GSA Professional Services Schedule (PSS) - Spring 2016 Progress Report

GSA Professional Services Schedule (PSS)
- Spring 2016 Progress Report
Vanessa Payne & Joel Emmerich | April 27, 2016
http://blogs.aronsonllc.com/fedpoint/

2© 2016 | www.aronsonllc.com | www.aronsonllc.com/blogs |
Agenda
• The Big Picture: Current Environment
– GSA FAS’ Strategic Objectives
– The PSS Piece of the Puzzle
• What All PSS Contractors Need to Know
– PSS Contractor responsibilities
– Expanded Opportunities - Adding new SINs
• Special Administrative Requirements for Migrated Contracts
– Post-Migration Contractor responsibilities
– Managing PSS and Legacy Schedules Simultaneously
• Solving the Option 3 (Evergreen) Dilemma
– Contract Continuity Initiative
– Streamlined Offer Requirements for Existing Contractors
– Additional PSS Refresh 24 Updates
• Looking Forward

Current Environment –
How We Got Here

GSA FAS’ Strategic Objectives
• Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative
• Category Management
– Reduce Contract Duplication
– Narrowing & Deeping the Purchasing Channel
– Enhance Data Collection, Analysis & Transparency
– Generate Volume Saving and Administrative Savings
– Expanding GSA’s Role in Professional Services Procurements
• Category Hallways
– Professional Services Hallways
• Common Acquisition Platform
– Acquisition Gateway

The PSS Piece of the Puzzle
$61.9 Billion In Professional Services Annually
• A Narrower and Deeper Purchasing Channel
• Streamlined Integrated Solutions
• Consolidation of Procurement Expertise, Knowledge and Data
• Increased Commoditization of Services
• Fewer GSA Schedules to Administer and Audit

The Professional Services Schedule (PSS)
Eight Affected Legacy Schedules
1. Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services - MOBIS (874)
2. Professional Engineering Services - PES (871)
3. Financial and Business Solutions - FABS (520)
4. Advertising and Integrated Marketing Services - AIMS (541)
5. Logistics Worldwide - LOGWORLD (874V)
6. Environmental Services - (899)
7. Language Services - (738II)
8. Consolidated (00CORP) – the PSS “platform”

What All PSS Contractors
Need to Know

New Opportunities - Adding New SINs in PSS
• Add new SINs from any of the Legacy Schedules (and/or Complementary
Services) instead of submitting a new offer
• Two Projects
– $25K Minimum SIN relevant
– Less than two years old
• Pricing Substantiation if adding labor categories/products/training
– Invoice, quotations, contracts
• Other Modification Related Deliverables
– Commercial Sales Practice Disclosures
– Most Favored Customer and Basis of Award Negotiations
– Proposal Pricelist (Note: Revised format in Refresh 24!)
– Fair and Reasonable Pricing Narrative
• With carefully tailored Price Analysis

Complementary Services SINs
Complementary Service SINs from IT / 738X / 03FAC
• Can remain on and be added to the PSS Schedule as
“complementary SINs”, cannot be used as “stand alone”
• These SINs will always be identified with an alpha “C”
1. C132 51 Information Technology
2. C595 21 Human Resource Services (Excluding EEO Services)
3. C871 202 Energy Management Planning and Strategies
4. C871 207 Energy Audit Services
5. C871 208 Resource Efficiency Management (REM)
6. C871 211 Energy Consulting Services

For Complementary Services to Stand-Alone
• Contractors interested in providing IT, Human Resource and
energy-related services on a stand-alone basis must either:
– Submit a Contract Relocation Modification Request if these
services already existed on a legacy 00CORP Schedule
– Submit a new Offer request if offering these services for the
first time

Price Sensitivity
Contract Awarded Labor
Category (CALC) tool
http://calc.gsa.gov

Contractor Responsibilities for all PSS Contractors
• Maintain an active GSA Digital Certificate
• Keep GSA Schedule contract current
• GSA Pricelist (catalog/SIP text file) update requirements
– Only After changes/updates to contract items or prices
– Not after Mass Mods
• Continue to monitor Solicitation Updates and Mass/Mandatory
Modifications
• Reporting
• Compliance

Special Administrative
Requirements for Migrated
Contracts

Post-Migration
• Firms with two or more affected contracts
• All SINs were migrated to PSS
• A new contract number (GS-00F-xxxxx)
• A new period of performance (20 year term)
• A new GSAAdvantage! Pricelist upload necessary
Money follows the contract! You will report sales against the
contract number which the task order references.

