R -- Notification of NEW FAS MAS Express Program

On January 16, 2007, the General Services Administration, Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) will introduce the MAS Express Program (referred to as ?MAS Express? in this document). MAS Express is a pilot program designed to accelerate new Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract awards by allowing proposals submitted by Offerors who meet specific criteria for certain products to be awarded significantly faster, with a long-term goal of awarding within 30 calendar days. MAS Express offers several benefits to GSA customers and prospective GSA contractors. The near-term benefit will result in a reduction in the amount of time it takes to process an offer. This will make products and services available quicker to GSA?s customers. The program will also allow for streamlined collaboration and communications between the contractor and GSA Contracting personnel. To be eligible for MAS Express, Offerors will be required to successfully complete an education program called ?Pathway to Success.? The ?Pathway to Success? education is available via live sessions or online at http://vsc.gsa.gov, Vendor Training. The ?Pathway to Success? program is primarily intended to assist contractors to help make the business decision if it is in their best interests to have a MAS contract. It also includes discussion sessions covering: ? the proposal submission process and the MAS solicitation ? the obligations involved in being a Schedule contractor ? How an offeror must differentiate itself, by pricing, service, delivery, and/or terms and conditions, in order to be competitive and attract Federal customers ? opportunities that are available through MAS Express Offerors will receive certificates for completing ?Pathway to Success,? which they must submit with their offers. These certificates are valid for one year, and the employee attending the presentation must still be employed by the company at the time of proposal submission. Additional MAS Express Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for the MAS Express, a company must first offer products from the following selected MAS Special Item Numbers (SINs) from five Schedules. The eligible SINs are product specific (with associated maintenance) where the pricing history is straightforward and well-defined. Schedule Special Item Number (SIN) Description 70 132-8, 132-12 IT Hardware / Repair & Maintenance 67 19-1 20-130 20-316 20-320 262-53 EXCLUDES 19-100 Photographic Equipment 78 All SINs Sports, Promotional,Recreation Outdoor,Trophies and Signs (SPORTS) 81 IB 617-1 through 617-5 617-7 617-8 617-11 617-12 EXCLUDES 617-10 & 617-13 Shipping, Packaging and Packing Supplies 58 I 58 -1 Recording and Reproducing Video and Audio Equipment In addition, Offerors must meet all other MAS Express criteria. The basis of the additional criteria is to demonstrate that the Offorer?s company is financially sound, has a proven track record of sales and is willing to offer GSA its best pricing. Additional information on MAS Express criteria requirements can be found at www.gsa.gov/masexpress. Point of Contact Vendors may obtain additional information regarding MAS Express by accessing the Vendor Support Center (VSC) at http://vsc.gsa.gov and clicking on the "Business Opportunities" tab. For questions specifically related to MAS Express, vendors may contact the Schedule Program Express Evaluation Desk at (312) 886-8897. For questions regarding a particular Schedule solicitation, vendors are advised to contact the points of contact listed for the specific solicitation in FedBizOpps or in the actual solicitation document.