**FINAL**

**Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer**

####### GSA Acquisition Workforce Forum

*\--Informing the GSA acquisition workforce on the latest acquisition
news and events!*

**EDITION FIFTEEN**

**SPRING 2007**

**[INSIDE THIS ISSUE:]{.underline}**

**CAO Corner -- Changes at the CAO**

**From the Desk of the Editor**

**Acquisition Update**

**Micro-Purchase Threshold Increased to \$3,000**

**"Pathway to Success" and the MAS Express Program**

**MAS Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program for State and Local
Governments**

**Professional Development**

**FACE 2007 "Acquisition Frontiers: Blazing New Trails"**

**Small Business Corner**

**New England Region Participates in Procurement and Business Expo**

**Northwest/Arctic Region Participates in Business Opportunity Day**

**Web Conferences Held for VETS Awardees and Customers**

**New England Region Assists Business Owners in Vermont**

**Southeast Sunbelt's OSBU Hosts Charlotte Customer Service Center
Event**

**Green Procurement**

**Arm Yourself with Knowledge---Lance Davis Explains the Greening of the
GSA**

**IAE Corner**

**Then & Now: Integrating the Acquisition Environment---Part 3**

**GSA and AbilityOne/JWOD Strategic Alliance**

**JWOD Program Renamed AbilityOne**

**Check Out the AbilityOne Program at GSA Expo 2007!**

**Did You Know?**

**Check It Out!**

**Quote:**

**"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we
give."**

**\--Winston Churchill**

**CAO CORNER \-- Changes at the CAO**

Former Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) Emily Murphy left government
service for the private sector on January 31. Murphy was with GSA for
approximately two years, serving as the agency\'s first CAO. On March 5
Molly Wilkinson began her duties as the new CAO. With almost nine years
of management experience and five years of acquisition experience, Molly
Wilkinson has been in public service since 1991 at both state and
federal levels.

Ms. Wilkinson earned her law degree from New York's Albany Law School in
1996 and is a member of the New York State Bar. She graduated from Holy
Cross College in 1989. After spending seven years working in the New
York State Legislature, in 1997 Wilkinson moved to serve as an Assistant
Counsel in the General Counsel's Office of the New York State Office of
Temporary & Disability Assistance (OTDA) (formerly the New York State
Department of Social Services), where she focused on New York State
contracts law.  Here, she wrote and implemented Requests for Proposals;
composed, reviewed and analyzed contracts between OTDA and service
providers; drafted memoranda of understanding between OTDA and other
state agencies; negotiated agreements between OTDA and contractors;
developed and drafted legislation concerning Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF) public assistance and immigration issues; reviewed
public comments of regulations and wrote impact statements of federal
and New York State Welfare Reform.

In 2000, Governor George E. Pataki appointed Wilkinson as the New York
State Refugee Coordinator & Director of the Bureau of Refugee &
Immigration Affairs (BRIA). While at BRIA, she was responsible for the
overall operation of the Bureau, developing and implementing policy and
management procedures to include: performance based contacting
practices; program management reform; performance standards of
contractors and government agencies; and revamped performance monitoring
for evolving programs. She also directed and managed development of
budgets, and established budgetary priorities for areas such as
staffing, program expansion and initiation of new programs. This
included providing management control and evaluation of program
activities with particular emphasis upon the identification and
correction of problem areas.

In 2003, Ms. Wilkinson continued to build on her experience and skills
when she moved to the federal level working at the U.S. Department of
Defense. Her most significant project was as Special Projects
Coordinator for Iraqi National Conference and Special Advisor to the
Iraqi Supreme Commission in 2004 where she managed American security,
logistic, and administrative support for the 1500 Delegates who chose
the Interim Iraqi National Council (the interim legislative governing
body for Iraq).

In 2005, Ms. Wilkinson served as the Associate Deputy Secretary for
Management at the U.S. Department of Labor providing counsel and support
to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and senior staff of the Department. 
She also supported the Deputy Secretary who served as Chief Operating
Officer and assisted in managing internal agencies on management, budget
and personnel issues, and had oversight of Job Corps (a \$1.6 billion
program at 122 sites serving over 60,000 students).  She was the Deputy
Secretary's liaison to the President's Management Council with special
focus on E-Gov Initiatives.  She also oversaw and managed the
administrative functions of the Employee Compensation Appeals Board,
Administrative Review Board, Benefits Review Board and the Office of
Administrative Law Judges.

Ms. Wilkinson is honored to have been appointed to serve as GSA's new
Chief Acquisition Officer and is eager to begin working in an area that
she has spent her professional life preparing for.  Please join us in
welcoming Molly Wilkinson to the Office of the CAO!

**From the Desk of the Editor** by Judy Steele

As the seasons change from winter to spring, change is also in the air
for acquisition at GSA---changes at the top, including a new Chief
Acquisition Officer, and many policy changes---detailed in our
"Acquisition Update" section. We hope you find these articles, and the
other features in this month's *"Forum"* to be interesting and helpful.
Please forward any comments, suggestions and articles for the newsletter
to the Editor, Judy Steele, at <judy.steele@gsa.gov>.

