CPI_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

Commercial Platforms

Draft Solicitation Q&A

1. Question: (7/7/19) Is the draft solicitation for the commercial platforms program only for product-focused e-marketplace platforms or do you want feedback on services as well?

Answer: The draft solicitation for the commercial platforms program is intended for product-focused e-marketplace platforms. The program will not allow platforms that are primarily focused on services as part of the initial proof of concept. However, GSA will consider feedback received on ancillary services that might be associated with a product, as this represents a common commercial practice.

2. Question: (7/9/19) Does GSA plan to use the number of NAICS codes to determine if a marketplace spans “multiple categories” and if so, how many are needed to meet your qualifications? If not, what will you be using to determine if a marketplace offers “a wide array of products across multiple categories”?

Answer: GSA requires e-marketplace platforms that offer a wide array of products in more than one government-wide category in the Category Management structure (as defined by the government-wide category’s matched Product Service Codes (PSCs)). Platforms that only offer products within a single category will be considered ‘specialty platforms’ and will not be eligible to participate in the initial proof of concept.

GSA encourages each vendor to conduct review of their product offering against the government-wide category structure and matched PSCs prior to submitting a proposal.

3. Question: (7/9/19) If e-marketplace platforms are excluded from competing on the basis of being

“specialty”, will those “specialty” product categories be eliminated from the scope of the proof of concept?

Answer: In the Phase II: Market Research and Analysis report to Congress in April 2019, GSA stated:

‘In keeping with the requirements of Section 846 to follow commercial practice, GSA will make the full range of common consumables available and allow agencies to establish further limitations.’

GSA does not intend to limit product categories on the awarded e-marketplace platforms and will evaluate the needs of the government in relation to the commercial platforms program in the future.

4. Question: (7/9/19) How are the Amendment 1 documents posted to FedBizOpps (FBO) on July 2, 2019 different than the original posting to FBO on July 2, 2019?

Answer: Amendment 1 of the draft solicitation package on FBO corrects the date on the cover page of the draft solicitation.

https://acquisition.gov/content/category-management https://acquisition.gov/PSC_Manual https://interact.gsa.gov/sites/default/files/Phase%202%20Market%20Research%20and%20Consultation%20%28Section%20846%29%20-%20FINAL%20April%202019.pdf https://www.fbo.gov/index.php?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=1acc00e59a5410b11d52e921d7a99909&tab=core&_cview=1

5. Question: (7/18/19) Will questions and comments submitted in response to the draft solicitation be published? Additionally, will these questions and comments be subject to FOIA requests?

Answer: GSA will respond to questions received and will post those responses to FBO (without attribution to the submitter). GSA does not intend to publish comments received. All requests for information filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) will be processed in accordance with the FOIA requirements (see FOIA.gov). We are currently in a pre-decisional process. As such, deliberative materials may be withheld under exception 5 to the Freedom of

Information Act.

6. Question: (7/24/19) Clarification is requested on the following statement: “If a contract holder does not meet the expectations of the program, or pricing of items sold via the platform is determined to be unreasonable during ongoing contract administration...”. “Does not meet expectations” and “unreasonable” are vague terms.

Answer: GSA will provide further clarifying guidance regarding this statement in the final solicitation.

7. Question: (7/24/19) Clarification is requested on due dates referenced for the final solicitation.

Answer: For the final solicitation, offerors will be provided a minimum of 30 days for review and submission of proposals from the date the solicitation is released. GSA intends to release the final solicitation for the proof of concept by the end of FY19, to allow ample time to consider and incorporate feedback from the draft solicitation.

8. Question: (7/24/19) Clarification is requested regarding the past performance evaluation factor.

The draft solicitation references previous contracts of “similar scope and magnitude of effort and complexity”. As a proof of concept for GSA, this effort is definitionally unprecedented. As such, relevancy ratings may be subjective or imbalanced.

Answer: As indicated in Section E.3.5.3 Factor 3 - Past Performance of the draft solicitation, GSA will review the offerors’ past performance on work that was similar in scope and complexity to the requirements in the final solicitation. This may include past performance with

“commercial entities”.