FM QSMO VENDOR GUIDANCE 

SIN 518210FM

Financial Management Quality Service Management Office (FM 

QSMO) Core Financial Management (FM) Solutions and IT 

Professional Services

November 2023

Prepared by:

Financial Management Quality Service Management Office 

Bureau of the Fiscal Service

U.S. Department of the Treasury

This guidance was made publicly available in November 2023 by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and may be updated periodically 

to provide additional clarity as needed.
FM QSMO Vendor Guidance (SIN 518210FM)

November 2023

This guidance was made publicly available in November 2023 by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and may be updated 

periodically to provide additional clarity as needed.

Page 1 of 4

What is the FM QSMO SIN?

The Financial Management Quality Service Management Office (FM QSMO) Special Item 

Number (SIN) 518210FM, within the General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award 

Schedule (MAS) contract vehicle, provides Federal agencies with access to commercial

financial management solution/service offerings of the FM QSMO Marketplace and is the 

mechanism through which agencies procure these solutions/services. SIN 518210FM is 

comprised of four (4) subgroups, as follows:

1. Core Financial Management Solutions (Core FS)

2. Additional Financial Management (FM) Solutions

3. Financial Management (FM) Solution/Service Adoption and Transition Services

4. Financial Management (FM) Technology Operations Support Services

Why is the FM QSMO SIN of interest to vendors?

The FM QSMO Marketplace is the first stop for agencies looking to acquire FM solutions and 

services. OMB Memorandum 19-16, Centralized Mission Support Capabilities for the Federal

Government, OMB Circular A-123 Appendix D Management of Financial Management 

Systems – Risk and Compliance, OMB Circular A-11 Preparation, Submission, and Execution 

of the Budget, and Investment Planning Guidance released by GSA's Office of Governmentwide Policy direct agencies to engage with the FM QSMO prior to developing plans and issuing 

solicitations for FM technology or services.

To meet agency demand, participation of qualified vendors in the FM QSMO Marketplace is 

critical. Solutions/services offered by vendors awarded SIN 518210FM are showcased in the 

FM QSMO Marketplace Catalog.

What do vendors need to know before they apply for the FM QSMO SIN?

The FM QSMO, in collaboration with federal and industry stakeholders, has developed the 

Financial Management Capability Framework (FMCF). The FMCF includes standards and 

capabilities that define baseline needs and requirements for solutions/services in the FM QSMO 

Marketplace.

The FMCF consists of nine (9) components, the details of which can be accessed on the FM 

QSMO’s FMCF web page. Also available is the Guide to the FM QSMO Marketplace, which 

provides an overview of how the FM QSMO operates and how the FMCF applies to 

solutions/services in the FM QSMO Marketplace. Not all components of the FMCF apply to 

every solution/service offering in the FM QSMO Marketplace.

The FMCF serves as contractual requirements of the FM QSMO SIN. Vendors interested in 

providing commercial solutions/services in the FM QSMO Marketplace through SIN 518210FM 

are required to document, and for Core FS Solutions demonstrate, compliance with applicable 

components of the FMCF.

The FM QSMO conducts an evaluation of the technical elements of vendor submissions in 

response to SIN 518210FM to assess compliance at the FM QSMO Marketplace entry level.
FM QSMO Vendor Guidance (SIN 518210FM)

November 2023

This guidance was made publicly available in November 2023 by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and may be updated 

periodically to provide additional clarity as needed.

Page 2 of 4

How do vendors apply for the FM QSMO SIN?

Understanding the GSA MAS Program is essential to participating in the FM QSMO SIN. 

Information, guidance, and resources are available to both new offerors and existing MAS 

contract holders through the GSA Vendor Support Center.

1. Get Ready

Review SIN 518210FM to determine what solutions/services are within scope, and 

under which subgroups they best align.

Review the Guide to the FM QSMO Marketplace, components of the FMCF, and 

related resources (e.g., FMCF 101 Training) to gain an understanding of the required 

standards and capabilities for commercial solutions/services under SIN 518210FM.

2. Prepare Submission Package

In addition to administrative, technical, and pricing offer submission elements 

required by the GSA MAS solicitation and the IT Category attachment, vendors must 

be responsive to the additional instructions and technical submission elements of 

SIN 518210FM.

What’s included in an FM QSMO SIN-specific submission package?

A complete and responsive vendor submission package for SIN 518210FM includes 

the following:

a. Documentation for proposed offerings using the FM Solution/Service 

Definition Template (multiple offerings can be documented as individual tabs 

within a single copy of the template).

b. Technical narrative response addressing the FM QSMO Marketplace entry 

level evaluation criteria (i.e., self-evaluation/assessment and/or attestation) 

using the Technical Narrative Response Template.

c. Volume of any supporting documentation referenced in the FM 

Solution/Service Definition Template, Technical Narrative Response 

Template, and Core FS Pre-Built BIE Response Template (if applicable), 

including a listing of the documentation provided (e.g., existing solution enduser documentation, existing vendor program/process documentation, 

evidence of independent evaluation of vendor operational security, evidence 

of solution FedRAMP status).

If applicable (submissions including Core FS Solutions):

d. Technical narrative response addressing the Core FS business information 

exchange (BIE) capabilities using the Core FS Pre-Built BIE Response 

Template.

e. Volume of required reports and BIE files as indicated in the Core FS OCD 

Execution Plan, including a listing of the documentation provided.

