***[Acquisition Management in the Federal Acquisition Service \~ Jeff
Koses]{.underline}***

-   New Administrator and Commissioner in place that will step back and
    look and reflect on what the re-org looks like and what it should
    look like. They are champions of the schedules program. At the
    coalition Ms. Doan announced the 30 day Challenge program.

-   18,00 schedule contracts

-   5,000 offers per year

-   Identified numerous untapped markets

    -   3 major areas of analysis to be tackled over the coming months

-   Defining value proposition of schedules in the mid 90's

    -   Speed/ease of use

-   Competition w/ other available vehicles have grown in last ten years

-   Faster offer/mod processing necessary

-   Fundamental overhaul of schedule program as a whole

    -   Transactional Data

        -   Level 3/reporting data

        -   Who is buying

        -   What are they buying

        -   Drive towards strategic sourcing

        -   Managing spending

        -   3 paths of approach

            -   Working directly with major contracting writing systems
                for what info is captured; better use info to create
                useful analysis and reports

            -   GSA Tools

                -   Pre-release of spend analysis (spend data)from
                    Advantage & e-Buy

            -   Industry provided data

    -   E-Tools

        -   Industry Facing Issues

            -   SIP -- operational replacement

            -   Continued roll-out & expansion of solicitation writing
                system

        -   Customer Facing Issues

            -   Agency unique Advantage -- GSA labeling

                -   Used to award BPAs

                -   Looking for significant expansion

                -   Basic thoughts

                    -   Insuring any buyer who signs in to Advantage
                        signs in the Agency specific Advantage of the
                        buy

                    -   E-Buy to purchase off BPA

                    -   Punch out capability -- Advantage/e-Buy to order
                        writing system

        -   Looking for committee to assist in gathering information

    -   Pathway to success

        -   Attempt to better frame and define message

            -   Substantial value

        -   Policy consistency -- Tricia Pierson is leading this
            initiative

        -   Develop a program to better assist small businesses

            -   Sample script to be test run in NY on the 24^th^ using
                HR schedule

            -   What's involved on being a schedule holder

            -   Who your competition is and what sets you apart

            -   Use feedback to make online web-based program for
                potential contractors

                -   If contractors choose to submit offer, system will
                    take them through the process

        -   Develop a control system in place to respond better --
            electronic information push

        -   Consistent operating practices

            -   Different experience for each contract/solicitation

                -   Put infrastructure in place to tackle

                -   Re-formatted policy group -- uniform practices

        -   Relationship with IG community

            -   Setting Acquisition policies

            -   Now have proper definition of roles and responsibilities
                have been verbally agreed upon -- working towards
                official document

            -   Looking for guidance to be issued by the end of the year

        -   Broad base schedule overhaul -- disagree with coalition: 1
            schedule not the answer

            -   Define solution sets for what schedules belong together

            -   2 broad base concepts

                -   Will be talking to stakeholders about vision to work
                    towards final form (perhaps 5-25 range)

                -   Eliminate unnecessary overlap

-   Immediate Issues

    -   Hiring freeze end not in sight

        -   Strategic Sourcing BPAs becoming more prevalent in re-design
            & emergency preparation

        -   Loss of manpower necessitate work load shift

        -   PES schedule moving to Auburn, WA

        -   Media schedule (AIMS) will be moved to Fort Worth, TX

        -   Schedule 78 (rec equip./ sports equip/signs/flags/signal
            systems) to be split between NY & Furniture Center

    -   Further changes to come

    -   Established satellite IT division in KC

        -   8 month test case in 3^rd^ month

        -   Hoping to be a long term solution to address new offer
            volume

-   Committee Structure

    -   4 areas for possible committees

        -   Transactional Data Issues

        -   E-Tools

            -   Are we in the right areas

            -   \*\*What are our priorities?

            -   \*\*\*Do we have a POC for E-buy compliance issues?

            -   Systems interface for better practices

        -   Operating Policy Issues

            -   Vetting perspectives, what is critical

        -   Immediate differences

            -   19 months into re-org. -- highlight low hanging fruit
                when FAS is finally stood up

            -   Recognize and share successes

-   Questions

    -   SARA panel recommendation -- IT services schedule operating in
        an no price environment -- one set of Ts & Cs

        -   Why made?

            -   David Drabkin is on panel

            -   Never was on radar screen

            -   Potentially driven by Dayton officer that doesn't think
                price determination can be made unless profits are known
                in services buys; has no faith

                -   Also doesn't feel there is adequate competition

***[Acquisition Management in the Federal Acquisition Service \~ Rick
Figard]{.underline}***

-   Information being collected

    -   OMB also wants info. -- meaning all agencies may be needed to
        provide -- objective being strategic sourcing

    -   At Expo - tried to figure out how information is collected &
        stored

        -   What can industry give GSA

        -   If industry is not the place to go, where then?