**ACQUISITION UPDATE\
**

**Micro-Purchase Threshold Increased to \$3,000**

Section 2.101 of the FAR increased the amount of the micro-purchase
threshold for procurements of supplies or services from \$2,500 to
\$3,000. Micro-purchase threshold means \$3,000, except:

-   For acquisitions of construction subject to the Davis-Bacon Act,
    \$2,000;

-   For acquisitions of services subject to the Service Contract Act,
    \$2,500, and

-   For acquisitions of supplies or services that, as determined by the
    Administrator, are to be used to support a contingency operation or
    to facilitate defense against or recovery from nuclear, biological,
    chemical, or radiological attack, as described in 13.201 (g)(1),
    except for construction subject to the Davis-Bacon Act (41 U.S.C.
    428a) -

(i) \$15,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or
    purchase to be made, inside the United States; and

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
(i) \$25,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or
    purchase to be made, outside the United States.

Therefore, effective immediately, GSA micro-purchase cardholders are
authorized to purchase at the higher threshold in accordance with the
FAR. In addition, the Office of Finance has established specific
procedures for offices to follow in using this authority as they relate
to the Purchase Card Program. Contact: Yolanda Reynolds at
<yolanda.reynolds@gsa.gov> or 202-501-0919.

**"Pathway to Success" and the MAS Express Program**

GSA has introduced a new education tool to assist vendors in preparing
an offer for the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. The education
tool, called *Pathway to Success*, is available via live training or
online at [http://vsc.gsa.gov](http://vsc.gsa.gov/), Vendor Training.

*Pathway to Success* is designed to assist prospective GSA Schedule
contractors in making informed business decisions as to whether
obtaining a GSA Schedule contract is in their best interests. The
presentation provides background information on the GSA MAS Program and
encompasses a variety of other topics, including---

-   What are GSA\'s expectations for a vendor to become a successful
    Schedule contractor; 

-   How to compete and succeed as a GSA Schedule contractor in the
    federal marketplace;

-   How to develop a GSA Schedule-specific business plan; and

-   How to submit a quality offer, the proposal submission process, and
    the GSA Schedule solicitation.

The *Pathway to Success* education seminar is encouraged for all
prospective MAS contract holders, and is mandatory for vendors
interested in the new GSA MAS Express Program. The MAS Express Program,
a specialized program established under the GSA Schedule Program, is
designed to simplify, streamline, and ultimately accelerate the
process for vendors to obtain MAS contracts.

Participation in the MAS Express Program is open to all business
concerns, regardless of size, that meet specific criteria for certain
products. At the present time, offers accepted under the MAS Express
Program are limited to a total of 500 products/line items under portions
of the following GSA Schedules:

-   Schedule 70  General Purpose Information Technology Equipment,
    Software, and Services;

-   Schedule 67  Photographic Equipment---Cameras, Photographic
    Printers, and Related Supplies and Services (Digital and
    Film-Based);

-   Schedule 78  Sports, Promotional, Outdoor, Recreational, Trophies,
    and Signs (SPORTS);

-   Schedule 58 l Professional Audio/Video, Telecommunications, and
    Security Solutions; and

-   Schedule 81 I B  Shipping, Packaging, and Packing Supplies.

You can learn more about *Pathway to Success* and the MAS Express
Program by visiting
[www.gsa.gov/masexpress](http://www.gsa.gov/masexpress). You may also
receive MAS Express Program support via e-mail at <mas.express@gsa.gov>
or by phone at 1-866-472-5738.

## MAS Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program for State and Local Governments

Section 833 of the Defense Authorization Act for FY 2007 amended 40
U.S.C. 502 to authorize GSA to provide State and Local Governments the
use of Federal Supply Schedules ("Schedules") for purchase of products
and services to be used to facilitate recovery from a major disaster,
terrorism or nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological attack. This
Disaster Recovery Purchasing authority is limited to GSA and Veterans
Administration Multiple Award Schedule contracts and does not include
any other GSA programs. State and Local Governments may use the Schedule
contracts to purchase products and services in advance of a major
disaster declared by the President as well as in the aftermath of an
emergency event. State and Local Governments are responsible for
ensuring that products or services purchased are to be used to
facilitate recovery.

The use of Schedules for Disaster Recovery is non-mandatory for both
State and Local Governments and Schedule contractors. Businesses have
the option of deciding whether to accept orders placed by State or Local
Government buyers. GSA is now working with MAS contractors to solicit
their interest in this program. State and Local Governments have full
discretion to decide if they wish to make a Schedules purchase, subject,
however, to any limitations that may be established under state and
local law and procedures. Learn more about using GSA Schedules to
support disaster recovery by visiting
[www.gsa.gov/disasterrecovery](http://www.gsa.gov/disasterrecovery). A
listing of the Federal Supply Schedules is available in GSA's Schedules
e-Library at <http://fss.gsa.gov/elibrary>.

**PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT**

**FACE 2007 "Acquisition Frontiers: Blazing New Trails"**

The Federal Acquisition Conference & Exposition (FACE) is back! FACE,
the premier conference to train acquisition professionals, provides
networking opportunities, dynamic speakers, and vendors with a variety
of information on acquisition products and services. The conference will
be held June 19-20, 2007, at the Ronald Reagan Building, in Washington,
DC. In addition to learning about important issues and emerging trends
in acquisition, attendees also have the opportunity to earn 10.5
Continuous Learning Credits.

FACE 2007 is sponsored by the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, the
Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), and the Department of Defense. To
register or obtain more information about FACE, visit the website at
[www.fai.gov/face](http://www.fai.gov/face). For questions or comments
regarding FACE, contact Ivy Alston at 703-284-6984, toll free at
866-908-6324, or send an e-mail message to <face@sra.com>. Join us at
the FACE frontier and blaze into your career!

