The Washington-based Coalition for Government Procurement (Coalition) and its members have submitted comments regarding the General Services Administration (GSA) proposal to change its Multiple Award Schedule Program Continuous Open Season policy. Under the proposed model, GSA would have the ability to close certain Schedule contracts based on the agency’s assessment of federal demand.

In a statement, the Coalition said: “While the Coalition recognizes that GSA has a responsibility to control costs and wisely use its acquisition resources, we are concerned with the current proposal. The Coalition and its members believe that the Demand Based Model sacrifices innovation and flexibility.”

The president of the Coalition, Roger Waldron, weighed in on the topic: “One of the underlying pillars of the GSA Schedules program has been that of continuous open-seasons, which allows the government to acquire new products and technology to complete its mission.”

In its comments, the Coalition stated that the closing of schedules would reduce the ability of firms to effectively and efficiently provide new commercial products, services and solutions to meet government requirements. “This proposal would negatively impact all firms seeking to enter the federal market, especially small businesses,” noted the Coalition in its comments.

The Coalition maintains that continuous open seasons facilitate rapid introduction of commercial offerings by current contractors and by continuously allowing new entrants into the GSA Schedules market. In its comments, the Coalition explained: “They acknowledge the flexibility, efficiency, innovation and competitiveness inherent in the commercial marketplace. We also note that each schedule contract includes a contract clause that authorizes GSA to cancel low- or no-sales contracts. Rather than close schedules to new competition, GSA should utilize this long-standing contract clause to reduce the number of low- or no-sales contracts. Continuous open seasons should remain in place.”

The Coalition was founded in 1979 to advocate a common-sense approach to government contracting. The Coalition is an organization that represents the well-being of government contractors whose contracts are administered by GSA, regardless of the industry or size of the company. With over 270 member companies, the Coalition represents 70 percent of all commercial services and products sold to the federal government each year.