Just GSA

Because it makes them "feel good"

Why else would GSA create ANOTHER GSA schedule* (now up to 44 GSA schedules) just to cover "Green Support Services" other than to "feel good", like Prius owners, who's gas savings dwarf their increase in car insurance.  These services could have and should have been added to GSA Schedule 899 for Environmental Services by simply creating a new Special Item Number.

* GSA creates contract for 'green' support serviceshttp://www.fcw.com/online/news/154231-1.html/?s=dailyNL_10_30
FCW, 10-29-08

The General Services Administration said today it created a new Multiple Award Schedule contract vehicle to provide energy-management support services for agencies. The vehicle seeks to help agencies comply with a presidential executive order to strengthen environmental, energy and transportation conservation goals, the agency said.

Executive Order 13423, which President Bush signed last year, sets goals for agencies in energy efficiency, renewable energy, recycling, sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship and water conservation. The order also requires that agencies use environmental management systems as the framework for managing and continually improving those sustainable practices.

“EO 13423 was a tremendous step toward environmental responsibility governmentwide,” said Tyree Varnado, acting commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service. “At GSA, we continue to strive to make it easier for all government agencies to comply.”

GSA’s affiliated contractors can provide the services and expertise agencies need to develop energy management in government buildings, ranging from preliminary energy audits to comprehensive, full-service energy-management solutions, Varnado said.

GSA Advantage - When does a 24% increase = 1.59% in Sales?

While the Federal Computer Week link www.fcw.com/online/news/154044-1.html states that GSA Advantage (GSA Online Web Purchasing site) sales increased 24% last year, they failed to state that they only represented a mere 1.59% of all GSA sales in FY 2007 ($35.2 billion).

 

GSA Advantage sales has always been anemic and will continue to be such until GSA improves the uploading and approval process.  Currently, GSA Advantage data is at least 30-45 days old as it typically takes GSA 21-30 days to approve a mod request, GSA awardees are required (but most don't) to post any approved mods five days after approval and then GSA CO's can take anywhere from a day to a week+ to approve the mod/upload data.

 

GSA Advantage is best suited to validate that a firm holds a GSA schedule and which manufacturers are approved but ill suited for current and accurate part #'s and pricing.  Also, most CO's who place GSA Advantage orders have to modify their orders (costly and time consuming), as quite often there has been a price decrease, an occasional price increase or sometimes the product is no longer available.

New office will manage schedules contracts/Will Oversight work??

Well, I hope the new GSA oversight office runs better than the oversight committee that was responsible for managing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (we know said committee misrepresented their financial status to congress and that lobbyists contributed to the congress election campaigns).  At least, all of the former Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lobbyists were fired this week.

I feel confident that many benefits will come from the new GSA oversight office, as Robert Bourne will be the MAS Program Office director (formally the Deputy Director of the IT Schedule 70 program). Whenever I had challenges with a schedule 70 offer, Mr. Bourne was always willing and able to intervene to satisfy all parties; Perhaps Mr. Bourne could fix some of the mess of the financial mess in congress,in his spare time.

New office will manage schedules contracts

www.fcw.com , 10-1-08

The General Services Administration today announced that a new office will oversee its Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) program, a major program in the procurement agency.

The MAS Program Office will develop and put into practice acquisition policy and guidance regarding its MAS contracts, GSA said. The office will define shared systems requirements and coordinate ways to improve the program, the agency also said.

According to the charter that formed the new office, the Federal Acquisition Service’s Acquisition Management Office will head the program office to apply consistent rules across more than 17,000 contracts. The program office will strategically align the overall the MAS Program, which is housed under several different offices in FAS, GSA said.

Those FAS business offices still will control the schedules contracts in their scope. The General Supplies and Services, Integrated Technology Services, and Travel, Motor Vehicle, and Card Services will keep management control and operational responsibility of their respective contracts, GSA said.

The MAS Program Office will work with those offices and the Veterans Affairs Department through a governance council.

“I am confident that the MAS Program Office will ensure that the Multiple Award Schedules program remains the government’s preferred acquisition vehicle for commercial products, services and solutions,” said Barney Brasseux, GSA’s deputy administrator. “The new program office is a key accomplishment that will enhance our customers’ ability to meet their mission critical requirements.”

The office’s charter was signed in July by Jim Williams, who was then FAS commissioner and is now GSA’s acting administrator. Robert Bourne is the MAS Program Office director. 

Schedules contract sales increased to $36 billion in fiscal 2007 from $35.2 billion in fiscal 2006, according to figures from GSA.