Extending Legacy Schedule’s POP
• GSA’s BPAs Migration Model Language
• Agency CO’s Response to Model Language
– BPA’s in limbo
• Requesting GSA Extend a legacy Schedule
– GSA BPA Migration Language Provided to Agency Level CO
– Agency Level CO determined that it is not in the government’s
interest to migrate a BPA
– Vendor expended a significant level of effort to pursue award of
that BPA
– Vendor has open or pending task orders

Post-Migration Terra Firma
• Many Legacy Schedules Persist
– Legacy Schedules’ POP extended to mirror BPA’s POPs
– Legacy Schedules’ pricing, MODs, and terms locked
– Legacy Reporting requirements persist
– Legacy Schedules subject to review and audit
• Record Keeping -- not less than three years after final
payment

Responsibilities Post-Migration
• Dual Reporting Requirements
– 72A - IFF Reporting (See Guidance at
https://72a.gsa.gov/files/CloseoutSales.pdf)
– Subcontracting Reporting
– Et. Al.
• Dual Compliance
– Basis of Award / Price Reductions Clause
– Mass / Mandatory Modifications
– Minimum Sales Requirements
• GSA Pricelist
– Every 24 Months

Solving the Option 3
(Evergreen) Dilemma

Contract Continuity Initiative -
Award of Overlapping FSS Contracts
• GSA’s resolution for contracts reaching the end of their 20-year
contract periods with continuing BPAs and task orders
• Refresh 24 - Updated Clause: A-FSS-11 Consideration of Offers
under Standing Solicitation (Jan 2016)
• Allows for the award of overlapping or continuous contracts –
duplicate FSS contracts for the same items
– continuous contracts enables the FSS contractor to complete
work under BPAs and orders awarded via the existing contract,
while utilizing the new contract for new business opportunities

Contract Continuity Initiative - Requirements
• New offer must indicate wish for continuous contracts
– Include a listing of all active submitted quotes, established BPAs,
and awarded orders under the existing contract
– Including ordering activity name and point of contact,
RFQ/BPA/order number, dollar value, and period of performance
(including options)
• Assist GSA in determining proper cancellation date for existing contract
– To be cancelled the day after the final day of the ordering period for
the active BPA or order (including options)
– Or in situations where multiple BPAs and/or orders are active, the
cancellation date should be based on the last remaining BPA or
order
• Existing contract must not be used for new business opportunities

Streamlined Offer Requirements for Successful FSS Contractors
Refresh 24: SCP-FSS-001-S Instructions Applicable to Successful FSS
Program Contractors (Jan 2016)
Eligibility for “Successful FSS Contractors”
• Is proposing the same Special Item Numbers (SINs)
• Has met the minimum sales requirements
• Has a demonstrated pattern of satisfactory past performance
• Refresh 24: Removed condition that existing FSS contractors must
have entered year 14 of existing contract

• Streamlined Administrative /
Contract Data Proposal
• Streamlined Technical Proposal
• Pricing Proposal – IN FULL
– PPL and CSP-1 and
identification of MFC
– Supporting Documentation
for EACH proposed price
– Pricing Narrative and
Proposed EPA mechanism
Streamlined Offer Requirements for Successful FSS Contractors
PSS Streamlined Offer
Requirements
Eliminated and/or Reduced
Requirements
• Readiness Assessment
• Financial Statements
• Corporate Experience
• Open Ratings Report
• Relevant Project Experience
• Pathways to Success (future
elimination)

Order Options - 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity (Oct 1995)
• Replaced existing Clause with non-Deviation version.
• To allow continue performance on orders and issue options after the
contract has expired. This means that ordering agencies can issue
orders with a period of performance, including options, which extend
up to 60 months beyond the contract expiration date.
• Specific to orders and is not applicable to BPAs
52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity (Oct 1995)
“The contract shall govern the Contractor's and Government's rights and obligations with
respect to that order to the same extent as if the order were completed during the contract's
effective period; provided, that the Contractor shall not be required to make any deliveries
under this contract after [the completion of customer order, including options, 60
months following the expiration of the basic contract ordering period.]”

Additional PSS Refresh 24 Updates
• Acquisition Threshold Updates – Oct 1, 2015
– The Micro-Purchase threshold of $3,000 is increased to $3,500.
– The Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) of $150,000 is unchanged.
– The threshold for use of simplified acquisition procedures for acquisition of
commercial items is raised from $6.5 million to $7 million.
– The prime contractor subcontracting plan floor is raised from $650,000 to
$700,000, and the construction threshold of $1,500,000 stays the same.
– The threshold for reporting first-tier subcontract information including
executive compensation will increase from $25,000 to $30,000
• Commercial Supplier Agreements (CSAs)
– e.g. standard Terms of Service or EULAs; most commonly associated with
IT offerings.
– July 31, 2015 Class Deviation implemented to address 15 areas where
CSAs conflict with federal law.

