Overview
This section establishes the foundation of the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program, also known as the GSA Schedules or Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, which provides a simplified process for federal agencies to acquire commercial supplies and services at volume-discounted prices. It outlines the roles of the General Services Administration (GSA), the mandatory use of contractor pricelists, and the digital tools used to facilitate the program.
Key Rules
- Program Management: The FSS program is managed by GSA, though authority is sometimes delegated to other agencies (e.g., the VA for medical supplies); however, DoD-specific schedule systems are not governed by this subpart.
- Pricelists: Every schedule contractor must publish an "Authorized Federal Supply Schedule Pricelist" containing all offered items, Special Item Numbers (SINs), pricing, and terms and conditions.
- Electronic Tools:
- GSA Advantage!: An online shopping service for searching and ordering supplies/services.
- eBuy: An electronic RFQ system used to post requirements and obtain quotes; its use is mandatory for orders containing brand-name specifications.
- Open Market Items: Items not on the FSS (open market) may be added to a schedule order for administrative convenience only if the contracting officer complies with all applicable FAR regulations (e.g., Parts 5, 6, 13, 15, and 19) for those specific items, determines the price is fair and reasonable, and clearly labels them as non-schedule items.
- Micro-purchases: Orders at or below the micro-purchase threshold paid via the Governmentwide commercial purchase card are exempt from SAM verification regarding delinquent debt (Treasury Offset Program).
Practical Implications
- Contracting officers can significantly reduce procurement lead times by using pre-negotiated GSA contracts, provided they utilize GSA Advantage! or eBuy to ensure compliance with fair notice and brand-name requirements.
- When "mixing" schedule and non-schedule items on a single task order, procurement officials must perform a dual-track analysis: one for the streamlined FSS items and a full regulatory competition and pricing analysis for the open market components.