GSA’s goal of cutting award time to 30 days is delivering positive results with streamlined processes and by awarding its first contract in 12 days under the new MAS Express Program.

With the implementation of the new processes and the assistance of the new centralized Schedule Program Express Evaluation Desk (SPEED Desk), the first contract awarded in February went through the process of initial rejection, corrections and eventual award under the 30 day goal according to Micheal Sade, Assistant Commissioner for Acquisition Management at GSA.

“We’ve had our first success in significantly streamlining the application process for our industry partners under our new Express Program,” said Jim Williams, FAS Commissioner.  “Administrator Lorita Doan gave us one of our biggest challenges around to bring the time from application to award in 30 days, and we’ve done it for the first time.”

GSA’s SPEED Desk is helping to expedite the process and deliver results more efficiently.  A contract is reviewed and either forwarded to the acquisition center, returned to the offeror for future reconsideration, or directed to the acquisition center for evaluation, award or return.

“We really re-engineered our process on the front-end to instill quality in the offers, through vendor education and quality in the initial review process through the standup of the central SPEED Desk,” Sade said.

“We have automated the checklist to improve the quality and turnaround time of our review so we can respond more quickly,” Sade said. “The old process could take 31 to 40 days.  Here, we’re turning them around within a day.”

The process was quicker than expected according to Jeff Scott, a National Accounts Representative for Mity-Lite, Inc., the company that received the first award.  GSA consolidated some of the paperwork which helped deliver faster results, according to Scott.  Is he qualified to say this?  What does he know about normal vendors?

The implementation of new processes and training programs help deliver positive results to the customer.

“I know we’ve hit upon the right combination of web-based tools, our SPEED Desk that provides a focal point for all questions and actions, and our hugely successful Pathways to Success industry training program,” Williams said.

The Pathways to Success industry training program is designed to educate contractors with their offers whether it’s through the traditional process or via the MAS express program according to Sade, who encourages participation and welcomes feedback.

Overall, the program is reaching its target goal and providing both training for contractors and a quicker process of awarding contracts.

“This rogram allows us to speed up the time to get new products and services to our (agency) customers while still ensuring we get best value for the taxpayers,” Williams said.

Contractors seeking the benefits of the new MAS Express Program have to check the availability of the schedules. Currently, the MAS Express Program is limited to certain numbers.  Schedules 67 (Cameras, Photographic Printers and Related Supplies and Services), 70 (Information Technology Equipment, Software and Services), 81 (Shipping, Packaging and Packing Supplies), and 581 (Professional Audio Video, Telecommunications and Security Solutions).

GSA plans to eventually have all schedules available under the new program according to Sade, with a projected date of January 2008.

 Author: Catherine Roberts, Reporter, fedcontracts.org