For over a year now, government contractors have been inundated with a near constant stream of procurement related changes, many of which are directly related to executive orders (EOs). Last week, GSA highlighted some of the most significant changes during its Federal Acquisition Service Training (FAST) 2026 Virtual Acquisition Summit for Industry.
The day-long virtual event included nine sessions covering the latest hot topics in government contracting, including the FAR Overhaul, the Procurement Consolidation, and GSA’s TDR expansion.
If you missed the June FAST 2026 summit, a full recap is below:
- Session 1: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Updates
- Session 2: Four Things You Need to Know
- Session 3: MAS Reform Updates and Transactional Data Reporting (TDR)
- Session 4: Procurement Consolidation
- Session 5: Office of Centralized Acquisition Services (OCAS)
- Session 6: Office of Small Business (OSB)
- Session 7: Industry’s Guide to Market Research as a Service (MRAS)
- Session 8: SAM.gov Updates
- Session 9: GSA’s Intelligent Edge — Using AI for Performance and Industry Relevance
Session 1: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Updates
The government is moving at warp speed to re-write the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). The “Revolutionary FAR Overhaul”, as it’s being called, kicked off in response to an April 2025 Executive Order, “Restoring Common Sense To Federal Procurement.” In addition to implementing plain language, the RFO is moving non-statutory language out of the FAR and into supplemental guidance documents. The resulting simpler, shorter FAR is intended to give Contracting Officers broad discretion and speed acquisitions.
During the FAST 2026 presentation, GSA highlighted the RFO goals, process, and key changes. To learn more, you can view the RFO Updates presentation here and the RFO page here.
Session 2: Four Things You Need to Know
GSA covered the topics below in their “Four Things You Need to Know” presentation. Visit GSA’s FAST 2026 webpage to download and review the presentation.
- Value-Added Reseller (VAR) RFI – Value Added Resellers play an important role in the government market. However, the value of VARs was put into serious question last year. The VAR drama led GSA to issue a Request for Information (RFI) to gather more information. GSA presented the results of the RFI, along with recommended Pricing framework.
- Made in America – During this section of the presentation, GSA briefed contractors on the Buy American Act (BAA) and the Trade Agreements (TAA). While GSA MAS Contracts are subject to TAA, GSA is looking at two different options to help federal buyers identify BAA compliant products. Review the BAA RFI here.
- Prohibited Semiconductors – Some FAST attendees may have been surprised to learn just how small a semiconductor transistor is — 30,000 times thinner than a strand of hair. A proposed FAR rule, Prohibition on Certain Semiconductor Products and Services, was issued earlier this year and is scheduled to go into effect December 23, 2027. The rule would function similar to the 889 Prohibition on Certain Telecom. As of the effective date, agencies will not be allowed to purchase products or services that include semiconductor products or services from banned Chinese manufacturers, affiliates and subsidiaries listed on the Department of Commerce website.
- Pricing 2.0 for GSA MAS Contracts – Earlier this month, GSA rolled out a new process for calculating the Market Threshold. You can review the Pricing 2.0 changes here and the revised calculation steps here.
Session 3: MAS Reform Updates and Transactional Data Reporting (TDR)
The third session of the summit covered several GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) topics including:
- Refresh – GSA started the session with a quick overview of the MAS program and its benefits to buyers
- RFQ Scope Flexibilities – GSA explained that best practice for federal buyers is to avoid unnecessarily restricting SIN eligibility unless justified by technical requirements. The statements below generated several questions from attendees. RFQs in eBuy are only visible to contractors that hold the SIN(s) selected when the government enters the RFQ in eBuy. While the scope of an RFQ may technically be open to all GSA MAS Contractors, it is effectively limited by eBuy’s visibility rules.
- By default, the scope of a Request for Quote (RFQ) is the entire MAS Solicitation, regardless of which SIN(s) is selected in eBuy; and
- RFQs are open to all SINs unless explicitly restricted.
- Selecting SINs in eBuy may limit visibility, but does not limit scope.
