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

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

2. Agenda • FSS Overview • IT Acquisition Center Background • Preparing your Offer • After Award • Contact Information

3. GSA Acquisition Centers Management Services Center Office Supplies & Administrative Services National Furniture Center IT Acquisition Center Automotive Center Services Acquisition Center Center for Facilities Maintenance & Hardware General Products (National Disaster Support)

4. 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

5. IT Schedule Sales Trend ($ in Billions) 16.99 16.88 14.9 13 9.54 • The IT Center is one of FSS’s major Acquisition Centers with over 5,200 contracts.

6. IT Schedule & Small Business • 80%-85% of all GSA contracts (including IT) are held by small businesses • Over 35% of schedule sales are to small businesses

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Solicitation • Standing Solicitation • Create a cover letter to accompany your offer • Complete Standard Form 1449 with signature from corporate officer

14. The Make Up of an Offer • Solicitation (2 MS Word files) • Attachment 1: Pricelist with Terms and Conditions • Attachment 2: Past Performance (Dun & Bradstreet report) • 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.

15. Sections of the Solicitation • 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 ofinformation

16. 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

17. 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)

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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: it.center@gsa.gov

26. 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: it.center@gsa.gov • Fax: 703-605-9839 • Mailing Address: • IT Acquisition Center • 2200 Crystal Drive • Crystal Plaza 4 • Arlington, VA 22202

27. THANK YOU!