    -   At Services IGC -- found industry may not be able to provide
        Level 3 data (transactional data) based in:

        -   Proprietary data

        -   Cost

        -   Re-writing of current contracts

        -   Everyone collects data differently

        -   What does industry benefit from providing information

    -   Industry concerns raised in ITIGC

        -   Point for audit possibilities -- would like insurance it
            won't be a point of audit

        -   Cost

        -   Out of date by they time analyzed -- no benefit

        -   How is the information collected then housed?

        -   What exactly is collected?

        -   How does industry collect information commercially and can
            we use that approach to collect the data that GSA needs?

        -   Instead of saying or asking how industry does it, GSA needs
            to say what we need and why, then let industry suggest how
            to get the information.

        -   What is GSA trying to accomplish?

    -   Perhaps look at DoD -- have many resources and no money; GSA has
        money and no resources \-\-- meeting w/ DoD to try to leverage
        opportunities

    -   Why is information to be collected? At strategic level?

        -   Looking for data to be supplied to do transactional analysis

        -   Looking for duplications

        -   What is agency asking of you?

            -   Rick working with Marketing group to provide information

            -   End product is for strategic sourcing

            -   Recommendation -- Industry Advisory Council is setting
                up working group to work with Gov't how best to create
                and manage strategic sourcing

        -   Gov't needs to know what they buy \-\-- need to take within
            agency and among agencies

        -   It doesn't matter what you've bought, it matters what you
            are going to buy

-   Concerns as to the integrity of schedules & 70 will be maintained in
    the ITSS, separate and distinct; particularly in the product area

***[Industry Update]{.underline}***

-   Acquisition Advisory Panel \-- What extent T & M contracts are used?

    -   Widespread practice \-\-- always prefer fixed price, but
        conditions have to be there

    -   However, panel's first finding didn't correspond with reality

    -   Diminishing resource (Acq. Workforce) are having increased
        burden because what's left is Cost + contracts

    -   Recommended to allow protests

    -   Recommended Gov't provide standard Ts & C's available for
        services contracts

    -   Industry trying to persuade Panel recommendations not taken

-   New final rule on EVMS

    -   Industry view

        -   There shouldn't be a pre-award

        -   Min. of \$20M

        -   Never apply to Fixed Price

    -   Rule says up to Agency as to where, what level, what contract
        types

    -   Industry trying to persuade agencies about when to best use

    -   Systems must be certified -- primarily

    -   How to deal w/ civilian agencies?

        -   Recommend that only have to certify once

    -   Coming from Karen Evans \-\-- require agency to commit that they
        will impose EVMS \-\-- Industry feels it is an unnecessary
        invasion

    -   Rule is final

-   Proposed rule on T & M contracting

    -   Gov't suspicion of industry bait and switch

    -   Industry tried to persuade Gov't about detriment to T & m
        contracts, particularly small businesses \-\-- not feel that
        industry perspective has been understood

    -   Believed final rule about to be released \-\-- advanced copies
        out to Rep. Davis' office

    -   Reason for T & M is speed and lack of adequate definition \-\--
        rule flies in the face of this

    -   Forcing transition within small businesses \-\-- take another
        hit

    -   Bright light \-\-- OPM program manager thought EVMS was too
        expensive

    -   Kitty Klaus \-\-- when T & M was not consulted or view from
        schedules angle

        -   Some contracts are to be billing subcontractor as other
            direct costs. If this is the case:

            -   Are they then considered open market?

            -   Do FAR competition rules kick in?

            -   Competition factors?

            -   No IFF?

            -   E-Buy doesn't allow open market items

            -   Roger's group has been promising an answer in coming
                weeks

***[Subcommittee Reports]{.underline}***

-   Cooperative Purchasing

    -   Went after DHS grant money -- Office of Domestic Preparedness

    -   Put together business case

        -   Success story -- Fairfax story

            -   Have Cathy Muse help make introductions elsewhere

    -   Grant money is going out to the states -- don't have resources
        to spend money, so this year in the grant guidance DHS published
        information on recommended contracting vehicles, including
        Schedule 70

    -   Continue to engage state markets -- need revolve around speed
        and ease in acquisition

    -   Local gov't building templates

    -   Education/awareness, positioning, marketing

***[GSA Update]{.underline}***

-   FAS Reorg.

