Mark Your Calendars! FSSI OS3 Virtual Industry Engagement Event Scheduled for December 10.

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fssios3blogger

<div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: small; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Thank you for your comments and for clarifying your concerns over the phone.  Per our discussion, we've utilized OS2 transaction data to estimate business volume to ensure that the market basket is appropriately weighted in accordance with anticipated demand.  As many part numbers match multiple products, it's become common practice (at the wholesaler level) to append a 3-letter prefix in front of the part number.  For example, Part Number "86700" matches Hammermill copier paper, a NAPA brake rotor, Rigid PVC Tubing and numerous other products -- appending "HAM" in front of the part number has become commonplace.  To further help ensure standardization and clarity, GSA is also requesting UPC-A code information on products that have registered UPC-A codes. When selecting the sample part numbers for the market basket, GSA made significant efforts to de-duplicate like items and defaulted to the version of the part number that had the highest reported sales.  Where readily available, GSA made further efforts to standardize the product descriptions to existing Industry (i.e. wholesaler catalog) language.   </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: small; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: small; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">GSA acknowledges that while necessary, there is significant effort required to complete a proposal for an 853 item market basket. With this fact in mind, we've sought to eliminate unnecessary burden by providing the "AutoPopulate" functionality.   As we were able to confirm verbally, the "AutoPopulate" macro is working correctly and it should be helpful in completion. It's important to note that the provided fields (denoted by a purple background) must remain exactly the same for the feature to work; however, you may propose (in fields denoted by a light-yellow background) any item that matches the specifications of the sample part number, with the exception of cases listed in the provided instructions tab.  </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: small; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: small; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Again, thank you for your comments and feedback.  We welcome and appreciate your collaborative efforts to minimize the burden of completion and ensure a level-playing field for all.</div><div> </div><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div dir="ltr"> </div></div>

Posted 12/06/2013 8:54 AM

PaulB

<p>Column A in General Office Supplies is problematic.</p><p>The title reads Sample Manufacturer's Part Number or NSN.</p><p>You have mislabeled Smead's item number SMDxxxx.  The SMD prefix is not part of the Smead item number nor stock number.</p><p>The same holds true for other companies.</p><p>Our database uses the exact manufacturer item number or part number.  It looks like you are using United Stationers or SP Richards catalog number.  With your prefix, this does not allow access to our databases' true item number or part number.</p><p>Following the instructions, this is what I found.</p><p>In general, after reviewing the "AutoPopulate" code and running it a few times, it is apparent that contractors have to propose the exact same items.</p><p>For example, if you fill the AutoPopulate sheet with dummy values and run it, nothing gets populated.  If you throw in some line items from Toner, Paper or General then those rows will populate.  In summary, there is no freeform work here...everyone will have to match up their part numbers with the ones in the proposal and fill in all the fields.</p><p>This isn't too bad if it could be automated efficiently, but that is not feasible considering the time involved.  Doing all 855 items individually is equally distasteful.</p><p>A no-win scenario for most of us.</p><p>All this data is present in your system already; the only thing that is not there is the proposed price.</p><p>You should write a translator that could cross reference the part numbers from the various vendors.</p><p>This is going to require a lot of work unless you enable us to let us use our correct stock numbers or item numbers.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>

Posted 12/04/2013 5:12 PM

Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative (FSSI) - Office Supplies (OS4)

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