##### SMALL BUSINESS CORNER

**New England Region Participates in Procurement and Business Expo**

On January 19, Senator John F. Kerry\'s Massachusetts District Office
hosted their Second Annual Massachusetts Procurement Conference and
Business Expo at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, with
close to 500 participants. Deborah Tarleton, Acting Director of the
Small Business Utilization Center (SBUC); Linda Byrne, PBS Contracting
Officer; Tony Guerra, FAS Contracting Officer; Peter Sullivan, FAS
Customer Service Director; and Annie Khun, FAS Marketing Specialist;
assisted potential vendors through one-on-one counseling and at the GSA
exhibit booth. Tarleton and Khun participated in a focus group regarding
the Center for Veterans Enterprise Vetbiz.gov website. Matthew Sisk,
Special Assistant to the Regional Administrator, also attended the
event. Senator John F. Kerry, Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick, and
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino addressed the attendees at the conference
closing. Contact: Deborah Tarleton at <deborah.tarleton@gsa.gov> or
617-565-8100.

**Northwest/Arctic Region Participates in Business Opportunity Day**

On January 24, the Northwest/Arctic Regional Office of Small Business
Utilization participated in the annual Northwest Indian Business
Opportunity Day in Shelton, Washington. The event was hosted by the
Environmental Protection Agency and Northwest American Indian
Development Center. Workshops provided education on opportunities with
the 2010 Olympics, \"Mastering the Market\" best practice strategies,
and showcased how to access contracts with federal and state agencies.
Over 100 regional business owners were in attendance. Contact: Kenyon
Taylor at <kenyon.taylor@gsa.gov> or 253-931-7956.

**Web Conferences Held for VETS Awardees and Customers**

Janna Babcock, Heartland Region Procuring Contracting Officer, hosted a
post- award conference via the web on January 31 for the 43 awardees of
the new Veterans Technology Services GWAC (VETS).  Following the award
announcement on Dec. 18, 2006, this event marks a major milestone in the
procurement process by presenting the awardees and the government an
opportunity to achieve a clear and mutual understanding of all contract
requirements and manage expectations prior to orders being placed
against the contract.  Also included in the web conference was an
overview of GSA E-Tools such as E-Buy, an on-line procurement tool for
government buyers.  The web conference was deemed a success as evidenced
by the numerous compliments submitted by participants.  After the
conference, two VETS awardees visited the Small Business GWAC Center to
discuss specific questions on the contract and their marketing
strategies.

On Feb. 15, the Small Business GWAC Center hosted an additional web
conference for federal agencies. This web conference was designed for
customer agency contracting professionals to obtain delegation of
authority to use the VETS GWAC. A total of 94 attendees, including
current customers of the 8(a) STARS and HUBZone GWACs, called in to
learn about VETS and to discuss ordering procedures. The VETS GWAC
offers a new option for federal agencies to achieve small business goals
through purchase of Information Technology solutions from small
businesses owned by service disabled veterans. A result of Executive
Order 13360, the VETS GWAC supports the President's mandate to
strengthen procurement opportunities for companies owned and managed by
our nation's service-disabled veteran community. For information on the
VETS GWAC, visit [www.gsa.gov/vetsgwac](http://www.gsa.gov/vetsgwac).
 The VETS Procuring Contracting Officer is Janna Babcock, who can be
reached at <janna.babcock@gsa.gov> or 816-823-5320. Contact: Mike
Brincks at <michael.brincks@gsa.gov> or 816-926-7217.

**New England Region Assists Business Owners in Vermont**

New England Region employees participated in the 4th Annual Strategies
for Winning Government Contracts Conference held in Burlington, Vermont,
on February 1. Deborah Tarleton, Acting Director of the Region\'s Small
Business Utilization Center; Kevin Morris, Senior Property Manager; and
Brian Fuller, Building Management Specialist of PBS; Dick Gauthier,
Customer Account Manager; and Peter Sullivan, Customer Service Director
of FAS; assisted potential vendors through one-to-one counseling and at
the GSA exhibit booth. This event provided an opportunity for small
businesses to interface with federal, state, and local government
agencies, as well as large businesses seeking potential suppliers.
Attendees heard from Vermont Governor James Douglas; Kevin Dorn,
Secretary of Commerce and Community Development; Neale Lunderville,
Secretary of Transportation; Ted Brady, Field Representative for Senator
Patrick Leahy; and Melissa Dever, Founder and Vice President of
Competitive Computing. Approximately 200 companies attended the event.
Contact: Deborah Tarleton at <deborah.tarleton@gsa.gov> or 617-565-8100.

**Southeast Sunbelt\'s OSBU Hosts Charlotte Customer Service Center
Event**

The Southeast Sunbelt Region\'s Office of Small Business Utilization
recently hosted the fourth in a series of Small Business events in
support of its Regional Customer Service Centers. Held on the campus of
the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, the event was designed to
assist the Charlotte Customer Service Center in expanding its base of
small business contractors and vendors. A morning workshop attracted
almost 40 small business owners and all 48 time slots for the afternoon
matchmaking were filled. To expand the matchmaking opportunities for the
attendees, the matchmaking portion of the event was expanded to include
representatives from the Regional Office of the Small Business
Administration and the North Carolina Small Business Development
Center/Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Contacts: Dave Gibson,
404-331-2711; Dinora Gonzalez, 404-331-3031; or Michael King,
704-344-6196.