- Contractors may quote using any awarded SIN unless the RFQ states otherwise.
- Order-Level Materials (OLMs) – GSA recently implemented significant changes to the OLM SIN that were spurred by the FAR Overhaul and designed to replace open market items except in rare cases. The OLM SIN is now open to all GSA MAS Contractors and is no longer restricted to a total of 33.33% or less of an order. For more information, view our overview of the OLM SIN here and refer to the presentation for GSA’s deep dive into the SIN.
- Contractor Use of MAS Contracts – Another significant change related to the FAR overhaul is that MAS contractors may now purchase from other MAS contracts to fulfill GSA orders. Long time GSA Contract holders may remember that this used to be allowed at one point under very limited circumstances. The flexibility is back, but without the tight restrictions. GSA explained the change is made possible by the FAR Overhaul clause, 52.208-90, which is already included in MAS contracts. GSA noted that, when doing so, contractors must follow the new GSAR 538.7103 ordering procedures, maintain complete ordering files, and never double-report sales or double-charge the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF).
- Mandatory TDR – GSA closed this session with a brief overview of Transactional Data Reporting (TDR). In a long awaited and welcomed Refresh 31 update, TDR was extended to all GSA MAS Contract holders and made mandatory. In exchange for monthly sales reports, TDR relieves contractors of Commercial Sales Practice disclosure, Most Favored Customer/Basis of Award tracking, and Price Reductions Clause exposure.
Session 4: Procurement Consolidation
In following the steps of several previous administrations, the current administration is taking a stab at reducing contract duplication across the federal government. Executive Order 14240, Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement, kicked off this latest initiative.
During this session, GSA provided an overview of the Procurement Consolidation plan, which they’ve broken down into a two-pronged approach:
- Workstream 1 — Government-Wide IDVs and Shared Services: Agencies retain control, but utilize existing governmentwide contract vehicles, such as GSA MAS Contracts (GSA Schedules), GWACs, OASIS+, and shared services like GSA SmartPay, Fleet, and Go.gov.
- Workstream 2 — Assisted and Centralized Acquisition: GSA takes on contracting on behalf of an agency. On an opt-in basis, agencies can request direct acquisition support from GSA’s new Office of Centralized Acquisition Services (OCAS).
What this means for contractors: Contract vehicles, like the GSA Schedule and OASIS+, provide a competitive edge and help contractors streamline government sales. If the Procurement Consolidation gains traction, holding a contract vehicle may change from a “nice to have” to a “need to have”, as more awards shift toward GSA Schedules, GWACs, and IDIQs.
Session 5: Office of Centralized Acquisition Services (OCAS)
The Office of Centralized Acquisition Services is a product of the Procurement Consolidation. The office was established in 2025 to serve the role of Assisted and Centralized Acquisition, called for within Workstream 2 of the Procurement Consolidation plan.
Below are highlights from GSA’s OCAS session:
- OCAS provides agencies with direct contracting support across all government wide categories on an opt-in basis.
- OCAS focuses on commercial, off-the-shelf products and commercialized services – standard, repetitive contracts that do not vary based on the agency
- OCAS works with agencies to transfer existing contracts to GSA or develop new requirements
- OCAS works in conjunction with agency program CORs to provide end-to-end acquisition support
- For industry, OCAS presents itself as a centralized buying channel with predictable forecasts and simplified, standardized process
Session 6: Office of Small Business (OSB)
Below are a few highlights from the Office of Small Business (OSB) session. For a full overview, please refer to the slide presentation on the FAST 2026 webpage.
- The Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) was recently renamed the Office of Small Business
- OSB’s mission is to ensure small businesses are included in federal acquisition process.
- There are several resources for small businesses, including GSA’s Forecast of Contracting Opportunities.
- OSB clarified that the rule of two remains in the FAR Overhaul. It applies to open-market contract awards above the micro-purchase threshold, but — consistent with the RFO updates — does not apply to orders under multiple-award contracts. Contracting officers retain discretion to set aside orders under MAS and other multiple-award vehicles.
