GSA Information Technology Acquisition Center GSA’s Federal Supply Service IT Acquisition Center’s How to Prepare a Quality IT Offer for Solicitation FCIS-JB-980001B

GSA Information Technology Acquisition Center

GSA’sFederal Supply ServiceIT Acquisition Center’s

How to Prepare a Quality IT Offer

forSolicitation

FCIS-JB-980001B


•FSS Overview

•IT Acquisition Center Background

•Preparing your Offer

•After Award

•Contact Information

Agenda


GSA Acquisition Centers

IT Acquisition Center

Automotive Center

Services Acquisition Center

NationalFurnitureCenter

Office Supplies &Administrative Services

General Products(National Disaster Support)

Center forFacilities Maintenance &Hardware

Management Services Center


Customer Overview

•Federal agencies and DC government

•Cooperative Purchasing/State and local governments (for Schedule 70 only)www.gsa.gov/cooperativepurchasing

•See www.gsa.gov/schedules-ordering under the section “Eligibility to use GSA sources” for list of eligible users

•Government IT spending is expected to grow between 6% and 10% each year


IT Schedule Sales Trend ($ in Billions)

02468

1012141618

Fiscal Year

Bil

lio

ns

of

Do

lla

rs

Services

Hardware

Software

1314.9

16.99

•The IT Center is one of FSS’s major Acquisition Centers with over 5,200 contracts.

16.88

9.54


80%-85% of all GSA contracts (including IT) are held by small businesses

Over 35% of schedule sales are to small businesses

IT Schedule & Small Business


When preparing an offer, GSA Determines...

•Responsiveness–Read all documents in entirety–Filled in completely–No blanks filled in with “N/A”

•Responsibility–Viable product/service–History of satisfactory performance–Financial resources

•Fair and Reasonable Pricing–Most favored customer pricing–Compared against your previously offered prices


• Prepared in accordance with FAR Part 12, “Acquisition of Commercial Items”

• Variable contract period effective 5 years from date of award with three optional 5 year periods to extend

• Standing Solicitation (no closing date for receipt of offers)

• Past Performance Evaluation by Dun & Bradstreet c/o Open Ratings

• Mandatory Acceptance of Government Purchase Card• For payments equal to or less than the micro-purchase

threshold, for oral or written delivery orders

Solicitation Features


Getting on Schedule

•Where to start

•How to submit an offer

•The make up of an offer

•How to complete an offer

•Preparation for award


Where to Start

•Obtain Solicitation

Download off Internet into word file document. Go to www.gsa.gov/schedule70solicitation, Under the GSA Schedule 70 Solicitation box, click on the “Information Technology Solicitation” Link

or Obtain all solicitations at www.fedbizopps.gov

•Identify products & services within the scope of the Solicitation


eOffer / eMod

“eOffer” / “eMod” is the web-based application that helps companies electronically prepare and submit Multiple Award Schedule contract proposals and modification requests to FSS.

For Information : www.eoffer.gsa.gov or For Technical Assistance with eOffer or Digital Certificates contact: 1-866-472-9114


How to Submit an Offer

•Read the entire solicitation

•Respond to all requirements

•Have a corporate officer sign all required documents

•Submit two copies of offer to IT Acquisition Center


Solicitation

•Standing Solicitation

•Create a cover letter to accompany your offer

•Complete Standard Form 1449 with signature from corporate officer


The Make Up of an Offer

1. Solicitation (2 MS Word files)

2. Attachment 1: Pricelist with Terms and Conditions

3. Attachment 2: Past Performance (Dun & Bradstreet report)

4. Attachment 3: Subcontracting Plan (for Large Businesses only)

*When submitting your offer, you must send back the full text of these documents whether or not they apply to your company.


• A-- NAICS descriptions- Select the codes used to determine business size (was SIC code)

• B-- Schedule Items- Identify the products/services you are offering.

