Request for Information - Commercial Platforms Initiative
Request for Information - Commercial Platforms Initative
This Request for Information is for the implementation of the Procurement through Commercial e-Commerce Portals program defined in Section 846 of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act.
GSA is looking for feedback on the requirements posed in this RFI package, as well as specific feedback on the following questions:
● Is the definition of the ‘e-marketplace' model clear and workable?
● Do the limitations on e-marketplace providers use of data address the concerns of the supplier community?
● GSA has provided an initial list of data points that we believe are important to efficiently manage a program with multiple e-commerce platforms and assess this proof of concept, please provide feedback on those elements as they relate to what you already provide to your B2B clients. What should be added, removed or clarified?
● This is an opportunity to build-out a new data driven avenue for micro-purchases, with potentially substantial benefits in data consolidation and savings. What benefits and concerns does this raise?
● Are there terms or conditions included which would lead e-marketplace providers to choose not to compete?
● Are there terms or conditions included which cause great concern for suppliers on e-marketplaces?
● Are you able to provide real-time access to catalog data, to include extracts of that data to GSA?
● What capabilities do you offer to your B2B customers that help them to mitigate supply chain risks?
● One value proposition of the GSA commercial platforms program is to offer customer agencies competitive B2B pricing and price related terms and conditions (e.g. delivery, warranty, etc.) as opposed to purchasing through consumer e-commerce portals. Please describe the type of pricing and price related terms and conditions you offer to your B2B commercial customers.
● How would you support ‘contingency support' thresholds that temporarily increase spending thresholds from $10k per order up to $20k during times of natural disasters or emergency?
We expect that each of the key points above will generate questions. GSA will be hosting the latest in a series of meetings on this program as part of the Federal Marketplace Initiative Industry Day at 12:30 pm ET on Wednesday, December 12 in the Department of Interior Sidney Yates Auditorium, located at 1849 C St NW in Washington, DC. In this meeting GSA and OFPP will further expand on our thoughts around the first proof of concept. We will also invite discussion and thoughts from interested stakeholders. For more information on in-person registration and/or virtual attendance for this event, please visit the Commercial Platforms Interact group.
GSA is looking for written responses to the questions presented by December 21, 2018; please email responses to Section846@gsa.gov.
GSA will use the responses received, both in person and in writing, to finalize both the solicitation and the Phase II report due to Congress in March 2019. GSA will not be issuing the final solicitation until after the report to Congress is submitted.
Thank you for your continued feedback and participation. To learn more about the Commercial Platforms program, please visit our Interact group or view the included ‘Commercial Platforms Program Overview' attached with this FBO announcement.
See attached documents for further information.
Dominic L Lackey, Contract Specialist, Email dominic.lackey@gsa.gov - Sarah Duncan, Contract Specialist, Phone 2025011569, Email sarah.duncan@gsa.gov
