Andrew Bank | XSB https://xsb.com Better Decisions, Faster Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:30:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 Transform Manifesto Principle #3: Interoperability Everywhere https://xsb.com/transform-manifesto-3-interoperability-everywhere/ https://xsb.com/transform-manifesto-3-interoperability-everywhere/#respond Mon, 25 Mar 2024 03:55:02 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4742

Engineering data should be interoperable across IP owners, users, and software applications.

This is the third article in a series about the principles of the Transform Manifesto. If you want to start at the beginning, go here.

Currently, most engineering documents are stored in PDF files and PDF is a terrible container for data that restricts the potential value of the information. Information stored in PDF files is treated as standalone static data that is not linked to related pieces of information and does not get updated by changes in the digital thread (e.g. customer spec changes, changes to industry standards and regulations, etc). One piece of information is rarely ever used in a vacuum, but rather, answers to questions often require multiple pieces of data from multiple disconnected sources. This forces users to constantly move from one source to another (aka “silo hop”) to aggregate all the information they need for the task at hand. This becomes even more tedious and time-consuming when data is spread across internal and external sources.

Interoperability refers to the ability of different systems, components, or types of data to work together effectively, despite their differences. This is distinctly different from integration which is the process of combining different systems, components, or data into a single, unified system to improve efficiency and provide more value.

 

Interoperability liberates engineers from the limitations of standalone static data and delivers the answers they need faster.

In a true interoperable digital thread, data elements such as requirements, references, tables, graphs, equations, test methods and more are intrinsically linked based on relationships, dependencies, and shared concepts. This shared network of intelligence can feed an AI-driven platform to identify, contextualize, and deliver the right information to users at the point of need, in any application. All stakeholders have access to current, complete, and authoritative information. Answers to crucial questions are at your fingertips, effortlessly interconnected, and always up-to-date. Each IP owner manages and controls their respective data and end-users can only view what their permissions or license allows. Giving IP owners full control of their information ensures that any changes made by the IP owners are instantaneously communicated to all relevant users, eliminating the need for manual updates and reducing the risk of outdated information.

Interoperability liberates engineers from the limitations of standalone static data and gets users the answers they need faster. We think it’s time for the engineering community to embrace interoperability, pursue collaborative solutions, and help engineers make better decisions, faster.

What do you think? Do you spend too much time silo-hopping to find the information you need? If you want to create genuine interoperability across all your engineering documentation and applications, let’s talk.

If you want to read all seven principles of the Transform Manifesto, start here.

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Transform Manifesto Principle #2: Single Source of Truth https://xsb.com/transform-manifesto-principle-2-single-source-of-truth/ https://xsb.com/transform-manifesto-principle-2-single-source-of-truth/#respond Sat, 02 Mar 2024 21:02:48 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4678

Engineering data should be connected to a single authoritative source of truth, with changes communicated to all.

This is the second in a series about the principles of the Transform Manifesto. If you want to start at the beginning, go here. When you’re ready for the next in the series, go here.

The vast volume of data that is created every day is staggering. As engineers copy/paste and manually rekey data (e.g. text, graphs, tables, equations, etc) from authoritative source material into their daily work (e.g. work instructions, supplier requirements, quality control plans, etc), they proliferate an ever-increasing number of copies of the source material but without a “living” or traceable connection back to the source material. If changes are made to the authoritative source – for example, customer-led changes, or changes to company standards, industry standards, or regulations – the copied data and the people using it downstream are entirely unaware of the changes. If different users in the product development and supply chain are using different versions of the same data, this fidelity crisis has a negative impact on quality, performance, speed to market, error rates, scrap, rework, compliance, and liability.

Compounding this challenge are the large number of enterprise applications and information silos often containing duplicate data. As changes are made across the enterprise and to external content like standards and regulations, each of those silos need to be updated independently. This task is onerous and error-prone, and often creates further inconsistencies and engineering challenges downstream. 

Every company needs a “digital thread for engineering documents”.

These documents and the critical data within should be stored in a single, authoritative source of truth, ideally in a query-capable semantic web database or knowledge graph. All stakeholders should have access to the current, complete, and authoritative information, and when they need to use this data in other applications, they can “incorporate it by reference”, displaying the full and complete information but always with a dynamic live and traceable link back to the authoritative source. Each IP owner/author should manage and control their respective data, and any changes at the source should be automatically communicated up and downstream to all relevant applications, documents, and users.

