Forms FAQ

1. What is GSA’s role in governing the federal governmentwide Standard and Optional forms program?
2. How do I create, change, or cancel a Standard Form or Optional Form?
3. What is the procedure to introduce a new GSA Form or request changes to an existing GSA Form?
4. How do I find and use the electronic forms I need?
   1. Occasionally when I attempt to open pdf forms in Adobe Reader, I get a blank page. What is causing this and how do I recover?
5. When it isn’t possible to use an electronic version of a form, how do I order a supply of paper forms?
6. What is www.usa.gov and how can it help the public citizenry and small businesses find the forms needed to do business with the federal government?
7. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about how to find subject matter forms, including GSA and other federal agencies’ forms. While GSA is not responsible for other agencies’ information, we offer these links only as an assist. Further questions should be addressed to the sponsoring agencies.
   1. What forms do I fill out to become a GSA Vendor?
   2. Where can I find Department of Defense (DOD) Forms?
   3. Where can I find a copy of a military specification?
   4. Where can I find lodging tax exempt forms for travel?
   5. I am a former federal employee and I need to get a copy of my SF50 Notification of Personnel Action form. What is the fastest way to obtain it?
   6. Where can I find forms for Medicare and Medicaid?
   7. Where can I obtain information on federal grants and loans?
   8. Where can I obtain the forms to obtain or update my passport?

1. What is GSA’s role in governing the Federal governmentwide Standard and Optional Forms program?

GSA’s role was assigned by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and is contained in FMR (41 CFR) 102-194, Standard and Optional Forms Management Program. The program was established to achieve governmentwide economies and efficiencies through the development, maintenance, and common use of conventional forms. Furthermore, the program achieves federal goals to replace paper forms with electronic versions to enable electronic completion and transmittal of form data and to reduce the information collection burden to the public to the maximum extent possible.

2. How do I create, change, or cancel a Standard or Optional form?

Standard Forms (SF) and Optional Forms (OF) promote economies and efficiencies through the development, maintenance and use of common forms. The process is as follows:

• Review the inventory of SF and OF forms available in the GSA Forms Library to verify that an existing form doesn’t already meet your needs. Automated business processes/systems should also be considered in your review.
• Cite a prescribing directive or regulation that justifies the SF form’s creation, change, or cancelation. (No directive or regulation is required for OF.)
• Collaborate with other agencies who may use the form and with potential users to determine their requirements. Follow the procedures of the Privacy Act, Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), and other regulatory requirements if and as appropriate, such as establishing a System of Records Notice (SORN) and obtaining an OMB Control Number, etc.
• Complete Standard Form 152, obtain your agency’s authorization, and submit the request to Forms@gsa.gov

3. What is the procedure to introduce a new GSA Form or request changes to an existing GSA Form?

The process for a GSA Form is similar to that of Standard and Optional Forms as outlined in FAQ 2 above regarding the establishment of need; assurance an existing form/automated business process doesn’t already suffice; citing prescribing directive(s) as applicable; complying with Privacy Act, PRA, and other regulatory requirements; and collaborating with content customers and stakeholders as appropriate. For a GSA Form, complete and obtain needed authorizations on a GSA 2192 to request Forms Management Services (GSA Forms).

Submit your request(s) via a completed GSA 2192 to Forms@gsa.gov

4. How do I find and use the electronic forms I need it?

The GSA Forms Library includes listings of current and obsolete Standard Forms (SF), Optional Forms (OF), GSA forms, a few other agencies’ forms that are frequently used by our visitors, and this list of FAQs to help you find forms. Electronic forms are available in Adobe portable document format (pdf). GSA’s Forms Management Team is available via e-mail at Forms@gsa.gov for creating, modifying and discontinuing GSA, SF or OF forms and for help finding forms on this website.

1. Occasionally when I attempt to open pdf forms in Adobe Reader, I get a blank page. What is causing this and how do I recover?
   
   This could be caused by an incompatibility between an older version of Adobe Reader and a user’s web browser. You can correct this by downloading the latest Reader version from Adobe’s website.
   
   You can also try right-clicking on the form icon and using SAVE TARGET AS… on the menu to save the form to your desktop. Opening the form using Adobe Reader directly rather than through your web browser should correct the problem.

5. When it isn’t possible to use an electronic version of a form, how do I order a supply of paper forms?

Paper copies of Standard Forms (SF) and Optional Forms (OF) may be ordered online through GSA Advantage or by calling GSA Global Supply at 800-525-8027 and selecting option 3 on the phone menu.

Requests for paper copies of GSA forms may be sent to Forms@gsa.gov.

Please include form number, title, and quantity needed.

6. What is www.usa.gov and how can it help the public citizenry and small businesses find the forms needed to do business with the federal government?

USA.gov is a portal that provides citizens and businesses with a common access point to a wealth of government information, including access to over 6,000 federal agency forms. It provides citizens and businesses with the ability to search for federal forms needed to interact with the Federal Government. This reduces the burden on citizens and businesses associated with locating federal forms for both voluntary and regulatory interaction with the Federal Government. There are several ways to search forms at USA.gov; e.g., by agency, form number, alphabetically by form name, or by keyword.

7. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about how to find subject matter forms, including GSA and other federal agencies’ forms. While GSA is not responsible for other agencies’ information, we offer these links only as an assist. Further questions should be addressed to the sponsoring agencies.

1. What forms do I fill out to become a GSA vendor?
   Contact information: Multiple Awards Schedule Helpdesk (National Customer Service)
   Phone 800-488-3111
   Fax 816-926-6952
   mashelpdesk@gsa.gov
   Website: How to get on schedule
2. Where can I find Department of Defense (DD) forms?
   Department of Defense forms are available on the DOD forms website.
3. Where can I find a copy of a military specification?
   Military specifications can be found at the Defense Standardization Programwebsite.
4. Where can I find lodging tax exempt forms for travel?
   They can be found on the SmartPay tax information by state page.
5. I am a former federal employee and I need to get a copy of my SF50 Notification of Personnel Action form. What is the fastest way to obtain it?
   Federal law [5 USC 552a(b)] requires that all requests for records (such as an SF50) and information be submitted in writing. Each request must be hand signed (in cursive) and dated (within the last year). Please identify the documents or information needed and explain the purpose of your request. Certain basic information needed to locate civilian personnel records and to answer the request, includes:

• Full name used during federal employment.
• Date of birth.
• Social Security number (if applicable).
• Name and location of employing Federal agency.
• Beginning and ending dates of Federal service.
• Complete return mailing address and/or authorized return fax number.

Written requests (hand signed in cursive and dated) may be mailed or faxed to:

National Personnel Records Center, Annex
1411 Boulder Boulevard
Valmeyer, IL 62295

Fax: 618-935-3014

For more information, visit the National Personnel Records Center website.

1. Where can I find forms for Medicare and Medicaid?
   Medicare and Medicaid forms may be downloaded from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
2. Where can I obtain information on federal grants and loans?
   Information on federal grants and loans may be obtained at grants.gov.
3. Where can I obtain the forms to obtain or update my passport?
   Passports are issues by the U.S. Department of State. Information and forms may be downloaded from the U.S. Department of Statewebsite.