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 task."
"Schedule/SIN decisions for my task order are really a matter to be resolved between the GSA PCO and the Schedule contractor."
"The best way to identify sources is to do some labor category shopping at GSA Advantage - - the same way I buy office supplies.  I just type the labor category title in the Advantage search box."


Episode 3 - The Request for Quotations (audio posted now)

"I'm not allowed to add my agency's FAR supplement clauses to my Schedule orders."
"Schedule contracts clauses tie my hands [in general, with regard to performance incentives, etc.]."
"There isn't any way for me to read the clauses in the Schedule contract. All I've got access to is a contractor price list."
"We were planning on a SOW, not a PWS.  I was told I need to to use a SOW rather than a PWS in our Task Order RFQ."
"I need to make my task order period of performance match the [current 5-year] period of performance of the Schedule contract, using the expiration date at Schedules eLibrary as my task order end date."


Episode 4 - Ordering Procedures (audio posted now)

"There is no way to add open-market items to Schedule orders. I can't add items/services to my Task Order if they weren't awarded and priced on that Schedule contract."
"I'm not allowed to put more than $X (or Y% of the total order amount) of non-Schedule open-market items on my Schedule task order."
"The FAR Part 15 procedures I use on my open-market procurements (discussions, competitive range determination, etc.) are useful for my Schedule orders."
"The Schedule contract's Maximum Order Threshold limits the size of my Task Order."
"The individual contract line items (CLINs) on my Task Order need to correspond to the the SINs on the Schedule contract."
"We (the ordering activity) think the prime is paying less to the subcontractors than we are paying to the prime.  That's why we need cost and pricing data from the Schedule contractor included with the quote."


Episode 5 - Socioeconomic Issues and SubContracting Issues (audio posted now)

"I can set-aside my Schedule order (or BPA) for small business."
"If a Schedule contractor is Large [or Small] at the Schedule contract level, they must be Large [or Small] for all orders issued against that Schedule contract."
"When I make a BPA size determination, it applies to all orders under the BPA."



Episode 6 - What Does GSA Do to Award/Administer a Schedule Contract (recorded with Kathee Sewell on 5/7/08 - Dave editing - to be posted in October)

"Ordering officers don't need to a task order past performance evaluation (or technical evaluation) because GSA has already done that at the Schedule contract level."
"For my Schedule task order, I'm required to get a Small Business Subcontracting plan along with the quote."



Episode 7 - Schedule Contractor Teaming (to be recorded)

"Teaming is okay if all the team members have that Schedule, but not across Schedule lines."
"Teaming or subcontracting on Schedule orders are really just different words for basically the same thing...subcontracting is really just a subset of teaming, just like FAR 9.6 says."
"Now that I've awarded my task order,  I'm thinking of doing a Contractor Teaming Arrangement."


Episode 8 - Blanket Purchase Agreements (to be recorded)

"A BPA is a contract."


Episode 9 - We Answer Your Questions & Resources for More Schedules Information (to be recorded)