A “GSA CTA” is a special type of Contractor-Teaming Arrangement (CTA) used only for performing Government Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts. As detailed in FAR subpart 8.4, Federal Supply Schedules (FSS), GSA CTAs provide a unique teaming opportunity solely for MAS contract-holders and a unique teaming structure somewhere in between FAR subpart 9.6‘s two standard federal contract teaming options: subcontracting and joint venturing. Let’s take a closer look.
Continue readingTag Archives: GSA Contractor Team Arrangement
Transformers: Offerors in Disguise – GAO Sustains Protest Regarding Evaluation Based on Separate Offers from the same Offeror
Without wanting to make the audience feel too old, I was not yet born when Transformers was a pop culture phenomenon. Still, it’s a simple but fun concept: robots that transform to and from cool vehicles. Regardless of what form they take, they are still the same character.
The same cannot be said of government contractors submitting an initial bid for the first phase of a solicitation as a prime contractor and a bid as a member of a contractor teaming agreement (CTA) for the second phase of said solicitation. While the same company is involved, the bids are treated as being from different entities. Such was the case in the GAO matter of Softrams, LLC, B-419927.4 (Feb. 7, 2022).
Continue readingGSA Announces Plans to Consolidate MAS Contracts and Asks for Industry Feedback
The General Services Administration is conducting market research for its planned consolidation of the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program. Earlier this month, GSA publicly announced the new single solicitation format, including streamlined terms and conditions, and its intention to collect feedback from government contractors in the industry.
According to GSA, the consolidation is part of its two-year modernization process for the program that began in November of 2018. The consolidated MAS solicitation is scheduled for release later this year. And if you have concerns or suggestions for GSA on this significant consolidation, there is still time for your input.
Continue readingGSA CTA: Each Party Must Hold FSS Contract
Each party to a GSA Schedule Contractor Teaming Arrangement must hold the Federal Supply Schedule contract in question.
As demonstrated by a recent GAO bid protest decision, if one of the parties to the GSA CTA doesn’t hold the relevant FSS contract, the CTA may be found ineligible for award of an order under that contract.
GSA Contractor Team Arrangement: Single-SIN Restriction Was Appropriate
A procuring agency reasonably required all members of a SDVOSB set-aside GSA Contractor Team Arrangement to possess a certain Federal Supply Schedule contract and Special Item Number.
In a recent bid protest decision, the GAO held that restricting CTAs to holders of a certain Schedule and SIN was appropriate because all of the supplies to be procured fell within the identified Schedule and SIN.