    -   ITS portfolio -- reporting to John Johnson

    -   Not a significant change in operation

    -   Possible change in processes, but not dependent upon reporting

    -   KC division -- "extended telework"

        -   10 persons -- 1102s

        -   Schedules expertise and FTS expertise

        -   Ramping up

        -   Orders still coming into Central Office for now

-   IG status results for DoD report

    -   Not yet come out for public review/comment

-   HSPD-12

    -   2 parts \-\-- 1. certification/testing for certification & 2.
        contract award and modifications (IT Center responsible)

    -   SIN 132-60,61,62

    -   Anticipated price per seat basis for total services

    -   3 awarded; 15-20 in negotiation

    -   Companies on schedule 84 (security) will also join schedule 70
        for certified products

    -   Having to re-submit past performance to get on SIN 132-62
        currently

    -   Looking into redundancies in process

-   Schedule 70 Review

    -   8-10 person team evaluating necessary changes and streamlining
        opportunities

    -   Big potential area of assistance Council can provide

-   IPV-VI

    -   FAR case on proposed rule not yet been published

    -   Pat Brooks acting as head of FAR Acq. Tech. team

    -   Addressed as part of acquisition planning

    -   No certification by industry proposed initially

    -   Promoting in schedules arena

        -   No proposed clause or revision

        -   What would industry like for schedule to mark contractor as
            providing compliant products and services?

        -   Similar to Y2K period -- no definition clearly provided for
            transition between IPV-IV (based on tech. standards from
            70's when web was created --for addresses; 4B addresses
            available) to IP-VI (concept of creating 10 to the 34^th^
            power) and are there standards involved

    -   Question should be left at CO discretion or put in the
        solicitation

        -   Perhaps could mirror 508 compliance

***[e-Tools Update from Systems Management Center \~ Joe
Castle]{.underline}***

-   External/Internal Systems

    -   GSA Advantage

        -   Small purchase threshold is only hindrance sometimes

        -   Version 9 currently released

        -   Version 10 in development

        -   "Special Categories"

            -   Disaster Relief

                -   Katrina

            -   Categorized by SIN

        -   SIP

            -   Still evaluating solutions

            -   6-8 months to solution, release in next year

        -   State and Local Access

            -   Evaluating possible state and local access \-\-- hard to
                decipher proper purchasing authorities

            -   Still on radar

    -   e-Buy

        -   Very few buyers complete purchases through e-Buy

        -   Can only make purchases with purchase cards -- run into
            threshold issues

        -   Training page off homepage now

        -   Who made the "no open market"? -- does not know; more of an
            issue in the past year

        -   Customer side issues for vendors to report suspect postings?

            -   Vendors request an "Out of Scope" button to go back to
                customer, also possibly send email to GSA rep. for
                notification

            -   Any thought of quoting for contractor authorization to
                receive review authority

    -   Virtual Stores

        -   Air Force Advantage -- can display BPAs on site

    -   e-Mods & e-offer

***[CompTIA & DoD Directive 8570.1 \~ Tara Dean]{.underline}***

-   Signed Dec. 2005

-   Validation on Minimum security standards

-   DoD solution to being FISMA (?) compliant

-   DFARS are being updated to include this directive

-   For day to day persons working in functional areas

-   Job titles currently receiving validation to meet directive by DoD

-   100% compliant by 2010

-   Several companies provide certification tests/training

-   Pass rate 70% or less -- tests are difficult

***[Changes to 2003 Operating Procedures]{.underline}***

-   Council alright with moving forward

***[Open Session]{.underline}***

-   Report card

    -   Opportunity to see before rolled out?

    -   Corrections made in "reasonable" amount of time

    -   Changing report cards to annual basis

-   Fed Bid

    -   Online reverse auction for services or products

    -   Fee can be anywhere from 0-4%, conducted case by case; don't
        know until bill comes in

    -   Administrative nightmare for vendors

    -   What's IFF

        -   Can say it's invoice and not pay on override \-\-- reverse
            engineer PO \-\-- tracking is awful for vendors for audit
            purposes

        -   Some contractors over-pay IFF to compensate for potential
            shortages

    -   Can do what e-Buy can't

    -   Accept orders of any size

    -   Agencies are specifying GSA buy to go around e-Buy caps

    -   Disturbing instances

        -   Fed Bid makes a low as you can go price in reverse auction;
            awarded to lowest bidder, but winner called non-compliant.
            Second lowest called, but at that lowest you can go price as
            opposed to price bid. CO has final approving authority, but
            customer may be unaware of fee.

        -   Advertised as GSA only

    -   State Dept. uses frequently

    -   Fed Bid may also put up a bid to drive number down

    -   Ultimately \-\-- fraught with problems, beyond difficult to
        reconcile

-   Should we refocus committees or create new committees? Partner with
    Services IGC?

    -   e-Tools \-\-- perhaps join with Services IGC e-Tools committee

    -   Transactional Data committee to be headed by Paul Pitera

    -   Policy Issues committee ("Quick Wins") \-\-- to be headed by Ron
        Segal; priority is low hanging fruit

-   Would like to receive feedback on white papers

-   Two considerations for GSA outreach

    -   Bring in auditor in a non-attribution capacity

    -   Bring in a agency type

-   Positives/Negatives

    -   Good facilities, parking, and restrooms

    -   Good food

    -   Conference call alright

-   Next meeting date -- tentatively November 2^nd^, 2006