**GREEN PROCUREMENT**

*The following interview with Lance Davis, one of the GSA sustainable
design architects, is re-printed with permission from eco-structure's
January/February 2007 issue. For a free subscription to eco-structure,
visit www.eco-structure.com.*

**"Arm Yourself with Knowledge\--Lance Davis Explains the Greening of
the GSA"\--**Compiled by Christina Koch

James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, believed
knowledge was the only thing that could move the fledgling U.S.
government forward. In 1822, five years after the end of his presidency,
Madison wrote, "A popular government without popular information, or the
means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or
perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and the people
who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power
which knowledge gives."

Similarly, the green-building industry requires information and
understanding to continue gaining market share. And when it comes to
sustainability within projects contracted by the U.S. General Services
Administration, Washington, D.C., awareness of working with the
government and thoroughly understanding sustainability are necessities.
Lance Davis, one of GSA's sustainable design experts, hopes to arm
architects and engineers with the knowledge to complete these
sustainable public projects. With the help of contract documents and
memorandums of understanding, the GSA intends to provide welcoming
facilities that are comfortable for occupants and visitors despite the
added security requirements of a post-9/11 world.

***Eco-structure*: What is your education and professional background?
When and how did you get involved with the GSA?**

LD: I graduated from Mississippi State University \[Mississippi State\]
with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1995. I am a registered architect
with more than 11 years' experience in the Washington, D.C., area. My
previous work in private architecture firms focused on integrating
environmental principles into a wide variety of project types. My more
prominent work includes the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center \[Washington\],
the Korean War Veterans Memorial \[Washington\] and the Walter Reed
Community Center \[Arlington, Virginia\], which is designed for a LEED
Silver rating. I joined GSA a little more than a year and a half ago to
fill the role as an advocate of sustainable-design strategies for the
Public Buildings Service in the Office of Applied Science. I am with the
Sustainable Design Program, and the entire team serves as internal
consultants and an external source of world-class expertise.

**When contracting an architect for a green public building, what
specifically is the GSA looking for?**

LD: Strictly from a sustainable-design perspective, GSA looks for an
architect that knows how to be part of a design team that understands
and utilizes an integrated, charrette-based approach. Instead of the
"master builder," GSA is looking for "master integrators." We want a
team that understands that the infrequent grandness of a single idea
from one person is being replaced by the beauty of the woven thread of
many ideas of an engaged group. We also look for a team that understands
how to site a building for the specific climate, design for efficient
operations and celebrate the people in their indoor environment. When we
find teams that know how to do these really well, we get buildings that
are iconic, efficient and beautiful with a sense of belonging.

**This sounds like a difficult task in a post-9/11 world. How can
architects ensure public buildings are secure without being windowless
fortresses?**

LD: There is a continuing struggle between the idea of security and the
well-being of the people inside a building. GSA strives to strike the
balance between keeping federal employees safe from a potential attack
and providing a place to work that promotes the well-being of each
person. Not surprisingly, we find that when the issue of security is
incorporated into integrated design charrettes, creative solutions that
are beautiful start to emerge. One of the great examples I recently
visited was a U.S. Department of Defense facility in Washington, D.C.,
that used a storm-water retention pond as a moat around the building,
thus providing setback, limited building access and clear line of sight,
as well as being good for the nearby Chesapeake Bay.

**Has the GSA set goals for numbers of green projects or will all
projects have to include some sustainable aspects?**

LD: For design starts in 2003 and beyond, GSA's Facilities Standards for
the Public Buildings Service, also known as P100, requires that all GSA
new construction projects and substantial renovations be Certified
through the LEED system. These projects are encouraged to achieve LEED
Silver as a means to evaluate and measure our green-building
achievements. Although Certified is the minimum level, GSA's 11 regional
offices are free to set their own level of achievement above the
minimum. For example, the National Capitol Region requires buildings
meet Silver and strive to achieve Gold. And some clients, like the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency \[Washington\], bring their own
requirements, so we usually see a higher rating on their facilities.

**Are there requirements for greening leased buildings?**

LD: GSA is working to change lease language so these buildings meet the
same environmental requirements as our owned facilities, and there is
movement to look at how we operate and maintain all GSA buildings to
reduce environmental impacts.

**By setting a green standard for all new construction projects, is the
GSA sending a message to the private sector about sustainable design and
construction?**

LD: The intent of GSA's Facilities Standards and any future standard is
not to motivate the private sector but to be good stewards and meet the
GSA mission to provide a superior workplace for the federal worker at
superior value for the American taxpayer. We do expect though that
architects and engineers interested in doing work with GSA will get the
required training, knowledge and expertise to provide the government
with integrated designs that are environmentally measurable. We have,
however, seen that the decisions GSA makes have an influence on the
private sector. As of December, 2006, GSA has 18 LEED-rated projects,
and we are finding private developers who will offer a building designed
to a higher LEED rating at no additional cost to the government. By
asking for a high standard, GSA is helping to change what is considered
a Class A office space for the industry.

**Why is LEED the GSA's chosen green-building certification program?**

LD: Based on a study done by the Richland, Washington based Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory in 2006, GSA found that the LEED Rating
System continues to be the most appropriate and credible sustainable
building rating system available for evaluation of GSA projects. It is
applicable to all GSA project types, tracks the quantifiable aspects of
sustainable design and building performance, and is verified by trained
professionals. Finally, LEED has a well defined system for incorporating
updates and is the most widely used rating system in the U.S. market.

