1. Member Update & Commercial Market Initiative
Roger Waldron – President, The Coalition for Government Procurement

2. Commercial Market Initiative

3. “While the MAS program has expanded and adjusted over the years; modernizing MAS to enhance this incredibly successful, $38 billion a year program will ensure that it continues to offer the efficiency and value it was created to provide.” ̶ Tom Sharpe, FAS Commissioner, GSA
Modernizing GSA’s Schedules Program for Today’s Marketplace, GSA Blog, June 12, 2014

4. 2015 Multiple Award Schedules Environment
Standard Processes
Complex time-consuming contract negotiation and evaluation processes based on outdated acquisition policies +
GSA MAS Transformation Initiatives
Competitive Pricing Initiative
Transactional Data
Reduce price variability for identical Schedule contract products and services through horizontal pricing comparisons
Make pricing and other data available to Federal agencies to facilitate better purchasing decisions

5. Transactional Data Proposed Rule
Published March 4, 2015
Contractors to report transactional data from orders and prices paid by ordering activities
FSS contract and GSA non-FSS contract orders (not VA)
Report transactional data at the order and BPA level to GSA monthly
Transactional Data
Contract or BPA Number
Unit Measure (each, hour, case, lot)
Order Number/Procurement Instrument Identifier (PIID)
Quantity of Item Sold
Non Federal Entity, if applicable
Universal Product Code (UPC), if applicable
Description of Deliverable
Price Paid per Unit
Manufacturer Name
Total Price
Manufacturer Part Number
Approx 70 member company responses
Small, medium and large businesses
98% GSA Schedule contractors
42% have GWACs through GSA
One quarter small business

6. Proposed rule and the PRC
Retains Price Reduction Clause (PRC) in GSA Schedule contracts
Deletes requirement to monitor basis of award (BOA) customer if report transactional data
Remaining pricing compliance requirements in effect
Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) information
Updates throughout life of the contract
Price reductions may be requested at any time

7. Transactional data burden and cost
GSA estimated a reduction in annual reporting burden for contractors
Annual burden reduction approx. 750,000 hours
Annual savings $51 million
Member Survey revealed:
Based on survey total implementation cost is $814,700,534—30 times GSA estimate of $24 million

8. “GSA can more effectively achieve its goals using methods that are less costly for industry and the Federal government.”
Public comments from The Coalition for Government Procurement
GSAR Case 2013-G504, Transactional Data Reporting
May 4, 2015

9. Commercial Market Initiative

10. Why an Alternative?
Transactional data as described in the proposed rule creates higher MAS program costs for government and industry
Inconsistent with FAS initiatives to lower contract pricing/costs
Dynamic market-based model an alternative
Put commercial back in commercial item contracting
Increase efficiency
Reduce market barriers for businesses of all sizes
Increase access to innovation

11. The Alternative – Straw-Man
Online Federal catalogue
Posts products and services at real-time competitive prices for products and services (labor or service rates)
Simplified terms and conditions accepted at purchase
Creates Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA)
Open to all eligible ordering activities
Offers Best Competitive Pricing
Supports customer requirements to follow FAR 8.4 ordering procedures
Opportunity to notify vendor of intent to purchase at high volume and request a quote

12. Alternative within GSA Authority
Within already existing authority for Schedules program
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
41 U.S.C. 259(b)(3)
Program participation must be open to all responsible sources
Orders and contracts result in lowest overall cost alternative to meet Government’s needs

13. Benefits Dynamic competitive market for commercial items
Market driven pricing
Greater access to commercial innovation across industries
Reduced lead times for new entrants and items
Increased competition
Terms and conditions aligned with commercial practices, as much as possible, to maximize best value

14. Recommended Pilot Develop using existing commercial tools through 18F
Voluntary pilot for limited Schedules
Simplified terms and conditions
Measure pilot success based on:
Total Acquisition Cost
Cost of pilot participation vs current Schedules program (government and industry)
Compare administrative, bid & proposal and compliance costs, and pricing
Survey
Customer agencies
Contractors

15. Discussion
What suggestions do you have on the Commercial Market Initiative?
What is the appropriate role of transactional data?
What can be done to reduce Contract Duplication?
How can the processing time for modifications be reduced?
Any additional ideas for GSA to improve its government-wide contract vehicles (MAS program and GWACs)?

16. Thank you

17. Keynote: The Need for Acquisition Reform
Jack Gansler – Former Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics

18. Legislative Reform – What to Expect from the Hill
Troy Cribb – Senate Homeland Security & Government Affairs Committee
Emily Murphy – House Small Business Committee
Arun Seraphin – Senate Armed Services Committee
Moderator: Jon Etherton- President, Etherton & Associates

19. Break

20. Executive Agencies – Leading Acquisition Change
Soraya Correa – Chief Procurement Officer, DHS
Major General Casey Blake – Deputy Assistant Secretary for Contracting, Office of the Assistant Secretary, Air Force Acquisition
Gregory Giddens – Principal Executive Director, Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction, VA
Moderator: Bill Hilsman – Booz Allen Hamilton

21. Business Outlook – New Opportunities, New Challenges
Brian Friel – Senior Contracts Analyst, Bloomberg Government
Cameron Leuthy – Senior Budget Analyst, Bloomberg Government
Tiffany Hixson – Regional Commissioner, GSA
Moderator: Bill Gormley - President, The Gormley Group

22. Break

23. Acquisition Reform Discussion and Brainstorming
Francis Rose, Anchor – In Depth, Federal News Radio
Roger Waldron, President – The Coalition for Government Procurement

24. Discussion and Brainstorming
What suggestions do you have on the Commercial Market Initiative?
What is the appropriate role of transactional data?
What can be done to reduce Contract Duplication?
How can the processing time for modifications be reduced?
Any additional ideas for GSA to improve its government-wide contract vehicles (MAS program and GWACs)?

25. Myth Buster Breakout Sessions
Session 1, 2:15pm - 3:30pm
Speakers
Location
DOD Update
John Tenaglia, DoD; Mike Canales, DoD
Doing Business with the VA
Elegear Primus, VA; Craig Robinson, VA; David Elizalde, VA
Doing Business with DHS
Harrison Smith, DHS; Jackie Smyth, DHS; David Grant, DHS
Alliant 2 Updates
Casey Kelley, GSA; John Cavadias, GSA; Richard Blake, GSA
Session 2, 3:45pm - 5:00pm
Speakers
Location
GSA and VA Schedules Modernization
Robert Bourne, GSA; Craig Robinson, VA; Mark Lee, GSA; Greg Rollins, GSA
The GSA Acquisition Centers
Shaloy Castle-Higgins, GSA; Kim Kittrell, GSA; Peter Han, GSA; Brian Knapp, GSA; Ralph Lentz, GSA
Update on Government-wide IT Acquisitions
Darlene Coen, NASA; Robert Coen, NIH; Kay Ely, GSA; Christopher Fornecker, GSA
See the Conference program for more details

26. 5:00 - 6:00 Networking Reception
Please Join Us In The Main Foyer For A Networking Reception!