A digital thread for engineering documents may sound like fantasy but the SWISS platform enables all of these capabilities and more. As a result, authorized human and machine stakeholders have access to the current, complete, authoritative, and consistent information for use over the product development life cycle.

What do you think? Are you tired of silo-hopping to find the data you need? If you think that your organization needs a digital thread for engineering documents, let’s talk.

Ready for the next in the series? Go here.

If you want to read all seven principles of the Transform Manifesto, start here.

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Transform Manifesto Principle #1: Documents and Content Are Out. Data and Context Are In. https://xsb.com/documents-and-content-are-out-data-and-context-are-in/ https://xsb.com/documents-and-content-are-out-data-and-context-are-in/#respond Sat, 02 Mar 2024 20:47:03 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4670

Individual pieces of data must be liberated from the static document and free to be used where and how end-users need them.

This is the first in a series about the principles of the Transform Manifesto. If you want to start at the beginning, go here. When you’re ready for the next one, go here.

For a long time, having all the right engineering documentation was all you needed to get the job done. Up until the mid 1990s, that meant piles and piles of paper documents and drawings. In the late 1990s, all the non-GD&T (Geometric Dimension and Tolerance) information such as industry specs and standards, technical data packages, work instructions, test methods, and internal corporate standards, moved from paper to PDF. At the time, it was a revolution that increased speed and enabled easy sharing – but PDF was never meant to be an engineering information tool.

Amazingly, not much has changed since then: most engineering documentation is in PDF format. This means that all the text, graphs, tables, equations, images, and references that comprise manufacturing notes, part/material/process attributes, requirements, test methods, work instructions, supplier instructions, customer requirements, and more are trapped in static PDF (and sometimes PowerPoint, MS Word, or even paper). Nearly every information user in the product development lifecycle struggles to find the precise information they need, extract the relevant data for the task at hand, and feel confident they are using the right versions and references in a sea of disconnected, static documents.

An engineering document is essentially a vast collection of individual pieces of data that engineers need to do their jobs. We believe these individual pieces of data must be liberated from the static document and free to be used where and how end-users need them.

If a worker needs the hole drilling requirements, they should be able to call them up quickly and easily and feed them into the machine. Better still, the machine should be able to extract them on its own and take action based on the data. If you need to share a complex table of values with a supplier, you should be able to extract the values and variables and transfer them easily while maintaining fidelity (and copyright ownership) to the source document. The supplier should be able to receive them in the application in which they are working. And if a change is made to the source document, the supplier should receive a notification of that change. 

What is context? Each piece of data is more than just letters or numbers: it has a purpose, it conveys meaning, and it has a relationship with many other pieces of data. Context describes what you can’t see in plain sight and explains why a piece of data may be important to you.

We also believe that each individual piece of data is more than just a jumble of letters or numbers: it has a purpose, it conveys meaning, and each piece of data shares a relationship with many other pieces of data. This is what we mean by context.

Context is the nuance, the unwritten but implied, the actionable intelligence that helps us better understand and use the data contained in the documents. For example, from context we can glean part, material, and process attributes (such as a process that involves hazardous materials). We can determine whether a prescribed process is dependent on another process or requirement, necessitating one process to come before the other in a project timeline. Using context, we can more accurately identify candidates for additive manufacturing. With context, we can quickly and easily qualify vendors as suitable or unsuitable for a particular task.

For many decades, the general wisdom in the information economy was that “content is king”. Today, content is still critical but context is becoming ever more important. By turning documents into data, we can identify, extract, and deliver the contextual and actionable intelligence that users need to make better decisions faster. If content is king, then context is surely queen.

The SWISS platform transforms engineering documents and drawings into interoperable, intelligent, and reusable collections of data that integrate seamlessly into modern engineering workflow. SWISS combines content, context, and software to reduce manual labor and deliver insights that help individuals make better decisions faster.

What do you think? Does this resonate with you? If you think it’s time to shift from documents to data and from content to context, let’s talk.

Ready for the next in the series? Go here.

If you want to read all seven principles of the Transform Manifesto, start here.

