GAO OKs GSA’s Third-Gen Office Supplies Purchasing Channel; Tom Sharpe Comments

The General Services Administration has started to consolidate vendors’ items for the Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative for Office Supplies vehicle after the Government Accountability Office’s cancelled of a stay of performance.

GSA said Tuesday it had halted work on FSSI Office Supplies Third Generation pending a number of protests of its August decision to award spots on the newest iteration of the purchasing channel for pens, inks and other everyday supplies.

The agency forecasts that the lower price for the items through OS3, majority of awards for which went to small businesses, could save government departments up to $90 million a year.

“In this critical time of reduced budgets, GSA is working diligently on strategic initiatives to include FSSI, the common acquisition platform and category management to leverage data, dollars and good business sense in helping the government buy smarter to meet its goals,” Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Tom Sharpe said.

“The evolution of the GSA Office Supplies FSSI solution is a great example of how the government can improve on an already great program with each iteration, increasing the savings to taxpayers through lessons learned and best practices.”