GSA releases RFP for round 3 of office supplies strategic sourcing contract
GSA expects to make as many as 21 awards under the contract, which is estimated to be worth $1.25 billion over five years.
The General Services Administration is taking on the bulk buying of office supplies for a third time. Late Friday, it released the request for proposals for OS3 under the Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative.
The solicitation is for four categories of office supplies: general office supplies, paper, toner/ink and GSA On-the-Go, which is a lowest price, technically acceptable section requiring expedited delivery of the order within four hours in the top 10 metro areas by population.
GSA expects to make as many as 21 awards under the contract, which is estimated to be worth $1.25 billion over five years.
The agency said it expects OS3 to save the government $65 million annually on administrative costs plus an additional $90 million in annual savings captured through lower prices.
“The new model, which eliminates an acquisition level of contracting (i.e. the BPAs) is designed to leverage industry purchasing volume power and dynamic pricing capabilities to the maximum extent, will increase internal efficiencies and our effectiveness in supporting customer requirements, will increase small business opportunity while lowering government costs and will increase savings to customer agencies and ultimately, the taxpayer,” GSA wrote in the solicitation.
GSA said it improved OS3 over OS2 by increasing the number of awardees to 21 from 15 reduced data reporting requirements and no longer requires companies to use the price reduction clause.
The current office supplies contract expires in May. GSA said agencies are expected to spend more than $800 million on OS2 by the time it ends.
Proposals are due March 17.
IT Job of the Week: Director of Network Services Program at GSA.
You want to be in charge of NS2020? What about the Networx telecommunications program? Well, GSA has your position. The Director of Network Services Program is all things telecommunications for the government. The person will review and manage policy, develop strategic and tactical plans and communicate and advocate for the program’s mission. The last permanent director was Karl Krumbholz, who left GSA in 2011. Frank Tiller has been acting since 2011. The job remains open until Feb. 24.
Out & About: Congress is back in session and several committees are looking at data breaches.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will host a hearing Tuesday titled, “Privacy in the Digital Age: Preventing Data Breaches and Combating Cybercrime.” It features public and private sector experts, including Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and William Noonan, the deputy special agent in charge of the Criminal Investigative Division, U.S. Secret Service.
The House Homeland Security Committee on Thursday holds a hearing on border security IT systems, featuring Charles Armstrong, the assistant commissioner of the Office of Information and Technology for the Customs and Border Protection directorate.
Also on Thursday, Steven VanRoekel is the featured speaker at ACT-IAC’s first annual Recognition Program for Government’s Top IT Innovations.
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This story is part of Jason Miller’s Inside the Reporter’s Notebook feature. Read more from this week’s edition.
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Jason Miller
Jason Miller is executive editor of Federal News Network and directs news coverage on the people, policy and programs of the federal government.
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