It's very important for every Contracting Officer placing an order against the Schedules contracts to be able to determine which clauses are in that Schedule contract.  (There is no GSA web page that tells you how to do this and the MAS Desk Reference is silent on the subject.)  If you don't know which clauses are in all the contracts for a particular Schedule, how can you ensure you don't include task order or BPA clauses/provisions that contradict that Schedule contract?

How to Find GSA Schedule Contract Clauses

Contracting Officers need to understand more than just the GSA marketing slogans.  There are some very sound (and FAR-based) reasons why using GSA Schedules might make sense to fill an agency need.

Some Reasons Contracting Officers Decide to Use GSA Schedules

The attached document attempts to answer that question.

As shown, the majority of agencies leave FAR SubPart 8.4 on Schedule orders and BPAs just as it is, avoiding supplementing the FAR treatment of Schedule orders and BPAs.

It's interesting how federal ordering agencies supplement (or, more often, decide not to supplement) FAR SubPart 8.4 with their own agency-specific requirements for BPAs/orders against the Federal Supply Schedules.  Federal agencies are not supposed to contradict the FAR, but are permitted to supplement it.

If your favorite agency is missing from the list, please let me know where I can find that agency's FAR Supplement.

Dave
MSCPodcast@gsa.gov


Agency Supplements for FAR 8.4 Schedule Ordering

Played: 54 | Download | Duration: 00:32:36

Program Notes (D. Clemens, 9/30/2008, 5 pages)

Episode 6 Summary:  Special Guest Co-Host Kathee Sewell joins Dave to discuss the Schedules program from the GSA offeror/contractor and the GSA Contracting Officer perspectives.  What does the GSA CO do at the Schedules contract pre-award and post-award stages so that the ordering agency doesn't have to?  Kathee makes the startling revelation that GSA actually awards and administers a real government contract that any Federal government Contracting Officer would recognize.  We also examine what a firm needs to do to obtain and retain a GSA Schedule contract.  The more ordering agency Contracting Officers know about the Schedule contract and the GSA pre-award and post-award processes the better prepared they will be to award orders and BPAs against those Schedule contract vehicles. 

 Episode 5 Program Notes (9/19/2008, D. Clemens, 35 pages)

Played: 20 | Download | Duration: 00:41:19

Episode 5 Summary: Special Guest Contracting Officer Tonja Ferguson joins us as we spotlight the Environmental Services 899 Schedule.  This episode busts some persistent myths regarding small business issues relating to Schedule orders. For example, there is no authority to "set aside" any Schedule orders for small businesses but ordering agencies can achieve that same objective in how they select and weight their task order evaluation factors. We compare and contrast the ways in which North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, size standards, and then business size issues are handled at the Schedule contract level and at the task order level.  What is the relationship between the Schedule contract and the order with respect to these variables? Under what conditions could a Schedule contractor's business size change?

Episode 4 Program Notes  (5/22/2008, 32 pages)

          

Played: 72 | Download | Duration: 01:05:47

         

Episode 4 Summary: What happens after you receive the quotes in response to your (Episode 3) RFQ?  Brad and Dave review the steps to keep in mind during your best value evaluation of task order quotes.  We explore the different types of task orders (including Time & Material/ Labor Hour task types), some of which may include "Other Direct Costs" of different types.  Part of this episode compares and contrasts streamlined Schedule ordering procedures under FAR SubPart 8.4 with the more complex FAR Part 15 procedures inappropriate for Schedule orders.  We also discuss Schedule pricing issues (including how those prices are escalated), mixing Schedule items with open-market items on the same task order,  and managing protest risk. An extract from the GSA Task Order Checklist is included with the Program Notes.  DC

Every podcast episode includes myths we take great pleasure in debunking. Our MYTH-BUSTERS segments cover the following statements, every one of which is FALSE:

See any big myths we haven't included (or not sure why one is false)? Click on Add Comment below and let us know.


Episode 1 - Acquisition Planning for Schedules (audio posted now)

"Schedule prices are higher than I will get if I create my own IDIQ."
"Acquisition plans are not required for Schedule orders."


Episode 2 - Scope and Market Research for Schedule Orders (audio posted now)

"Schedule contractors are the best judges as to what Schedule/SIN are most appropriate for my ...<< MORE >>

GSA's fourteenth annual International Products and Services Expo was held April 22-24, 2008 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.  Yes, that's right, within walking distance to Disneyland.  Brad went this year and taught a class called "What if my Service Requirement Crosses Multiple Schedules?" in addition to working the booth and attending a few meetings.  Dave stayed home to hold down the fort.  Read more about the EXPO here.


Click here to see a few pictures Brad took: EXPO 2008 pictures

Program Notes  (12 pages, Dave Clemens, 5/7/2008)

Played: 64 | Download | Duration: 00:47:24

Episode Summary:  Once you have decided to use the Schedules for services (Episode 1), conducted market research and acquisition planning, and found the Schedule(s)/SIN(s) of best fit (Episode 2), it's time to assemble the Request for Quotations (RFQ).  After finding out what the Schedule contract says, we are ready to include non-conflicting clauses, determine best-value evaluation factors, define the PWS requirements, and specify quote submittal instructions.  In addition to the RFQ content, we also discuss RFQ procedures in answering the question "How many Schedule contractors need to get my RFQ?"  The episode's bonus feature is an interview with FAS General Supplies and Services Director of Acquisition Operations Jeff Koses who helps give us a strategic-level view of the Schedules program as he discusses some exciting new Schedules program initiatives.  Dave Clemens, 5/7/2008.

2008 MAS Desk Reference