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The Digital Transformation Manifesto https://xsb.com/the-digital-transformation-manifesto/ https://xsb.com/the-digital-transformation-manifesto/#respond Sat, 02 Mar 2024 19:49:57 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4639

Engineers do too much manual labor, which takes too much time, and produces too many errors. It’s time for a paradigm shift.

 

Engineering documents have largely been left behind in the wider quest for digital transformation, but as more companies are seeing concrete benefits from addressing this “last mile” of the digital thread, we felt it would be useful to describe the critical areas where we think you and your company should be focused.

We published a set of principles – called “The Digital Transform Manifesto” (aka the “Transform Manifesto)– that you can use on the path to transform your engineering documentation into more usable, efficient digital twins. For the short and sweet version, take a look at our digestible slide deck here.

For a deeper dive into each of the seven principles, we’re posting a series of articles explaining each one and offering examples and best practices that you can implement in your own organization. Please share with your friends and colleagues and leave us a comment!

 

Why We (and You) Need a Manifesto

Why a manifesto? In a word, status quo. Ok, that’s two words but one concept. The status quo is hard to change but we’re going to give you powerful reasons to shift to a better way of working.

Engineering documents and drawings are full of essential data like requirements, references, materials, manufacturing processes, and more – necessary for ensuring high-quality, compliant products. But most of these documents are in flat-text PDF format, which is a poor container for data that hasn’t changed in almost 30 years. The only way to access this data from PDF is deep analysis by subject matter experts, then manually copying, pasting, and data-entry into other applications. None of this static data is linked to the sources or to the digital thread, so change management and impact assessment are difficult and uncertain. This results in overwhelming manual labor, too many errors, too much rework, and unacceptable risk.

Follow these principles to turn your engineering documents and drawings into actionable intelligence with new capabilities that reduce time, cost, and risk throughout the product life cycle.

The Seven Principles of the Transform Manifesto

  1. Documents are out. Data is in. Content is out. Context is in. Read here.
  2. Engineering data should be connected to a single authoritative source of truth, with changes communicated to all. Read here.
  3. Engineering data should be interoperable across IP owners, users, and software applications. Read here.
  4. Engineering information should be delivered at the point of need, anywhere in the enterprise, through APIs. Coming soon.
  5. Engineering data should be machine-readable. Coming soon.
  6. AI can be used to derive insights and intelligence from unstructured text. But AI must be used responsibly to ensure high accuracy and transparent sources. Coming soon.
  7. Data contained in documents should be available as authoritative and reusable data objects. Coming soon.

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2024 Procurement Landscape Updates https://xsb.com/procurement-landscape-updates-for-2024/ https://xsb.com/procurement-landscape-updates-for-2024/#respond Tue, 13 Feb 2024 14:20:41 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4606

As the new government fiscal year is underway, we’re tracking several acquisition policy issues and opportunities that may impact your public sector sales strategy.

 

Congress Averts Government Shutdown - Again

The Federal government has been running on a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) since the start of its new fiscal year (Oct. 1) while lawmakers have been battling it out over approving a full budget for 2024. While CRs are not unusual, and keep federal workers on the job, the effects of these temporary spending bills can’t be ignored. CRs generally continue funding levels based on the prior year’s budget; as a result, new programs and planned acquisitions may be stalled, staffing levels frozen, and existing program funds swept to cover mission critical needs. Additionally, administrative delays become increasingly common as attention is shifted from day-to-day operations to contingency planning for a potential shutdown.

While Congress voted to extend government funding into March, we’re already seeing a slowdown in spending through the government-run eCommerce websites, GSA Advantage! and DoD FedMall. Q1 commercial item sales are lagging compared to the same period in FY23. We’ll continue to track the impact of the budget delays as Q2 progresses and share more about overall Q1 eCommerce spend metrics in our next newsletter.

    NASA SEWP VI RFP Update

    The NASA SEWP Program Management Office has been challenged on their decision to use revenue-based NAICS codes for its pending SEWP VI Government-Wide Acquisition IDIQ contracts. With tens-of-billions of procurement dollars at stake (for Information Technology, Communications and Audio/Visual products and services), Industry and lawmakers have been vocal about the size standards limiting opportunities for small businesses to compete without losing their status. A revised draft RFP is not planned, but the PMO has appears to be taking feedback on NAICS codes and scope into consideration. The SEWP VI RFP is planned to be released through SAM.gov before the end of government FY Q2.

