GSA Global Supply FAQs

What is GSA Global Supply?

GSA Global Supply is a federal program administered by the General Services Administration. It is a requisition-based supply program for customers worldwide, including the Defense Department. Customers can use a variety of ordering mechanisms to submit requisitions to GSA for delivery globally.

We make it easy for our military and civilian customers to find and buy products. Customers benefit from leveraged pricing and administrative savings because GSA has already completed a competitive procurement process for each item. GSA also ensures compliance with federal acquisition regulation, AbilityOne mandates, Section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act and other relevant purchasing regulations.

While Global Supply does work with commercial suppliers to develop its product line, customers purchase from GSA. Each transaction is government-to-government. It is a priority source when federal agencies and military users are purchasing supplies, per federal acquisition regulation section 8.002.

GSA Global Supply offers easy access to common-use items, including:

• Maintenance, repair and operations.
• Janitorial and sanitation.
• Office supplies.

How is GSA Global Supply referenced in the Federal Acquisition Regulation?

In federal acquisition regulation 8.002, Priorities for Use of Mandatory Government Sources, GSA Global Supply is identified as a wholesale supply source (v) and should be referenced as a priority when federal and military agencies are purchasing supplies. Federal acquisition regulation 8.002 indicates:

Except as required by federal acquisition regulation 8.003, or as otherwise provided by law, agencies shall satisfy requirements for supplies and services from or through the sources and publications listed below in descending order of priority.

• Agency inventories
• Excess from other agencies (see Subpart 8.1)
• Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (see Subpart 8.6)
• Supplies that are on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. (see Subpart 8.7)
• Wholesale supply sources such as stock programs of the General Services Administration  (see 41 CFR 101-26.3), the Defense Logistics Agency (see 41 CFR 101-26.6), the Department of Veterans Affairs (see 41 CFR 101-26.704), and military inventory control points.

Under a 1971 Agreement, General Services Administration and Defense Logistics Agency  agreed to divide responsibilities for a wide range of products in the National Supply System. DLA assumed primary responsibility for items that were deemed “military” in nature and GSA assumed responsibility for “civilian” items like office supplies and hand tools.”

Finally, note that federal acquisition regulation Subpart 8.4 “is not applicable to orders placed through the GSA Global Supply System.” Federal acquisition regulation Subpart 8.4 deals with use of GSA Multiple Award Schedules, not GSA Global Supply.

How do customers purchase from GSA Global Supply?

GSA Global Supply conducts competitive procurements to ensure compliance with the federal acquisition regulations and other relevant mandates before offering products to its customers. Customers can confidently place simple requisitions with GSA Global Supply for desired items without having to solicit comparison prices from multiple sources since procurement is completed and compliance guaranteed.

There are several options for ordering from GSA Global Supply:

• Use automated systems for submitting military standard requisitioning and issue procedures or federal standard requisitioning and issue procedures. These orders are routed electronically to GSA via the Defense Automatic Addressing System.
• Order online at GSA Global Supply™ or GSA Advantage. Both sites function 24/7, enable users to place orders from anywhere in the world, and offer electronic equivalents of traditional requisition forms DD 1348 or SF 344.
• Phone in orders 800-488-3111 between9 p.m. Sundays to 9:30 p.m. Fridays Eastern Time.
• Fax orders to 800-856-7057 at any time. Blank fax order forms are available in GSA Global Supply catalogs and most brochures.

How can customers pay for their orders?

GSA Global Supply accepts the government purchase card and processes thousands of orders daily.

GSA Global Supply can arrange direct billing for customers who use an activity address code or a military equivalent.

To ensure adequate management control of new Department of Defense activity address code, first-time users must provide contact information for a supervisor. GSA will email the supervisor to verify the validity of the code and its user. This six-month approval can be renewed for extended use. Holders of a valid Department of Defense activity address code and password can order online or via phone, fax, or email.

How do I request an activity address code or a Department of Defense activity address code?

Designated points of contact at military and civilian agencies work closely with GSA to coordinate the management of activity address codes. To begin, send an email to ordermgmt@gsa.gov and we can help you identify your agency’s point of contact.

What is an AAC or DoDAAC?

AAC stands for activity address code and DoDAAC for Defense Department activity address code. All military agencies have a DoDAAC and civilian agencies use an AAC. It is a six-character, alphanumeric identifier. Users can obtain these codes from their finance office or contracting officer. For assistance, contact ordermgmt@gsa.gov.

