GSA Blog

Now available: GSA Federal Marketplace Strategy Fall 21 Release!

It’s mid-November and both leaves and temperatures are falling here in Washington. As we pass the midpoint of the first quarter of FY22, I’m very excited to share our ninth Federal Marketplace (FMP) Strategy Release with you.

Made up of numerous policy, process, and technology improvements from programs across the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), each FMP release is a step forward as we continue to deliver on our pledge to modernize and simplify the buying and selling experience for our customers, suppliers, and the acquisition workforce. While there are many noteworthy enhancements outlined in this release, there are a few standouts in the FMP Fall ‘21 Release that I’d like to highlight:

Enhanced GSA Advantage product details makes buying easier

In mid-October, we began supplementing contractor-submitted catalogs already on GSA Advantage with (whenever possible) authoritative product content sourced from our new Verified Products Portal (VPP). Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) products are now more accurately represented in the federal marketplace. This additional information will make it easier for customers to have access to consistent, reliable product data and includes product descriptions, images, and PDF attachments (such as user guides and installation manuals).

Common catalog platform award update

With a contract awarded, we’re also excited to start working on the Common Catalog Platform (CCP), a new web-based interface that will help resellers manage all their data associated with the products and services offered through GSA’s federal marketplace. The CCP will also be a boon for GSA’s acquisition professionals — allowing them to more quickly review and approve catalog uploads and pricing modifications submitted by suppliers.

Enhancements to eBuy and our RFQ process

We listened to the feedback from customers about their experiences using eBuy and responded with requested enhancements. Among them: A text box that allows suppliers to spell out exactly why they didn’t respond to a request for quote, which should help customers modify their RFQs to be more applicable to the marketplace and expand the pool of suppliers who could respond with a quality offer. And we’re not done yet! There are additional eBuy improvements in response to customer feedback on the way this quarter, including new icons that will allow Second Generation Information Technology (2GIT) customers to more easily identify SCRM certified/authorized suppliers and have confidence that they’re purchasing compliant products.

These are just a few of the improvements in our FMP Strategy Fall ‘21 Release. Please take a moment to check everything out, and share these updates and improvements with your network, as modernizing and simplifying the government buying and selling experience for all stakeholders continues to be a top priority for GSA.