FCW Insider: GSA customers need more data on purchases, panel says

Here is another report from panel groupie Matthew Weigelt, reporting live from the schedule advisory panel meeting:

The panel on Friday decided to recommend that the General Services Administration and customer agencies get more information about their purchases from Multiple Award Schedule contracts.

The Multiple Award Schedule Advisory Panel wants agencies to collect information and report on what they buy.

According to the motion, which the panel passed unanimously, “That GSA, with cooperation and active participation of ordering agencies, establish a process that will enable ordering agencies to collect and report on the purchasing experience of the buying activities, including quantity and quality considerations as well as price.”

The panel also agreed to a motion, saying, “That GSA disclose the basis upon which the contracting officer determines the prices is fair and reasonable.”

Panel members have questioned whether GSA and agencies keep enough information regarding the MAS program purchases to back up their prices. They have said the lack of pricing data has hindered their efforts to offer recommendations to improve the MAS program.

However Lesa Scott, director of IT Schedule Contract Operations at GSA’s Integrated Technology Service, said she’s concerned if agencies would only do the minimum possible and render the motion useless.

“I concur with the vision but worry about the implementation,” she said.

Elliott Branch, chairman of the panel, said GSA would have to work out those details.

Stay tuned for more.