http://blogs.gsa.gov/blogs/servicesordering.nsf/dx/performance-incentives

Search terms:

GSA Multiple Award Schedule MAS FSS Federal Supply Schedules service services task order orders ordering professional services performance incentive fixed commercial FFP FFP w/EPA T&M LH firm fixed price time and materials labor hour award fee

 

Enhanced Search Engine for GSA Advantage Using an Advanced Google Search



Enhanced GSA R10 Search Engine
 for GSA Advantage Using an Advanced Google Search


In my opinion, the above is a much more powerful search engine than that available with the search text block in GSA Advantage!

Here are some do-it-yourself instructions using the method behind Jon Bearscove's previous AdvantagePlus.  We are all free to use Google like this to search GSA Advantage.  But save the instructions, as you will have to follow the instructions on every advanced search if you decide not to use the GSA R10 Search Engine weblink in this blog post.

Dave

14. Can Socioeconomic Status Be Used as a Weighted Best Value Evaluation Factor...

...and not merely as a tie-breaker or go/no-go factor?

Answer: Yes. There does not appear to be any controlling authority prohibiting the designation and weighting of a “Socioeconomic Status” evaluation factor for Schedule BPAs and orders nor is there any restriction on the use of such a factor only to break ties on quotes of equal price.  In view of the clear FAR intent and consistent GSA policy on broad, discretionary use of such a best-value factor, the inclusion of socioeconomic status as an evaluation factor appears to be a matter within the reasonable discretion of the Contracting Officer.

Read the facts/issue/rationale here.
See the full text of all the cited references here.

Recovery Act Conference on March 5, 2009

On March 5, 2009 GSA hosted an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Conference at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA.  Brad led the session on "Engineering, Professional, Technical and Business Consulting."  The attached audio is from the third of four identical sessions given that day.  Unfortunately, the two panel members (Jackie and Mike) were quite a ways from  the digital recorder so a little audio manipulation in Audacity was required to equalize the volume levels.  That's why it might sound a little strange in places.  Also available here is the presentation that goes with the audio.

Played: 1795 | Download | Duration: 00:51:56



Recovery Act Presentation

March 25, 2009 Webinar (Including Part 1 of Audio)

Here is the audio for Part 1 (slides 1-31) of the 3/25/2009 webinar "Using GSA Schedules for Professional Services."

Played: 1840 | Download | Duration: 00:58:41



Webinar Handouts (including slides) with webinar questions and answers.

Audio Part 2

Audio Part 3

March 25, 2009 Webinar (Including Part 3 of Audio)

Here is the third and final part of the audio (slide 47 to end) from the 3/25/2009 webinar "Using GSA Schedules for Professional Services."

Played: 1832 | Download | Duration: 01:40:51



Webinar Handouts (including slides) with webinar questions and answers

Audio Part 1

Audio Part 2

March 25, 2009 Webinar (Including Part 2 of Audio)

Here is Part 2 (Slides 31 to 46) of the audio for the 3/25/2009 webinar "Using GSA Schedules for Professional Services."

Played: 3263 | Download | Duration: 00:50:35



Webinar Handouts (including slides) with webinar questions and answers

Audio Part 1

Audio Part 3

Blog 13. It's "RFQ-Quote" Rather Than "RFP-Offer" When Talking About Orders Against Schedules (FAR 8.4)

FAR SubPart 8.4 gives us the only terminology appropriate for Schedule ordering.


The Request for Quotation (RFQ) is the document issued by the ordering activity to firms holding Schedule contracts. Schedule contractors respond to the RFQ with quotations.  FAR 8.402(d) describes eBuy as GSA’s electronic RFQ system.  FAR 8.405-2 defines the only ordering procedures for services requiring a statement of work.  Those are specifically called “Request for Quotation procedures” in the title of FAR 8.405-2(c).  “The ordering activity shall provide the RFQ (including the statement of work and evaluation criteria) to at least three schedule contractors…” FAR 8.405-2(c)(2)(ii). Above ...<< MORE >>