Looking Forward

Looking Forward
• Post -Migration
– Dual reporting & compliance may be necessary
• Ongoing PSS Refreshes
– Effectuate GSA’s evolving category management objectives
– Reflective of need for more responsive contracting vehicle
• The New Normal: Two Prong Pricing Substantiation
– Commerciality
– Parity with substantially equivalent products/services
• BPA & Long-Term Orders with Options
– No Need to Wait
– Vendors may prepare and submit new offer at any point in vendor’s
current 20 year POP

Valuable Resources
Aronson’s FedPoint Blog:
http://blogs.aronsonllc.com/fedpoint
PSS Solicitation Number: FCO-00CORP-0000C
(Link for Solicitation found at GSA’s PSS Page)
GSA’s Professional Services Schedule (PSS) page:
http://www.gsa.gov/psschedule
GSA’s Interact’s PSS page:
https://interact.gsa.gov/groups/professionalservicescategory

About Aronson LLC
Aronson LLC provides a comprehensive platform of assurance, tax,
and consulting solutions to today’s most active industry sectors and
successful individuals. For more than 50 years, we have purposefully
expanded our service offerings and deepened our industry specialties
to better serve the needs of our clients, people, and community. From
startup to exit, we help our clients maximize opportunity, minimize risk,
and unlock their full potential.

About Aronson LLC
• Thinking ahead for clients for more than 50 years
• 225+ professionals located in Rockville, MD
• 80+ professionals dedicated to supporting government contractors
• Aronson helps clients rethink the way they approach their business
through innovative, industry-specific services and advice:
– Audit, Assurance and Tax
– Deltek Systems and Outsourcing
– Financial and Contract Compliance
– GSA Schedules
• www.aronsonllc.com/blogs/fedpoint/ – News and trends and insight
for today’s savvy government contractor

Awards / Accolades / Affiliations
The Gazette of Politics & Business Exceptional 53 Business Award
In 2012, Aronson received the PB53 award for the third year in a row. The program
acknowledges the top businesses and organizations in Maryland based on criteria that
includes the company’s annual revenue, employee growth, noteworthy product or service
innovations, community service efforts and more.
Accounting Today Top Firm
In 2013, Aronson was once again named to Accounting Today’s list of the top 100 firms in
the country. Accounting Today is a leading provider of online business news for the tax and
accounting community.
Washington Business Journal Top 25
Aronson is ranked #12 on the Washington Business Journal’s Top 25 Accounting Firms in
the DC Metropolitan area.
INSIDE Public Accounting Top 100
Once again, Aronson has earned a spot in the top 100 of this prestigious list, released by
INSIDE Public Accounting. This is the longest running, most comprehensive and accurate
independent analysis focusing on management and operations of America’s large local,
regional and national firms.
Washington Business Journal Best Places to Work
Aronson has been recognized five times as one of the Metro area’s “Best Places to Work.”
The award recognizes a company’s achievements in creating a positive work environment
that attracts and retains employees through a combination of employee satisfaction, working
conditions and company culture.
Montgomery County Chamber Corporate Social Responsibility Award
In 2010, Aronson was honored to receive the MCCC’s Corporate Social Responsibility Award
based on the depth and breadth of the company’s energetic commitment to support young people,
in the areas of education, housing and health.

Vanessa Payne is a managing consultant in Aronson LLC's Government
Contract Solutions Group. With more than 15 years of full life-cycle government
contracts and consulting experience, her expertise includes GSA contract
management, subcontract administration, contractor task order proposals, and
"Big Four" management consulting in the areas of process improvement,
business process reengineering, cost accounting, survey development and
analysis, workflow mapping, and facilitation services. She currently specializes
in GSA Schedule contract preparation, renewals, and providing ongoing
contract management, administration, and compliance support with a special
interest in organizational procedure and policy review, improvement, and
standardization.
Vanessa has been a guest speaker on GSA Schedule and social media topics
for Aronson and other industry organizations, and she is a co-founder and
frequent contributor to Aronson's Fed Point blog. She received her master's
degree in organizational development and strategic human resources as well
as a graduate certificate in skilled facilitation from Johns Hopkins University,
and she completed her bachelor's degree in communications at the University
of Pennsylvania.
Managing Consultant, Government Contract Services Group
240.364.2663
vpayne@aronsonllc.com
Vanessa E. Payne

Joel Emmerich is a managing consultant in Aronson’s
Government Contract Services Group, where he leverages his
experience with government and corporate clients to design
client solutions that are precisely tailored to the opportunities
and challenges they face in the federal space. He assists his
clients with GSA Schedule contract preparation, renewals, and
ongoing contract management, administration, and compliance
support.
Joel earned his bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis University,
as well as an MBA from American University’s Kogod School of
Business and a juris doctorate from the American University
Washington College of Law.
Managing Consultant, Government Contract Services Group
240.364.2713
jemmerich@aronsonllc.com
Joel Emmerich

240.364.2663
Contact Vanessa Payne / Aronson LLC
vpayne@aronsonllc.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessaepayne
https://twitter.com/Aronsonllc

240.364.2713
Contact Joel Emmerich / Aronson LLC
jemmerich@aronsonllc.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelnemmerich
https://twitter.com/Aronsonllc

GSA Professional Services Schedule (PSS) - Spring 2016 Progress Report

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GSA Professional Services Schedule (PSS) - Spring 2016 Progress Report

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