    Planning to pursue a SEWP VI contract? Warwick can help identify high demand items across the supply chain and ensure your prices are competitive.

    DoD FedMall System Overhaul

    FedMall, DoD’s eCommerce ordering system is getting a facelift. The Program Management Office announced plans to improve system performance and security, and provide users with a more modern, commercial look and feel by the end of the year. FedMall sales have been on a steady decline, down more than 33% from just two years ago; with increased competition from commercial eMarketplace contract holders, the overhaul may be just what the program needs to keep pace with commercial platforms and draw buyers (and their procurement dollars) back.  

    Warwick provides FedMall reporting to help understand how your price compares to the overall market.  It also identifies and tracks competitors to help understand what they’re selling and at what price.

    But Wait, There's More!

    These recent articles are valuable for any organization trying to maximize their sales to the government in 2024.

    GSA FCP Transition in Full Swing
    If you hold a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, you’ll want to pay attention to updates on the on-going rollout of the Federal Acquisition Service Catalog Platform (FCP).

    GSA Commercial Platform Program Update
    A solicitation for the next-generation of platform contracts has been issued with expected awards coming in 2024. We’re keeping a close eye on which eMarketplace providers will be issued contracts.

    The Future of Fair and Reasonable Pricing Policy
    As the government has aligned with commercial purchasing practices, they have also started to leverage lessons learned from the commercial marketplace; for example, allowing market forces to determine the price and availability of goods. So, what does the future of fair and reasonable pricing (and practice) look like for eCommerce Suppliers?

    Get the Insights You Need to Grow Your Public Sector Sales!

    Warwick customers have access to on-demand market intelligence, including procurement history, price benchmarks, and compliance data.

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    GSA FCP Transition in Full Swing https://xsb.com/gsa_fcp_transition/ https://xsb.com/gsa_fcp_transition/#respond Tue, 13 Feb 2024 14:08:38 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4573

    If you hold a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, you’ll want to pay attention to updates on the on-going rollout of the Federal Acquisition Service Catalog Platform (FCP). The new platform provides a modern framework for suppliers to provide Contracting Officers with information about the products and services offered through their contract and to ensure data is up-to-date and compliant. Moreover, FCP integrates with GSA Advantage, eMOD, and eLibrary, making separate SIP and EDI updates a thing of the past.

    GSA initiated the transition to FCP with a targeted ‘pilot’ of ~30 vendors within the OS4 (Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative for Office Supplies Fourth Generation) program. Based on positive feedback and the smooth on-boarding of these suppliers, GSA has been rolling the program out to other product schedule holders throughout 2024. The tentative plan is to begin on-boarding service contracts in 2025 (eventually all MAS contracts will be transitioned to FCP). Note that new contract offers cannot be submitted through FCP; it is intended only for existing contract holders to provide updates needed to maintain their catalog and submit modifications.

    An important aspect of the new FCP platform is its connection with GSA’s Compliance & Pricing (C&P) report. Product suppliers will now receive a C&P report after file submission providing price research and highlighting areas of non-compliance for correction. Suppliers will be able to use FCP to quickly remove any over-priced or non-compliant products submitted and streamline the approval process for SKUs that can be awarded without negotiation or correction.

    Learn more about FCP and access the Public User Guide here.

    Get the Insights You Need to Grow Your Public Sector Sales!

    Warwick customers have access to on-demand market intelligence, including procurement history, price benchmarks, and compliance data.

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    The Future of Fair and Reasonable Pricing Policy https://xsb.com/the-future-of-fair-and-reasonable-pricing-policy/ https://xsb.com/the-future-of-fair-and-reasonable-pricing-policy/#respond Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:32:21 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4598

    In public procurement, pricing decisions are governed by the ‘Fair and Reasonable’ litmus test; however, procurement regulations (i.e., the FAR) don’t explicitly define ‘Fair and Reasonable’. While buyers and sellers likely have different ideas about what constitutes a fair price for an item of supply, the fundamental market premise is that buyers want to be able to find the right product, at the right price, and suppliers want to deliver!

    Pricing requirements and objectives change over time and are influenced by market and economic conditions. Most recently, we saw how the sharp rise in inflation coupled with supply chain shortages and shifting demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, affected GSA’s ability to keep up with supplier price changes.