**Will other tools on the market provide a better way to determine which
buildings perform the best and which certification system the public
sector should use?**

LD: GSA has various methods for measuring building performance
internally. For sustainable design, GSA will continue to evaluate other
systems and determine how they may be applied to projects in the future.
The way I like to think of it is that the LEED Rating System is a good
measuring stick with which we like to gauge the design of our building
projects, and we will continue to look at other measuring sticks and
their gauges to see if they may work better for our use.

**Is LEED accreditation essential within a firm GSA hires or
will architects that have worked with regional green standards or other
national standards be considered?**

LD: LEED accreditation is a wonderful tool for an individual to test his
or her understanding of the LEED Rating System, but it does not measure
whether the person can actually design a good building and document how
well it performs from an environmental standpoint. Ultimately, we are
looking for a person's ability to handle the sustainable design process.
That said, it would be useful for at least one person on the design team
to be a LEED AP \[Accredited Professional\] to assist with LEED
documentation and the development of integrated design.

**What is GSA doing to help architects and engineers understand what GSA
expects from them regarding sustainability?**

LD: GSA and 18 other agencies signed the Federal Leadership in High
Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding. This
MOU articulates a common set of guiding principles that the signatories
expect in their facilities. The guiding principles include attention to
a building's waste stream, water usage, energy usage, materials and
indoor environmental quality. The MOU is available on the Whole Building
Design Guide at
[www.wbdg.org/sustainablemou](http://www.wbdg.org/sustainablemou). I
think the signing of the MOU and the changes in contract language send a
clear message of what GSA expects as a minimum from an
architecture/engineering team.

With recent movement in sustainable design, GSA is working to
incorporate sustainable-design language in contracts for architect and
engineer selection, feasibility studies, contractor selection,
commissioning agent selection, construction manager selection and lease
agreements. Much of this work centers on the Energy Policy Act of 2005,
the MOU and the use of LEED.

We also have recently extended an invitation to the design industry in a
GSA booklet titled "*Expanding Our Approach to Sustainable Design\--An
Invitation*." As described in the forward of the booklet, "We hope to
stimulate the dialog on 'next steps' for moving the built environment
toward a more sustainable future." The booklets can be found at
[www.gsa.gov](http://www.gsa.gov/).

**Do you believe government regulation of green building would be
beneficial? To whom and to what extent?**

LD: My personal belief is that government regulation for well designed
buildings is beneficial to the occupants of the building, the public who
financed the construction, and the lifelong operations and maintenance
of the building. Government regulation should be much more than code,
which is the minimum required to not noticeably ill-affect the health,
safety and welfare of the people. I would like us to take a closer look
at environmental regulations from the perspective of William McDonough
\[principal of William McDonough & Partners, Charlottesville,
Virginia.\], which is to "Love all the children of all species for all
time." That sort of thinking is beneficial to the world for as long as
we humans choose to participate.

**Do you think Washington, D.C.'s recently passed mandate that private
buildings be constructed to LEED standards will encourage other cities
to follow?**

LD: I like the fact that Washington is looking to be a leader by passing
a green standard. I think it sends a clear message that the building you
build today should respect the people of the city, the land on which it
sits and the environment that it influences. I certainly think other
cities will follow Washington's initiative and will even try to do one
better. We already have seen this with state-funded projects across the
country.

Mandates like this can be good because they force a new segment of the
market to become educated about better design that is respectful and
continues to move the industry forward to sustainability. The problem
with a mandate like this, in any form, is the danger that many of these
new projects will not use an integrated approach to provide a well
designed building but will make decisions to merely achieve points. With
such an approach, there will most certainly be cost overruns,
complaints, and a potential backlash claiming that building green costs
more than typical construction, which in reality is nothing more than
poor decisions made by the owner or design team.

If you have questions on this article, please contact Lance Davis at
<lance.davis@gsa.gov> or 202-208-2038.

**IAE CORNER**

**Then & Now: Integrating the Acquisition Environment\--Part 3**

**by Judy Steele and Lisa Cliff**

*This concludes our serialization of the article which was published in
the November 2006 National Contract Management Association (NCMA)
"Contract Management" magazine.*

**PPIRS ([www.ppirs.gov](http://www.ppirs.gov/))**

**Then:** *Contracting Officers had to request that each contractor
provide a list of references in their proposal---contracts of similar
scope, size, and dollar amount. Then the members of the evaluation team
and the Contracting Officer would split up who to call and begin
checking references. Typically this was very time consuming---locating
the point of contact, if they had left, going back to the contractor for
more references, etc. Frequently, the contractor would not provide the
right kind or quantity of references and would have to be asked for
more.*

**Now:** A prospective contractor's ability to satisfactorily perform
contract requirements is an important factor in making best value
decisions in the acquisition of goods and services. Federal regulations
(FAR Part 9 and 42.15) require that performance reports are completed
annually during the life of qualified contracts. The Past Performance
Information Retrieval System (PPIRS, pronounced "peepers") is a
web-based system that consolidates contractor report cards collected
from across the federal government into a single searchable database.
These report cards offer federal source selection officials the in-depth
performance information they need to make sound best value procurement
decisions. Contractors also have the ability to review their data to
ensure the government has accurate, up-to-date performance information
for them. OMB has advocated the use of PPIRS since a July 2002 memo
announced the roll-out of the system. Government users are encouraged to
use PPIRS to access timely and pertinent contractor performance
information.

