If your company currently holds a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contract, or is considering a GSA MAS Contract, you should know GSA plans to issue a solicitation refresh this month that will incorporate changes to the GSA MAS Contract. This will be the 6th refresh since GSA first released the consolidated GSA MAS Contract in October of 2019.
Significant Changes Included in GSA Refresh 6
GSA MAS Solicitation Refresh 6 will include some housekeeping items, including the removal of references to Open Ratings and digital certificates, which are no longer required. Refresh 6 will also include a reformatted Letter of Supply (LOS) template. During a webinar last month, GSA clarified that contractors do not need to submit a new Letter of Supply in the updated format unless their existing LOS is outdated.
The most significant Refresh 6 changes include new or revised language that:
- Incorporates the latest Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS) Wage Determinations (WDs). As GSA noted during their webinar last week, when a contractor accepts the Refresh 6 mass modification, the updated WDs will be incorporated into their contract automatically. If the updated WDs impact your GSA pricing, you can submit a modification to adjust your rates. Otherwise, no further action is needed.
- Limits drones on the GSA MAS Contract to those approved by DOD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) through its Blue sUAS Program. GSA announced in January that, due to security challenges and risks, they will only allow drones approved by DIU’s Blue sUAS Program. GSA plans to remove any drones currently sold through the GSA MAS Contract that are not approved through the program.
- Addresses GSA’s temporary waiver of certain requirements for COVID-19 related products and services. The waiver is intended to make it easier for companies that offer products or services that support COVID-19 response efforts to qualify for a GSA Contract. Learn more here.
- Allows the new Verified Products Portal (VPP) to serve as an alternative to the Letter of Supply requirement. Earlier this year, we wrote about GSA’s Catalog Management initiative, which includes plans for a Verified Products Portal. VPP is a platform that allows manufacturers to provide supplier authorization information directly to GSA.
More on VPP
Additional details regarding GSA’s Verified Products Portal are forthcoming. In the meantime, below is a high-level overview of what we know so far.
- VPP will include standardized manufacturer names, part numbers, and product descriptions, in addition to supplier authorization information.
- Manufacturer participation in VPP is optional.
- Manufacturers interested in participating in VPP can email GSA at VPP@gsa.gov to establish an account.
- If a contractor’s manufacturer is not on VPP, they can continue to follow LOS requirements.
- GSA Solicitation Refresh 6 will include a link to the VPP dashboard, where contractors can search and view participating manufacturers.
GSA plans to hold a webinar dedicated to VPP after Refresh 6 is released, so stay tuned for more information.