    As the government has aligned itself with commercial purchasing practices, they have also started to leverage lessons learned from the commercial marketplace; for example, allowing market forces to determine the price and availability of goods. So, what does the future of fair and reasonable pricing (and practice) look like for eCommerce Suppliers?

      • GSA schedules currently contain numerous clauses that govern economic price adjustments. MV–22–02, an acquisition memo issued by GSA in 2022 (extended through March 2024) suspended the restrictions in these clauses, such as price caps and limits on how many, and how often, a Supplier may request a price increase. GSA is now pursuing a proposed rule to eliminate outdated economic price adjustment rules and establish a single, simplified provision governing price changes. The proposed contract language will make it easier for Suppliers to seek a price adjustment and respond quickly to the market conditions impacting their business.
      • GSA recently announced an update to how market threshold pricing will be established. Threshold pricing is used to evaluate and negotiate commercial item pricing by comparing a Supplier’s proposed price to the wider market (for the identical item). The new pricing rules rely more heavily on the median price (vs. low price) and incorporate Transactional (TDR) and commercial web pricing data points when available. Additionally, threshold pricing is demand weighted with price targets set more aggressively for frequently purchased or ‘high demand’ SKUs. GSA has also sought to address price changes driven by inflation by building in an inflation adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. To help alleviate Supplier confusion over changes in pricing policy, GSA has made the model publicly available via the interact site.
      • GSA is also pursuing policy changes to reinforce its goal of achieving ‘best value’ in procurement decisions by balancing price and non-price factors (i.e., service, risk, etc.). The agency is seeking to replace the ‘lowest overall cost alternative’ language with ‘best value’ in the Competition in Contracting Act’s competitive procedures. The proposed changes were submitted to Congress for review in November 2023.
      The most important takeaway is that GSA is working to build much needed flexibility into the acquisition process empowering Contracting Officers and Suppliers to work together make smarter decisions that better represent practices in the commercial marketplace. They are also clearly committed to increasing transparency across the supply chain to achieve better buying outcomes for their customers.

      Get the Insights You Need to Grow Your Public Sector Sales!

      Warwick customers have access to on-demand market intelligence, including procurement history, price benchmarks, and compliance data.

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      GSA Commercial Platform Program Update https://xsb.com/gsa-commercial-platform-program-update/ https://xsb.com/gsa-commercial-platform-program-update/#respond Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:14:24 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4587

      In 2020, GSA (in partnership with OMB) awarded three commercial eMarketplace contracts to Amazon Business, Fisher Scientific, and Overstock Government. These contracts enable government purchase card holders to buy commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) items through eCommerce portals widely used in the private sector, providing buyers with flexibility in purchasing items under the micro-purchase threshold. The goal of the program, authorized under Section 846 of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is to modernize commercial item purchasing, expand competition, reduce supply chain risk, and share spend data to enable better government-wide buying decisions.

      The program quickly gained traction with more than 50k users across dozens of participating agencies, and tens-of-millions of dollars in annual spend. While successful, a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report (GAO-23-106128) found the program fell short in capturing data on small business sales and ensuring buyer compliance in purchasing under the AbilityOne program.

      A solicitation for the next-generation of platform contracts was issued in late 2022 with the intention of announcing awards before the initial platform contracts expired in the summer of 2023. Unfortunately, a series of delays, including multiple protests stalled awards; GSA issued bridge contracts to the current platform providers through March 2024.

      A key requirement of Section 846 legislation is to ensure strong competition; while three initial contracts were awarded, Amazon Business captured more than 90% of the procurement dollars spent under the program. We’re keeping a close eye on which eMarketplace providers will be issued contracts come spring; while it’s almost guaranteed that Amazon will be among the awardees, we anticipate significant growth in the number of available eMarketplace providers to fulfill this program mandate.

      Get the Insights You Need to Grow Your Public Sector Sales!

      Warwick customers have access to on-demand market intelligence, including procurement history, price benchmarks, and compliance data.