Session 7: Industry’s Guide to Market Research as a Service (MRAS)
GSA’s Market Research as a Service is a program that helps federal agencies meet mandated market research requirements without the usual time and resource burden. MRAS does this through three core services:
- Product Market Research: Pricing data on up to 20,000 GSA Advantage products.
- Rapid Review: A comprehensive list of potential GSA solutions and contract information.
- Request for Information (RFI): A full market research report with visuals, typically completed within one to two weeks.
While the program is designed to benefit federal agencies, GSA took time during this session to:
- Provide stats on the agencies they work with and the SINs that RFIs are most often issued under.
- Highlight how MRAS RFIs can be used for lead sourcing
- Review tips for responding to MRAS Surveys/RFIs
Session 8: SAM.gov Updates
Launched in 2012, the System for Award Management (SAM) consolidated three federal systems, the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), and the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS). The ultimate plan was to consolidate 13 total systems into SAM.gov.
During this FAST 2026 session, GSA provided attendees with an update on the ongoing consolidation effort (not to be confused with the recent Procurement Consolidation effort) and other SAM updates. Below are a few highlights:
- What started as 13 separate federal award systems in 2012 is now down to two, and further consolidation is planned through FY27.
- The most notable recent change is the eSRS-to-SAM.gov transition: all subcontracting plan reporting (ISR/SSR submissions) has moved to SAM.gov.
- GSA acknowledged issues that affected some contractors’ ability to submit mid-year reports on time; SBA granted a deadline extension in response.
- By the end of FY26, GSA expects to consolidate FAPIIS data into SAM.gov, incorporate FAR Overhaul updates, and improve Federal Assistance Listings to FY27 standards.
Session 9: GSA’s Intelligent Edge — Using AI for Performance and Industry Relevance
The summit closed with a forward-looking session on artificial intelligence in federal acquisition. GSA began the final session by framing what AI is: rules-based systems, predictive models, generative AI, and large language models (LLMs), each suited to different tasks. GSA reviewed the AI governing policy landscape, as well as top government uses of AI in acquisition, and examples of AI prompts.
Below are practical use cases GSA is exploring:
- Solicitation drafting and formatting: AI can take a previously-used SOW or PWS as a PDF and reformat requirements into a preferred structure, saving hours of manual work.
- Market research: LLMs can summarize industry landscapes, compare requirements against available solutions, and support pre-solicitation research.
- Section 508 compliance review: GSA is piloting LLM-based evaluation within its Solicitation Review Tool to check whether solicitations consistently include required accessibility language. Human experts validate all recommendations before they’re acted on.
- Requirements review: AI can flag inconsistencies, missing clauses, or gaps in requirement documents before they go to market.
GSA also covered the intersection of AI with the RFO. GSA believes the new FAR framework — performance-based, outcome-focused, with greater CO discretion — creates a more compatible environment for AI-assisted buying than the old prescriptive checklist approach. However, it was emphasized that humans remain accountable for acquisition decisions; AI is a support tool, not a decision-maker.
For contractors, the session had a practical implication: as GSA and agencies adopt AI-assisted acquisition tools, solicitations may become more consistent in structure and more precise in technical requirements. Contractors who can produce well-structured, compliant proposals are better positioned as AI-assisted evaluation tools become more common.
Bottom Line for Contractors
Taken together, the nine sessions at FAST 2026 paint a clear picture: the federal acquisition landscape is shifting quickly, and on multiple fronts at once. GSA is leading the implementation of changes — consolidating contracts, systems, and procurement authority — with the RFO serving as the regulatory scaffolding enabling all of it.
For companies still selling exclusively through open market or sole-source relationships, now is the time to evaluate whether a GSA Schedule or other governmentwide vehicle belongs in your federal sales strategy. And for existing GSA Schedule holders, staying current on these changes is vital to remain competitive and compliant.
Our team here at FEDSched has been helping government contractors navigate changes in the contracting landscape for more than 40 years. If you have questions about how any of these updates affect your contract, we can help.