• C-- Contract Terms and Conditions- Read all of the clauses in this section. There are various places in this section that

require the offeror (your company) to fill in information• D-- Contract Terms and Conditions IBR of Executive

Orders etc.- Read all terms and conditions in this section

• E-- Instructions to Offerors- Read all provisions in this section

• F-- Evaluation Factors- Read the evaluation factors that will be used in evaluating your offer

• G-- Offeror Supplied Information- This section will ask the offeror to supply a large amount of information

Sections of the Solicitation


Attachment 1

Guidelines for creating yourFSS IT pricelist

•Use the guidelines to create a pricelist which will contain the prices, terms and conditions for products/services in your offer

•Choose the terms and conditions that apply only to the SINs (Special Item Numbers) in your offer


Attachment 2

Past Performance Evaluation Report

•Follow the instructions listed to receive an Open Ratings Past Performance Evaluation Report

•Offeror must pay for report at time of request (cannot be billed)


Attachment 3

Guidelines for Creating a Small Business Subcontracting Plan

(only needed for large businesses)

•Use the guide provided to create a Subcontracting Plan. Make sure to include this plan if you are classified as a large business

•A subcontracting plan is needed for large businesses to demonstrate how they will subcontract portions of their work to other smaller companies


After Submittal of Offer

•Contracting Officer(CO)/Contracting Specialist(CS) assigned

•Contacted by assigned CO/CS

–Clarifications/deficient data defined

–Timeframe for response established

•Once negotiations begin, submit additional data as requested

– Accurate, complete and current – Be timely with responses


Preparation for Award

•Final Proposal Revision

–Basis for award clearly identified

–Price reduction clause

–Government discounts

–Delivery time

–Industrial funding fee

–CO gives guide to write FPR

•GSA Contract Number issued


Contract Administration

•Modifications

–Add & delete products & services

–Price reduction clause

•Report Sales – Vendor Support Center online: www.gsa.gov/vsc

•Industrial Funding Fee

•Contractor distributes GSA Schedule Pricelist to Federal customers

•Contractor submits GSA contract data electronically via GSA Advantage! within 6 months of award

•GSA prints/distributes FSS Schedule to Federal customers


Initiatives of the IT Acquisition Center

• Attend IT industry and Government trade shows

• Publications including Marketing Express, The Steps to Success: How to be a Successful Contractor, Schedule 70 Brochure, and Customer Assistance Guide

• Daily assistance for vendors and customers from the Customer Service department within the IT Center via phone

•Train customers on usage of the Multiple Award Schedules program


• GSA Advantage! (www.gsaadvantage.gov )– Your tool to offer your products and services online in an easy to use e-

commerce site– Contact your Contracting Officer to post your products and services to the

site

• Vendor Support Center (www.gsa.gov/vsc)– The Vendor Support Center is the online source for vendors to get

information, review and report sales, and more

• GSA Schedules E-Library (www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov)– Schedules e-Library is the online source for GSA and Department of

Veterans Affairs (VA) Federal Supply Schedule contract award information

• e-Buy (www.gsa.gov/ebuy)– An electronic Request for Quote system that will allow customers to submit

their requirements with an opportunity for your company to respond electronically

E-Tools


Section 508

•What is “Section 508” ?

Section 508 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which requires that electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by the Federal government be accessible to people with disabilities

•For more information, please go to: www.section508.gov


IT Solicitation Training Seminars •CHECK WEB PAGE FOR ANNOUNCEMENT:www.gsa.gov/itcenter

POINT OF CONTACT:STEPHANIE TURNER (703) 605-2765

For Questions?

CUSTOMER SERVICE (703) 605-2700

or

e-mail to: [email protected]


Need More Info?

• IT Acquisition Center Customer Service Line: 703-605-2700

• How to Get on Schedule information: www.gsa.gov/schedules

• Solicitation and Related Downloads: www.gsa.gov/schedule70solicitation

• Web address: http://www.gsa.gov/itCenter

• E-mail: [email protected]

• Fax: 703-605-9839

• Mailing Address:

IT Acquisition Center

2200 Crystal Drive

Crystal Plaza 4

Arlington, VA 22202


THANK YOU!

Documents

GSA Information Technology Acquisition Center GSA’s Federal Supply Service IT Acquisition Center’s How to Prepare a Quality IT Offer for Solicitation FCIS-JB-980001B