Attachment 3-RFI 47QRAB25N0003-Q_As-2025.05.02.pdf

RFI 47QRAB25N0003 - Q & A

Questions GSA Response

Context:

Question:

Under GSA's notice 47QRAB25N0002-Demos titled "GSA Charge Card and Commercial Payments" (dated 4/15/2025), GSA released a limited number of time slots from 4/23/2025 to 4/30/2025 for companies to provide a demo / presentation of capabilities and/or solutions under the scope outlined in the initial 3/20/2025 notice number 47QRAB25N0002.

Today, however, in the middle of the time frame for these demos/presentations, GSA has issued a new RFI 47QRAB25N0003 (dated) 4/28/2025 titled "Charge Card and Commercial Payments - Additional Request for Information". This 4/28/2025 RFI not only references the 3/20/2025 and subsequent 4/15/2025 RFIs (and includes a copy of the same) but states it expands the scope and now-- "This potential acquisition will seek an end-to-end solution(s) for an innovative charge card and commercial payments platform designed to leverage commercial best practices, integrated technology, and financial controls of current innovative and enhanced spend management tools."

"GSA has considered increasing the scope of this potential acquisition to include multiple agencies and organizations, up to the entire federal government in one or more centrally issued or managed contract(s). This effort includes purchase, travel, and fleet business lines, and could also potentially include government agency to government agency (i.e., inter-governmental and/or intra-governmental) transactions. Additional considerations may include customization of agency or organization interface functions for non-charge card or commercial payment functions, such as order management, receipt tracking, and travel management."

Additional information regarding financial systems across government and states that "...potential financial system encumbrance..." is now part of the scope of work being considered.

It is known that at least one business, a known small business with SBA socioeconomic certifications, held their demo/presentation the week prior to GSA's disclosure of this expanded scope on 4/28/2025. Companies who presented on or prior to 4/28/2025 did not get the same opportunity to incorporate this new RFI information into the information provided to GSA (and other agency participants) as companies whose appointments fall after 4/28/2025.

How is GSA ensuring that market research is being conducted ethically and with integrity, and is achieving its stated goals, when the agency has chosen to disclose a significantly expanded scope DURING its own demonstration / presentation timeline and all companies are not presenting against a common known scope?

GSA is conducting market research in accordance with the FAR, GSAM, and internal guidance.

At the market research stage, GSA has discretion to conduct additional research or request more information about specific aspects that may arise while reviewing industry responses and demonstrations/presentations. This new RFI is within scope of the potential requirements being considered and developed; GSA is researching whether or not the scope of this potential acquistion will increase to include the entire federal government. GSA is not requesting or expecting past or scheduled demonstrations to include the information requested in this new RFI. RFI 47QRAB25N0002-Demos provided specific areas of interest and topics to address in the demonstrations/presentations Those areas of interest and topics have not changed.

Information received from the various RFIs and/or demonstrations/presentations will be used to shape GSA's acquistion strategy.

Context:

Question:

Context:

Question:

GSA has released information "...that there is currently not one uniform financial system that is deployed across the entire federal government; each agency or organization manages and develops systems to meet specific policies, regulations, laws, needs, and missions. Additionally, it is not uncommon for large organizations with complex missions and structures to have multiple financial systems and some may have shared service organizations or other agencies managing either a single or multiple financial systems."

Can GSA provide any additional information about the numbers of potential financial management systems as well as the agencies acting as financial management shared service providers (i.e, USDA, FAA's ESC, etc) to better state the depth / breadth of diversity in systems utilized?

GSA's expanded scope states -- "Additional considerations may include customization of agency or organization interface functions for non-charge card or commercial payment functions, such as order management, receipt tracking, and travel management."

"...that there is currently not one uniform financial system that is deployed across the entire federal government; each agency or organization manages and develops systems to meet specific policies, regulations, laws, needs, and missions. Additionally, it is not uncommon for large organizations with complex missions and structures to have multiple financial systems and some may have shared service organizations or other agencies managing either a single or multiple financial systems."

"Many large and/or complex agencies may also have more than five hierarchy levels for program and account administration, based on organization, operations, and appropriations."

"Further, there are agencies that require additional or higher levels of security, due to mission needs and sensitivity of operations and personnel."

These statements are listed as specifications any solution must meet and that they are unique to the Federal Government (otherwise they wouldn't be mentioned), and GSA's own statements are that customized solutions are required.

GSA's PIRC Guide for CSO procurements states-- "The goal of the CSO pilot program is to implement a competitive solicitation methodology outside the normal Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) procurement methods to provide a streamlined approach for acquiring new innovative commercial solutions."

The definition of "Commercial Product or Service has the meaning given the term “commercial item” includes a commercial product or a commercial service, as defined in sections 103 and 103a, respectively, of title 41, United States Code."

This statement has a footnote that says "The FY23 NDAA defines “commercial product” by referencing the term “commercial item” in FAR 2.101, as part of the definition. However, “commercial item” is no longer defined in the FAR."

Given the FAR 2.101 definition of commercial product and commercial service, can GSA provide the specific regulatory rationale for the continued planned use of the CSO process?

GSA has broadly stated the scale of the various agency/organization financial systems given the potential for future administration/agency changes. However, to assist respondents with understanding the possible scale, GSA provided a link to GSA SmartPay statistics and reporting tools. If/when a solicitation is issued for this potential acquisition, it will include necessary details about the scale of the requirement.

GSA is conducting market research to explore the potential development of an acquisition using the referenced CSO authority and increase the agency's understanding of available commercial products and services. The potential for customization does not automatically render the solution or acquistion non-commerical in nature. Information received from the market research will be used to shape GSA's acquisition strategy, including applicability of the CSO authority.

Can you share how the agency will evaluate or use the responses received?

What are the next steps and expected timeline following this RFI?

RFI responses are not evaluated. An RFI is not a solicitation for proposals/solutions; they are in support of the government's market research efforts. Information received from the market research (including various RFIs and/or demonstrations/presentations) will be considered and may be used to shape GSA's acquisition strategy.

Information received from the market research (including various RFIs and/or demonstrations/presentations) will be considered and may be used to shape GSA's acquisition strategy. Additional RFIs may be posted to support GSA's market research efforts. Specific timelines are not established at this time.