PPIRS has grown to contain 75,000 detailed report cards which provide
contractor performance ratings and supporting narratives for many
business sectors including major systems, information technology,
services, hardware, architect-engineer, and construction. Records can be
searched by contract, contractor, agency, dates of performance, dollar
value, and other criteria. A statistical reporting module of PPIRS
(PPIRS-SR), aimed at simplifying past performance evaluation in
low-dollar value procurements, is currently deployed on a pilot basis at
several DoD sites.

A proposed FAR rule explaining how to better use, perform, and collect
performance evaluations is expected to go out for comment the end of
September, 2006, along with a new Performance Data User Guide. \[Ed.
Note---this notice was published in the Federal Register November 17,
2006 and comments were due January 16, 2007. Comments on the rule and
the Guide are currently being evaluated.\]

**EPLS (www.epls.gov)**

**Then:** *Before awarding any contract actions, the Contracting Officer
was required to manually check the extensive monthly "List of Parties
Excluded from Federal Procurement and Non-Procurement Programs."
Sometimes information was outdated by the time the list was released
from the printers and made available. If a multiple award contract was
awarded, Contracting Officers had to search for each of the awardees.*

**Now:** The web-based Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) replaced the
printed "List of Parties Excluded from Federal Procurement and
Non-Procurement Programs." GSA manages EPLS, which is used by federal
acquisition professionals, federal debarment and suspension communities,
and government contractors who need to identify parties excluded from
receiving federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain types of
federal financial and non-financial assistance and benefits. Users are
able to search, view, and download current and archived exclusions to
make them aware of administrative and statutory exclusions across the
entire government, suspected terrorists, and individuals barred from
entering the United States. All of the nine different search options
query the entire database and results can be viewed immediately or
downloaded.

FAR 9.4 requires contracting officials to check EPLS after receipt of
bids and proposals, and further requires contracting officials to check
EPLS before making contract award. The debarment and suspension process
protects the government from doing business with individuals and
companies that have demonstrated poor performance, waste, fraud,
violations, abuse, or have been identified as terrorists, drug
traffickers, or those engaged in the sale of illegal weapons. Executive
Order 12549, "Debarment and Suspension," and Executive Order 12689, same
title, provide guidance for agency debarment and suspension activities.
EPLS makes the job of agency debarment officials much easier as it
simplifies the entering of debarment and suspension information.

EPLS is a highly visible tool under IAE which receives over 8 million
hits a month. A new release of EPLS, Version 3, which will provide
enhanced searching, reporting, and downloading capabilities with
additional features and functionalities requested by the user community,
is underway. One of the major changes will be that use of the D-U-N-S
number will be mandatory to facilitate searches and enable interface
with CCR.

**FPDS-NG (https://www.fpds.gov)**

**Then:** *Before the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) was
developed, all reporting was done by paper. In 1978 FPDS came online but
it had limited individual user report capability---contracting offices
or contractors had to send off to the Federal Procurement Data Center
(FPDC) and request specific reports. Additionally, data input was not
timely---Contracting Officers had 45 days after a contract action to do
the reports, and receiving reports took a while since it was a quarterly
batch process.*

**Now:** FPDS-NG (Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation) is
the central repository of detailed information on federal contract
actions over \$2,500.

"Next Generation" designates that it is an updated version of the
original 25 year-old Federal Procurement Data System that has been
transformed into an integrated business process receiving contract
accomplishment data real-time from agency contract writing systems.
FPDS-NG reports on contract accomplishment data in a self-service model
across the entire federal enterprise (see FAR 4.6, Contract Reporting).

Now in its third year, FPDS-NG continues to evolve and transform to
respond to the growing needs of the government user community and the
general public. Today everything is self-service with contract writing
systems reporting directly into FPDS-NG. Reporting is real time, on
demand. Users have a greater ability to submit information quickly, and
receive reports quickly. In 2005, over 1.1 million federal civilian
contract actions were posted. With about 65 departments and agencies now
reporting the data directly to FPDS-NG, the civilian agency integration
process has been a success. DoD will be fully integrated in real-time
with FPDS-NG by the end of 2006. FPDS-NG is focusing on improving access
and visibility into the data. With new software transitioning in,
FPDS-NG has undergone a major facelift to enhance access to its
contents. Refreshment of the hardware is also underway.

A new Ad Hoc Reports Tool helps frequent users of FPDS-NG get answers to
questions not already addressed in the Standard Reports. The following
comment was offered by a Contracting Officer who had not had any
training on FPDS-NG and was inputting ad hoc data (late on a Sunday
night!), "I just went into NG to run an ad hoc that I've been creating
each month...and was introduced to the new reporting tool. So far, I am
impressed. I was able to save the ad hocs...which is a huge improvement
over the old system. I was able to recreate the ad hocs without any
trouble. I like the format and the data is easy to manage. And another
big improvement\--the reports download easily to Excel. This is really
good stuff!"

