**GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION**

**Multiple Award Schedule Advisory Panel; Notification of Public
Advisory Panel Meetings**

**AGENCY**: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

**ACTION**: Notice.

**SUMMARY**: The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple
Award Schedule Advisory Panel (MAS Panel), a Federal Advisory Committee,
will hold public meetings on the following dates: Monday, June 16, 2008;
Tuesday, June 17 2008; Monday, July 21, 2008; and Monday, August 18,
2008. GSA utilizes the Schedules program to establish long-term
Governmentwide contracts with responsible firms to provide Federal,
State, and local government customers with access to a wide variety of
supplies (products) and services.

The MAS Panel was established to develop advice and recommendations on
MAS program pricing policies, provisions, and procedures in the context
of current commercial pricing practices. For the next 3 to 4 meeting
dates, the Panel plans to focus on three areas: (1) STAKEHOLDER
EXPECTATIONS - what are our stakeholder expectations of the MAS program;
what should be the purpose of the MAS program; and is it structured to
serve our stakeholder needs; (2) ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - what
should be the role and responsibilities of the GSA contracting officer
and that of the ordering agency contracting officer; the need to
eliminate duplication at the task order level those pricing
determinations made by the GSA contracting officer; and, the management
and oversight responsibilities, such as training and assuring
consistency in policy; and (3) FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE
DETERMINATIONS - what are the stakeholder expectations for schedule
prices; should the GSA contracting officer or the ordering agency
contracting officer make the fair and reasonable price determination;
the presumption that the schedule contract negations result in fair and
reasonable prices; and orders issued in compliance with FAR 8.4 ordering
procedures result in best value.

To that end, the Panel would like to hear from the many stakeholders of
the MAS program. The MAS program stakeholders include, but not limited
to, ordering agency contracting officers, customer agency contracting
officer, GSA contracting officers, schedule contract holders, Congress,
program managers, General Accountability Office, and agency Inspector
General Offices. The panel is particularly interested in stakeholder
views as to how the issues discussed above may relate differently to the
purchase of goods, services, or goods and services that are configured
to propose an integrated solution to an agency's needs.

[I. STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATIONS]{.underline}

Discussions and presentations on STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATIONS will take
place on Monday, June 16, 2008, and Tuesday, June 17, 2008. The meeting
start time for each day is 9:00 a.m., and they will adjourn no later
than 5:00 p.m.

[Monday, June 16, 2008 Location & Address]{.underline}: The meeting will
be held at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Building, 2^nd^
Floor, 1725 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The building is
located at the corner of 18^th^ Street and New York Avenue, NW. Entrance
to the building is on either 18^th^ Street, or New York Avenue. The AIA
is within walking distance from the Farragut North metro stop.

[Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Location & Address]{.underline}: The meeting
will be held at the Jury's Washington Hotel, Westbury Room, 1500 New
Hampshire Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The hotel is within walking
distance from the Dupont Circle metro stop.

[II. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES]{.underline}

Discussions and presentations on ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES will take
place on Monday, July 21, 2008.

[Monday, July 21, 2008 Location and Address]{.underline} - The meeting
will be held at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Building,
2^nd^ Floor, 1725 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The building is
located at the corner of 18^th^ Street and New York Avenue, NW. Entrance
to the building is on either 18^th^ Street, or New York Avenue. The
meeting start time is 9:00 a.m., and it will adjourn no later than 5:00
p.m. The AIA is within walking distance from the Farragut North metro
stop.

[III. FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE DETERMINATIONS]{.underline}

Discussions and presentations on FAIR AND REASONABLE PRICE
DETERMINATIONS will take place on Monday, August 18, 2008.

[Monday, August 18, 2008 Location and Address]{.underline} - The meeting
will be held at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Building,
2^nd^ Floor, 1725 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The building is
at the corner of 18^th^ Street and New York Avenue, NW. Entrance to the
building is on either 18^th^ Street, or New York Avenue. The meeting
start time is 9:00 a.m., and it will adjourn no later than 5:00 p.m. The
AIA is within walking distance from the Farragut North metro stop.

For presentations before the Panel, the following guidance is provided:

[Oral comments]{.underline}: Requests to present oral comments at this
meeting must be in writing (email or fax) and received by the Designated
Federal Official, Pat Brooks, at the below address ten (10) business
days prior to the meeting date. Each individual or group requesting an
oral presentation will be limited to a total time of five minutes.
Speakers should bring at least 50 copies of their comments for
distribution to the reviewers and public at the meeting.

[Written Comments]{.underline}: Written comments must be received ten
(10) business days prior to the meeting date so that the comments may be
provided to the Panel for their consideration prior to the meeting.
Comments should be supplied to Ms. Brooks at the address/contact
information noted below in the following format: one hard copy with
original signature and one electronic copy via email in Microsoft Word.

Subsequent meeting dates, locations, and times will be published at
least 15 days prior to the meeting date.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT**: Information on the Panel meetings,
agendas, and other information can be obtained at
[www.gsa.gov/masadvisorypanel]{.underline} or you may contact Ms. Pat
Brooks, Designated Federal Officer, Multiple Award Schedule Advisory
Panel, U.S. General Services Administration, 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite
911, Arlington, VA 22205; telephone 703 605-3406, Fax 703 605-3454; or
via email at [mas.advisorypanel@gsa.gov]{.underline}.

**AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS**: All meeting materials, including meeting
agendas, handouts, public comments, and meeting minutes will be posted
on the MAS Panel website at [www.gsa.gov/masadvisorypanel]{.underline}
or [www.gsa.gov/masap]{.underline}.

**MEETING ACCESS**: Individuals requiring special accommodations at any
of these meetings should contact Ms. Brooks at least ten (10) business
days prior to the meeting date so that appropriate arrangements can be
made.

Dated:

David A. Drabkin,

Acting Chief Acquisition Officer,

Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer,

General Services Administration.

**\[Billing Code: 6820-EP\]**