U.S. General Services Administration Buying Guide For the Multiple Award Schedule 75 Enhanced SINs Office Supply 4th Generation Solution (OS4) July 2019 Document Overview Overview Ordering Procedures Setting up a BPA How to Buy FSSI OS4 Products Points of Contact
2 FSSI OS4 Overview MAS 75 consists of existing Legacy SINs and newly created Enhanced SINs, also known as OS4. OS4 consists of two SINs: 75 220 and 75 280. 75 220 is an Office Supplies and Services solution.
75 280 is an Overseas solution. Both SINs are continuously open to new offers. A list of current contractors can be found at www.gsa.gov/os4. Solution Overview Ordering Procedures
How to Buy OS4 Products Contact 3 OS4 Goals Achieve savings Capture data Enable achievement of socio-economic goals Increase SB usage by 5% Drive compliance with mandates & regulations Make green products available and easy to purchase Conform with Agency business practices Be easy to use
4 OS4 Discounts OS4 Delivery Order size discounts Consolidate orders and save as discounts are triggered on individual orders starting at $25.00 for some vendors Discounts for some vendors start at $300 Discounts increase at $1,000, $3,000, $5,000, and $10,000 orders depending on contractor 5 Ordering Procedure For Orders At Or Below the Micro Purchase Threshold
Attempt to distribute orders among multiple OS4 contractors Order minimums are currently up to $100, but some vendors may have lower minimums Smaller orders may be placed, but a small convenience fee may be incurred As part of the governments sustainable (green) mandates, place larger orders to reduce the number of deliveries and transactions 6
What if the office supply I want to buy is not on OS4? In general, the OS4 program includes a wide range of products, brands, and part numbers although not every brand or part number may be included By purchasing office supplies through OS4, customers are able to ensure that they are meeting all relevant mandates and procurement regulations (TAA, EO 13834) We recommend purchasing a similar item to the office supply you are intending to buy 7
What if my order doesnt meet the minimum purchasing requirement? The minimum purchasing amount is currently up to $100 (may be lower depending on vendor) We recommend that you pool together other purchases in your office using the "Park Cart" feature on GSA Advantage Develop a strategy to purchase more items less frequently, planning ahead, so that you are making larger purchases. Remember, order minimums result in added value: better prices and less shipping waste
8 Orders Exceeding Micro-Purchase Threshold Orders exceeding Micro-Purchase threshold must be placed with the schedule contractor that can provide the supply or service that represents the best value. Reference FAR 8.405-1(c) (1) Consider reasonably available information about the supply or service offered under MAS contracts by surveying at least three schedule contractors through the GSA Advantage! on-line shopping service, by reviewing the catalogs or pricelists of at least three schedule contractors, or by requesting quotations from at least three schedule contractors (see 8.405-5); or
(2) Document the circumstances for restricting consideration to fewer than three schedule contractors based on one of the reasons at 8.405-6(a) 9 Orders exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold Must be placed on a competitive basis (unless waiver applies) Issue RFQ with description of the supplies and basis the selection will be made
Post the RFQ on e-Buy Consult FAR 8.405-1 for more information 10 Establishing BPAs on OS4 In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.405-3, ordering activities may establish Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) under any GSA Schedule contract. GSA Schedules simplify the filling of recurring needs for supplies and services, while leveraging ordering activities buying power by taking advantage of
quantity discounts, saving administrative time, and reducing paperwork. To establish BPAs, ordering activities evaluate different contractors on Schedule for a particular category of supply or service, then establish an ongoing agreement for repetitive orders from the selected contractor. 11 Benefits of BPAs
Convenience, efficiency, and reduced costs; Eliminate contracting and open market costs including the search for sources, the need to prepare solicitations, and the requirement to synopsize the acquisition; Provide opportunities to negotiate improved discounts; Satisfy recurring requirements; Reduce administrative costs by eliminating repetitive acquisition efforts; Permit ordering activities to leverage buying power through volume purchasing;
Enable ordering activities streamlined ordering procedures; Reduce procurement lead time; and 12 Tax Exemption Purchases on behalf of the Federal Government are exempt from most taxes In accordance with clause 552.212-4 (k), Taxes, the contract price includes all applicable Federal, State and local taxes
13 Why order through GSA Advantage! Step-by-step ordering guide available Multiple ways to evaluate vendors, products, and pricing Filters to limit results to green items, small business vendors, toner, and AbilityOne products Quantity discount pricing Park Cart feature Varied shipping options 14 GSA Advantage!
15 Steps to Ordering From GSA Advantage! 1. Go to https://www.gsaadvantage.gov 2. Log in using your username and password 3. Back at the home page click on Office Supplies & Equipment FSSI in the left hand column under Products 4. Locate the search bar in the middle of the page 5. Begin search! 6. Add items to your cart and check out with your appropriate method of payment *For additional information please see the GSA Advantage Purchasing Guide for OS4 16 Delivery or Service Issues? Contact National
Customer Service Centers (NCSC) 1. Phone: (800) 488-3111 2. Email: [email protected] 17 Other Purchasing Channels Available Agency virtual stores
Vendors websites FedMall Phone or directly with the vendor OS4 pricing for walk-in store customers However, GSA Advantage! is the simplest to use and best for tracking agency spend! 18 Information Sources http://www.gsa.gov/OS4 List of all vendors with information Ordering guide and links to purchasing websites
http://www.gsa.gov/csd Find your local GSA Customer Service Director 19 Thank You from the GSA OS4 Program Team Feel free to contact us! [email protected] 20
