Is Using GSA Advantage a Viable Option For State Governments?

What is GSA Advantage? General Services Administration (GSA) has made it convenient and easily accessible for states and government municipalities to procure their IT products and services through e-Buy, a subcomponent of GSA Advantage. GSA Advantage is the government's central online shopping superstore and provides access to millions of products and services from thousands of federally recognized contractors. e-Buy is an electronic Request for Quote (RFQ) system designed for Federal and State buyers to prepare RFQs directly on line for a whole range of products and services offered through GSA's Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. Purchases can be made with SmartPay Government Purchase card, an Activity Address, state or local government issued credit cards and Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA).

Who should use it? Using GSA Advantage ensures you are getting the most competitive pricing from GSA-approved sources. Federal government agencies and activities as well as States and other municipalities can go directly to GSA-approved vendors working in the IT domain of interest to solicit quotes for products or services and to even obtain assistance in Request for Proposal (RFP)/Request for Quote (RFQ)/Request for Information (RFI) development. There is no cost to use GSA Advantage or e-Buy.

Why should you use it? Some states have already leveraged GSA Advantage to purchase products and services. This procurement activity complies with the three bids and RFP process. When searching for and seeking IT Professional Services, GSA Advantage and e-Buy simplifies the entire vetting process - RFP/RFQ development and response, contractor/vendor identification and assessment, pricing analysis, contractor/vendor selection process and payment process. The entire lifecycle is simple, efficient, economical and aligns you with the right contractor/vendor and with the right product or service, ultimately acquiring best value solutions. Additionally, when ordering through this system, shipping and payment status can be easily tracked and monitored.

How do you use it? Interested parties can even browse GSA Advantage without registering. The process is simple. As a customer, you can browse GSA Advantage by simply entering key words, parts numbers, NSN's, specialized products, manufacturer name, contractor name, contract number or by Special Item Number (SIN). For IT Professional Services, the SIN is 132-51. By entering the SIN, one can access all registered GSA approved contractors/vendors, their offerings, labor rates and other pertinent information. It is strongly recommended that interested states and government municipalities refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), as it provides a wealth of detailed information.

How do you access it? To obtain access and register with GSA Advantage, go to www.gsaadvantage.gov. This will take you to the GSA Advantage home page. This page includes tabs for Tutorial, Customer Assistance, Registration and Login. Should you want to register, go to the right column box entitled State and Local. At the bottom of this box, key on to "Register Here". It then will take you through a series of simple steps to get you quickly on your way to accessing and using GSA Advantage. There is absolutely no cost and no other administrative requirements.

For more info, who do I contact? If you have immediate questions regarding GSA Advantage or e-Buy, please direct them to Tom Foster, CCIS Government Contracts and Program Manager at 919-844-2111, EXT 215 or at tfoster@ccis-inc.com

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