If I’m paying with a government purchase card, do I still need my activity address code when placing my order online?

Yes.

What is the difference between GSA Global Supply’s website and GSA Advantage?

Both sites display more than 400,000 items available from GSA Global Supply, with identical pricing and terms (They even accept the same user name and password). GSA Advantage also displays more than 20 million products and services available from more than 18,000 Multiple Award Schedule contractors. Comparison shopping is quick and easy on GSA Advantage!.

For those who know they want to buy from GSA Global Supply™, selecting and purchasing desired items is simple and safe. For those who wish to maximize comparison shopping, GSA Advantage Is a powerful tool. See the table below for more details on the two sites:

Does GSA Global Supply confirm customer orders?

Yes. Online orders at the GSA Global Supply or GSA Advantage sites conclude with an “Order Confirmation” screen that customers can print or save for reference. Fax orders are confirmed with a fax reply. Phone orders can ask for email or fax confirmation.

Can GSA ship overseas?

Yes. Normally, GSA vendors ship to a Defense Logistics Agency consolidation and containerization point  in the US and from there Defense Logistics Agency will ship the item overseas.

How can I find out the status of an order?

The simplest way is to visit the AskGSA website and enter a requisition number for instant status. You can also contact GSA’s National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 800-488-3111 or NCSCcustomer.service@gsa.gov with your request. There is also a requisition status link on both the GSA Global Supply and GSA Advantage websites.

How do I resolve a problem with a GSA Global Supply order?

Visit AskGSA, a self-service tool, to find status of a pending order. GSA’s National Customer Service Center (NCSC) is available at 800-488-3111 or by email at NCSCcustomer.service@gsa.gov.

How are prices set for GSA Global Supply? Do they change?

GSA Global Supply conducts procurements and prices competitively. Typically, the quoted price includes shipping costs.

In a competitive and volatile marketplace, prices are subject to change. GSA makes every effort to maintain consistency between the two websites and the printed catalogs and brochures. The websites are updated overnight, every night, to incorporate changes. Customers should use websites for the most up-the-minute pricing. Customers pay the price that is in effect on the day that they place the order.

What is the federal strategic sourcing initiative and how does it relate to GSA Global Supply?

GSA has negotiated blanket purchase agreements to provide extra savings on office supplies and other products. This gives users an easy way to purchase products while assuring that agencies leverage the government’s buying power on the most commonly purchased items. GSA Global Supply is also incorporating strategic sourcing into its operations. Items available through strategic sourcing are identified online with an “FSSI” icon. Some agencies have polices for mandatory or preferred use of the federal strategic sourcing initiative office supplies blanket purchase agreements. To learn more about this program visit federal strategic sourcing initiative.

Why are some GSA Global Supply items identified with NSNs and others with part numbers?

GSA Global Supply offers more than 50,000 items identified with a national stock number. This is a 13-digit identifier where the first four digits indicate its federal supply class (such as 5110 for tools) and the remaining digits identify the specific item. National stock numbers are a fundamental part of the national supply system and facilitate transfer of requisitions among the General Services Administration, Defense Department, Postal Service and other federal entities.

GSA has partnered with leading commercial vendors to offer hundreds of thousands of additional items. Since it would be impractical and costly to assign NSNs to each product—some of which are short-lived—GSA relies on commercial part numbers.

Customers can order national stock numbers or part-numbered items by phone, fax or online. Military standard requisitioning and issue procedures users can order part-numbered items using the identifier AOB for domestic shipment and AO2 for overseas destinations.

How am I billed for a GSA Global Supply order?

Once GSA Global Supply’s vendor partner ships an order, the vendor bills GSA. GSA then bills the customer. If the customer paid with a government purchase card, the transaction will appear on the monthly statement, with GSA Global Supply noted as the supplier. If the customer paid with an activity address code, those transactions are processed with the Treasury twice a month, around the first and fifteenth.

Will I be billed for shipping/freight if I use my government purchase card?

No. GSA is only authorized to charge your credit card once. By the time the vendor invoices for the freight, GSA has already charged your government purchase card for the item. Therefore, GSA absorbs the cost of the freight on all government purchase card orders.

Can we buy from GSA at retail stores?

GSA’s Retail Operations program supports a few dozen stores in the United States and overseas. Visit GSA Retail Operations site to learn more.