Further instructions for completing the FM QSMO templates are provided in the 

respective documents.
FM QSMO Vendor Guidance (SIN 518210FM)

November 2023

This guidance was made publicly available in November 2023 by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and may be updated 

periodically to provide additional clarity as needed.

Page 3 of 4

3. Submit Package

Vendors must submit offers and/or modification requests in response to SIN 

518210FM using the GSA eOffer/eMod online submission tool.

How are vendors evaluated for the FM QSMO SIN?

Like other SINs under the GSA MAS Program, and as outlined in the GSA MAS solicitation and 

the IT Category attachment, GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) evaluates the general 

administrative, technical, and pricing elements of vendor submissions.

The FM QSMO is responsible for evaluating technical elements of vendor submissions specific 

to SIN 518210FM. The FM Solution/Service Evaluation Criteria component of the FMCF is used 

by the FM QSMO when evaluating vendors and offerings for compliance.

Vendors and offerings are not evaluated by the FM QSMO for all categories/criteria up front; 

only for those marked as being assessed at the FM QSMO Marketplace entry level. Not all 

evaluation categories/criteria apply to every solution/service offering (e.g., the Technology 

Design evaluation category does not apply to offerings that do not include technology).

For each evaluation category/criteria, vendor submissions are rated as “Acceptable” or 

“Unacceptable” based on review of documentation and/or demonstration of compliance with 

applicable components of the FMCF.

1. FM QSMO Technical Narrative Response Evaluation

For all vendors and all proposed solutions/services, the FM QSMO conducts an 

evaluation of the technical narrative response.

The FM QSMO evaluation of vendors’ technical narrative response consists of 

review for up to five (5) criteria categories as follows:

a. Business – Evaluates the ability to achieve FM business outputs and 

outcomes using the FM solution/service

b. Technology Design – Evaluates the FM solution/service’s technical 

architecture and design for servicing customers

c. Technology Operation – Evaluates the FM solution/service’s ability to 

respond to user demand and changes needed in the FM solution/service

d. Programmatic – Evaluates a provider’s strategy and management of service 

offerings and delivery

e. Organizational – Evaluates a provider’s organizational ability to deliver 

quality FM solutions/services and ensure customer satisfaction

2. FM QSMO Core FS Operational Capability Demonstration (OCD) 

Evaluation

For proposed Core FS Solutions, the FM QSMO also conducts an OCD evaluation.

The FM QSMO uses a phased approach to evaluating Core FS Solutions wherein 

failure to obtain acceptable results during the technical narrative response evaluation 

results in a submission not moving on to the subsequent OCD evaluation.
FM QSMO Vendor Guidance (SIN 518210FM)

November 2023

This guidance was made publicly available in November 2023 by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and may be updated 

periodically to provide additional clarity as needed.

Page 4 of 4

Upon determining acceptable results from the technical narrative response 

evaluation for a proposed Core FS Solution, the FM QSMO contacts the vendor to 

schedule the OCD.

The FM QSMO OCD evaluation of proposed Core FS Solutions consists of vendor 

demonstration of successfully executing six (6) business scenarios based on 

selected Federal Integrated Business Framework (FIBF) Federal Financial 

Management (FFM) use cases, functions and activities, and system requirements.

Core FS OCDs are conducted using vendor-maintained instances of the proposed 

solutions in vendor-provided environments and are limited to not more than eight (8) 

hours during a single business day.

Vendors use the sample data and correlation points provided in the Core FS OCD

Execution Plan and follow the scenario outlines and use case steps to execute their 

Core FS OCDs.

The six (6) business scenarios are further detailed in the Core FS OCD Execution 

Plan and are as follows:

i. Purchase and Management of Equipment

ii. Grants Disbursement and Closeout

iii. Temporary Duty (TDY) Travel

iv. Federal-to-Federal Reimbursable Agreement

v. Government Sale of Post-paid Goods

vi. Reports and BIE Files

Reference the Core FS OCD Quick Reference Guide to prepare for the OCD. 

Review the FM QSMO Vendor Onboarding Training to gain further understanding of how 

vendors and solutions/services are evaluated for SIN 518210FM.

What happens after vendors are evaluated for the SIN? 

When evaluation of the technical elements is complete, the FM QSMO provides the results and a 

recommendation to GSA, who makes the final award decision. Once the SIN is awarded, vendors 

are added to the FM QSMO Marketplace Catalog and may participate on opportunities in the FM 

QSMO Marketplace. Agencies will satisfy fair opportunity and conduct further evaluation of

vendors and solutions/services at the agency acquisition level.

What are the ongoing compliance requirements for vendors on the SIN? 

The FMCF is updated periodically to reflect changing policy and other requirements. Existing 

Marketplace vendors are required to maintain compliance with FMCF updates. As FMCF updates

are released, the FM QSMO will provide specific instructions to vendors. Vendors may be asked 

to provide a self-attestation, submit written documentation, and/or demonstrate additional 

capabilities based on the updates in a given release.

For additional information and resources, please visit the FM QSMO website and FM QSMO 

Resources web page or email fmqsmo@fiscal.treasury.gov.