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      Insights on FY23 Government eCommerce Sales https://xsb.com/recent-trends-in-federal-ecommerce-sales/ https://xsb.com/recent-trends-in-federal-ecommerce-sales/#respond Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:22:00 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4534

      In our recent blog How to Boost Your Government Sales’, we shared some insights into Federal eCommerce sales by SIN (Special Item Number), along with practical tips you can take to improve your sales strategy.  As the government fiscal year just ended, we’re following up to provide data we’ve collected on FY23 procurement to help you monitor changes in the market and set your team up for a successful year ahead!

      In government fiscal year 23 (10.1.22 – 9.30.23), Supplier’s reported more than $9 Billion in commercial-off-the shelf (COTS) product sales through GSA MAS Contracts. About 1/3 of these sales were through small businesses. While sales transacted through GSA Advantage! represent a small portion (~8%) of the program’s annual volume, they’re indicative of the larger market opportunity and Suppliers should take note.

      As you can see in the chart below, GSA Advantage! product sales have returned to their pre-pandemic levels and continue to trend positively, while sales through DoD’s eCommerce platform, FedMall, have continued to decline (despite the program’s modernization efforts).

      While FedMall is still heavily utilized for micro-purchases (under $10k) by DoD buyers, most of its sales (66%) are for NSN stock items sent to DLA Enterprise Business System or GSA Global Supply for fulfillment. GSA Advantage! sales, however, are overwhelmingly (~90%) for commercial items including IT products,  office supplies, furniture, and laboratory test equipment.

      Pricing and the Impact of the Continuing Resolution

      In the final hours of fiscal year 23, a continuing resolution was passed, narrowly avoiding a shut-down and funding the Federal government through mid-November (at FY23 budget levels). However, until a FY24 budget is approved, agencies may be inclined to tap the breaks on spending as the fear of a shutdown still looms.  Budget pressures may also force already price sensitive buyers to focus on lower price alternatives that meet their needs.

      In Federal eCommerce sales, competition drives prices down and keeps them low, just as it does in the wider commercial market; thousands of Suppliers are vying for their share of the government’s procurement dollars. While FY24 may be off to a slow(er) start, there is still plenty of work you can do to start the year off strong.

        1. Pricing is one of the most important parts of your company’s sales strategy. Ensure your prices are competitive with market but remember, you’ll need to honor those prices; be sure you’re covering your costs when deciding on a pricing strategy.  Remember, MAS awarded prices are a ceiling, you can always put an item on sale or offer a discount at the order level.
        2. Maximize revenue opportunity by aligning the products offered on your contract with evolving market demand.
        3. Explore additional sales channels:
      • GSA’s Commercial Platforms Program. Government Purchase Card (GPC) holders from dozens of agencies currently leverage these approved commercial shopping portals (including Amazon business and Overstock Government) for the purchase of routine, commercial items (to the tune of ~$40M in annual spend).
      • NASA’s Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract for IT and AV related products and services. SEWP’s draft RFP is available for review and comment with the full RFP expected to be released in 2024. SEWP can be used by all Federal Agencies and their approved contractors and accounts for more than $10B in annual sales.
      • Explore opportunities at the state government level; organizations like NASPO (National Association of State Procurement Officials) issue solicitations for cooperative procurement contracts for goods and services across many of the same categories as their counterparts in the Federal government.

      Get the Insights You Need to Grow Your Public Sector Sales!

      Public sector sales are challenging, complex, and highly competitive. Successful suppliers invest the time to regularly analyze performance and identify changes that need to be made in their sales strategy.  As a current or prospective supplier, it’s important to understand the market as a whole and what is trending; Warwick can help answer important questions such as:

      • What is the demand for the products I offer?
      • What Agencies should I be marketing to?
      • Are my prices competitive? 

      Reach out to learn more about how we can help you save valuable time in understanding what the government is buying, and how you stack up against the competition.

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      Actionable Intelligence for Selling to the Government (aka “How to Boost Your Government Sales”) https://xsb.com/actionable-intelligence-for-selling-to-the-government/ https://xsb.com/actionable-intelligence-for-selling-to-the-government/#respond Tue, 10 Oct 2023 13:54:15 +0000 https://xsb.com/?p=4335

      Every government supplier — small, medium, or large — can improve their sales by better understanding how the government’s purchasing system works and optimizing their selling strategies. Read on to gain valuable intelligence and boost your revenue from government buyers.