**ESRS (www.esrs.gov)**

**Then:** *Previously, contractors used multiple systems, and in some
cases filed paper reports to report subcontracting information.
Individual agencies had good subcontract reporting systems, but vendors
wanted to only have to use one. It was also hard for agencies to track
whether large companies were fulfilling their sub-contracting
requirements---small firms often complained they weren't.*

**Now:** The Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) is the
newest member of the IAE family and meets the request of vendors for a
single point of data entry. eSRS streamlines reporting of small business
subcontracting activity by large federal prime contracts. It also makes
it much easier for agencies to monitor whether prime contractors are
fulfilling their mandatory subcontracting plans. eSRS transforms
subcontracting reporting from a disorganized and confusing process into
a cohesive, easy-to-use, web-based system. Prime contractors no longer
have to send reports to multiple persons within the same agency. It
provides one stop reporting for primes as well as easy access for
government personnel.

This web-based tool eliminates the need for paper submissions and
processing of SF 294's, Individual Subcontracting Reports, and SF 295's,
Summary Subcontracting Reports. Previously, a major contractor might
have to fill out hundreds of these forms and send them to multiple
offices in an agency and to multiple agencies. Now the data is entered
one time and the government sees it online as soon as the data is
entered. In most of the Executive agencies this information is reviewed
by the Small Business Office, with the Contracting Officer also
reviewing the Individual Reports. Summary Reports are due October 30
each year, and Individual Reports are due April 30 and October 30 each
year.

eSRS has reduced the government cost in terms of manpower and time. It
has eliminated duplicate systems and reduced the manpower required. More
time is now spent on data analysis instead of data collection or input.
It has improved the quality of subcontracting data by providing
trending, reducing manual errors, and providing a single method and
point of entry for all subcontracting reports. Future plans call for the
integration of DoD into eSRS. Additionally, the FAR Council is
discussing further changes to FAR Clause 52.219-9 Small Business
Subcontracting Plan. Go to [www.esrs.gov](http://www.esrs.gov/) for
access and web training opportunities.

**Acquisition.gov.** Acquisition.gov is the IAE website dedicated to
providing the acquisition community with the tools and information it
needs to do its job efficiently. Just as IAE integrates acquisition
systems governmentwide, the IAE website will be a central location for
all the information the contracting workforce needs to do its job.
Significant files from AcqNet have now been migrated to acquisition.gov.
Drop down menus under "Acquisition Workforce" and "AcqNet" give you
instant access to the FAR, OMB's website, Defense Acquisition
University, links to assist small businesses, and much more. It contains
resources for government buyers as well as government vendors. IAE is
working with representatives from across the government to add to the
content and make it a one-stop-shop for a complete menu of acquisition
related information. Updating and redesigning the website is also
underway.

**The future of IAE.** The IAE Program Office is in constant
communication with the end user customers to look at where they think
new opportunities exist to change or expand IAE. The IAE staff and
Project Management Officers are constantly re-evaluating internally what
they are doing and how they can improve the current processes. They also
continually review how new technology can impact and revamp the systems.
According to Teresa Sorrenti, future plans include more consolidation of
systems, more real-time sharing of data, and eventually single sign-on
using e-authentication, a common infrastructure for electronically
authenticating the identify of customers of e-Government services
governmentwide.

Proposed expansion of IAE also includes development of a portal which
will simplify data interactions and serve as a single point of access
and integration for the shared systems and the agencies; development of
standard electronic catalog ordering processes; and updating the
Interagency Contract Directory (ICD). The ICD will be an online market
research and planning device which will allow government buyers to
examine existing multi-agency contracts to see if their requirements can
be met there before developing new contracts.

Another IAE project underway focuses on the Commercial-Off-the-Shelf
Contract Writing Systems (CWS) that agencies rely on. Since March, 2005,
the Acquisition Requirements Team (ART) has been working on developing a
set of common acquisition requirements, including interfaces with
finance systems, that all CWS packages would have to meet to qualify for
federal agency use. A similar qualification is used for Core Financial
Systems. An internal draft of this document is being finalized for
public comment.

As the business of acquisition changes, evolves, and becomes more
technical, IAE will continue to change. For more information on this
article, please send questions or comments to
<integrated.acquisition@gsa.gov>.

## GSA AND ABILITYONE/JWOD STRATEGIC ALLIANCE 

**JWOD Program Renamed AbilityOne**

AbilityOne will become the new name of a longstanding procurement
program employing people who are blind or who have other severe
disabilities under the auspices of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Act.
According to Andrew D. Houghton, Chairperson of the Committee for
Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled ("the
Committee"), AbilityOne will replace the JWOD acronym, but does not
change the underlying law, which was established to create job
opportunities for people who are blind or severely disabled in the
manufacture and delivery of products and services for the federal
government. Today, this program is the single largest employer of people
with severe disabilities in the United States, with more than 46,000
jobs nationwide.

The Committee, the independent federal agency that administers JWOD,
determined that the program's future success required an enhanced
ability to communicate its purpose and value to others. After a
long-term, comprehensive study, the Committee decided that "AbilityOne"
best fit its criteria for an effective name, and published its decision
in the November 28, 2006 Federal Register. "AbilityOne has a much closer
linkage to the program's workforce and capabilities, and alludes to the
convergence of all participants into one umbrella program," said Mr.
Houghton. "A stronger, more unified name will help us increase overall
awareness, understanding and support for our program, and ultimately,
better fulfill our employment mission."

While the enabling Act remains important and its sponsors retain their
place of honor in the program's history, the Committee believes that in
the 21^st^ century, it is necessary to build a program identity beyond
the legislation in order to fulfill its mission. Mr. Houghton stated,
"We honor our founders by maximizing employment for people who are blind
or severely disabled; and we believe that as AbilityOne, we are better
positioned to succeed in our goals."

To ensure that all stakeholders familiar with the JWOD acronym are able
to recognize and transfer their support to the new program name, the
Committee will continue to use JWOD along with AbilityOne for a
transition period of about 18 months. An unveiling of the new name and
graphic design is expected Spring 2007. The well-recognized SKILCRAFT®
brand will continue to be licensed and managed by National Industries
for the Blind for a wide range of products furnished to the government
under JWOD authority, and is not affected by the program name change.
For more information, visit [www.jwod.gov](http://www.jwod.gov/).

**Check Out the AbilityOne Program at GSA Expo 2007!**

AbilityOne (formerly JWOD) is offering several courses at the upcoming
GSA Expo 2007, to be held in Orlando, Florida, May 15-17. For more
information on these courses, contact Stephanie Lesko at <info@jwod.gov>
or visit [www.jwod.gov](http://www.jwod.gov/):

*How to Leverage the AbilityOne Program to Fulfill Your Needs.* Are you
responsible for purchasing products or services for your agency? This
course provides an overview of the AbilityOne/JWOD Program, describing
how it fulfills customers' needs for products and services while also
helping to employ people who are blind or have other severe
disabilities. Topics to be addressed include the JWOD Program's
legislative and regulatory background, its unique organization and
capabilities, and its role in meeting the federal government's
socioeconomic goals. The course will provide samples of solutions
available through the AbilityOne Program, as well as practical, "how-to"
information to get you started.

*Buyer's Guide for SKILCRAFT® and other AbilityOne/JWOD Products -- how
to get the Quality, Value and Convenience You Need.* Navigating the
federal marketplace for off-the-shelf or custom products can be
challenging. This course provides a comprehensive guide to purchasing
SKILCRAFT® and other AbilityOne Program products, making it easy to
obtain the quality and value you require, when you need it. Learn about
the many types of products offered through the AbilityOne Program, a
priority source of supply. You will also learn about the wide range of
authorized AbilityOne distribution channels offering AbilityOne Program
products that will help satisfy your agency's product purchasing needs.

*AbilityOne/JWOD Products for Government-Unique Requirements.* The
AbilityOne Program offers a wide array of products that support our
government's mission-critical needs. This course is designed to inform
program managers and contracting personnel about AbilityOne products
that are designed to meet military and civilian agencies' unique
requirements -- items like uniform clothing and equipment, subsistence
items in special packaging, medical products, and specialty boxes. We
will demonstrate how the AbilityOne contracting process works, start to
finish, and will address initiatives to deliver quality and best value.
The course includes several real-life examples of AbilityOne products
that were mutually developed with our federal customers. In addition,
this course will provide helpful reference material to support the
exploration and development of manufacturing and related
storage/distribution projects under the AbilityOne Program.

**DID YOU KNOW?**

GSA\'s Center for Acquisition Excellence has posted a video,
"*Conducting Assisted Acquisitions Via Interagency Agreements*" to its
website. This is the beginning of a series of video announcements and
training opportunities. This video is part of GSA's commitment to
fulfill its obligations under the Memorandum of Agreement between GSA
and the Department of Defense signed in December 2006. GSA\'s
Acquisition Workforce is encouraged to view the video and watch for
upcoming training dates. To view the video, log on to the Center\'s Web
site, click on the Learning Center, Audio and Video presentations, then
Search to locate the video. Contact: <rachael.lerum@gsa.gov>.

**CHECK IT OUT!**

"Check It Out!" highlights upcoming conferences and events of interest
to the GSA acquisition community. If you'd like to have your conference
or event listed in this column, please send an e-mail to the Editor,
<judy.steele@gsa.gov> with the pertinent information including a point
of contact.

**Excellence in Government Conference**

April 4-5, 2007

Washington Convention Center

Washington, DC

[www.excelgov.com](http://www.excelgov.com/)

1-800-332-5185

**NCMA's World Congress**

"Achieving Outstanding Results Through Effective

Life-cycle Contract Management"

April 22-25, 2007

Hyatt Regency

Dallas, TX

[www.ncmahq.org/meetings/WC07](http://www.ncmahq.org/meetings/WC07)

**IRMCO**

April 29-May 1, 2007

Kingsmill Resort and Conference Center

Williamsburg, VA

[http://irmco.gov](http://irmco.gov/)

**GSA EXPO**

May 15-17, 2007

Orange County Convention Center

Orlando, FL

[www.expo.gsa.gov](http://www.expo.gsa.gov/)

**Federal Acquisition Conference (FACE)**

"Acquisition Frontiers: Blazing New Trails"

June 19-20, 2007

Ronald Reagan Building

Washington, DC

[www.fai.gov/face](http://www.fai.gov/face)

\*\*\*\*\*

We thank our guest authors for their contributions to this newsletter.
Guest authors express their own views, which are provided for the
information of our newsletter readers. We welcome any comments,
suggestions, and articles. We also welcome any individually authored
articles on acquisition issues that would be of interest to the GSA
acquisition audience. Please contact the Editor, Judy Steele at
<judy.steele@gsa.gov> with comments or suggestions.

*Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer*

*1800 F Street, NW*

*Washington, DC 20405*

*Editor*

*Judy Steele*

*Graphics Editor*

*Lisa Cliff*

*Policy Editors*

*The FAR Staff*