      The U. S. government is the single largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. They leverage their purchasing power to ensure the best value in terms of cost, quality, and service. To improve efficiency and simplify the federal government’s ability to buy commercial products and services, GSA revamped its Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program in 2020. MAS consolidation was an enormous step forward in modernizing federal procurement, eliminating duplication across Schedules, consolidating Special Item Numbers (SINs), and standardizing contract terms & conditions. 24 GSA Schedules and more than 900 SINs were folded into a single comprehensive contract vehicle covering more than 12 million unique parts and services.

      In this post, we'll cover:

      How GSA's MAS Program is Organized

      Today, the MAS program is organized into 12 large industry categories and about 80 subcategories:

      A – OFFICE MANAGEMENT

      B – FACILITIES

      C – FURNITURE & FURNISHINGS

      D – HUMAN CAPITAL

      E – INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS & SERVICES

      F – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

      G – MISCELLANEOUS

      H – PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

      I – SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT & SOLUTIONS

      J – SECURITY & PROTECTION

      K – TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS SERVICES

      L – TRAVEL

      Under these Subcategories, ~300 Special Item Numbers (SINs) identify products and services that authorized GSA suppliers can sell to federal buyers (including state and local government entities). To simplify the identification process for both buyers and sellers, SINs are associated with standard North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.

      It’s a Sin Not to Understand SINs!

      Each year, nearly $1B in federal spending flows directly through the government-run eCommerce sites, GSA Advantage! and DoD FedMALL. There are many advantages in using SINs to streamline the acquisition of commercial items.

      Reduced Acquisition Lead Times

      Buyers can quickly identify those sellers offering the specific products and services they’re looking to buy; this saves time and effort in searching for suppliers who can meet an agency’s needs and reduces procurement cycle times.

      Reduced Administration Time & Cost

      Suppliers can offer a full range of products and services (across all SINs) under a single MAS contract; this means increased efficiency and far less administrative cost and time spent managing multiple contracts with different terms and conditions. Additionally, a single contract means suppliers work with a dedicated GSA Contracting Officer who can get to know you and your business, reducing friction in the administration process.

      Simple Steps You Can Take to Improve Sales

      While MAS consolidation has been overwhelmingly positive, there are potential drawbacks for suppliers, including increased competition! However, there are simple steps that every supplier can take to improve their sales:

      1. Review your product and service offerings regularly! Make sure your contract reflects your current business and that all applicable SINs are aligned with your MAS contract so you don’t miss out on potential sales opportunities.
      2. GSA has a formal process for adding new SINs. Familiarize yourself with that process for the specific SINs you want to add and ensure you have the documentation needed to substantiate your request before reaching out to your GSA CO!
      3. GSA’s eBuy platform is an excellent way to find new business. Invest the time to learn how to navigate eBuy and review open Request for Quotes for the SINs listed on your contract.
      4. As the government is required by law to consider buying from small businesses, pay attention to set-aside opportunities if they apply.
      5. The MAS PMO hosts monthly webinars so that suppliers can engage directly with policy makers and program managers. Take advantage of this opportunity and ensure you stay up to date on changes impacting your contract.
        Even if you’re not full of questions, join a webinar because you might hear great questions from other sellers and you might gain some valuable information.
      6. Last, but not least…Do your homework! Less than 5% of all items available for sale are purchased in a given. year. Don’t waste time and resources managing SKUs that no one buys. Research the market, identify the top selling products for your approved SINs, and price them competitively!

      We’ve compiled some incredible data on GSA Advantage! sales by SIN to kickstart your market research.

      SIN and Sales Insights

      The table below highlights the most popular SINs listed across all GSA MAS contracts. The most popular SIN, 33411 – Purchasing of new Electronic Equipment, is listed on 695 supplier contracts. This category includes desktops, laptops, servers, routers, switches, and other electronic equipment.

      Top 10 SINs by Contract Count

      Total Count
      695
      649
      290
      288
      287
      185
      166
      161
      151
      146
      SIN
      33411
      511210
      54151
      339940/OS4
      811212
      33721
      332999
      54151S
      339920S
      332510C
      SIN Title
      Purchasing of new Electronic Equipment
      Software Licenses
      Software Maintenance Services
      Office Products
      Maintenance of Equipment, Repair Services and/or Repair/Spare Parts
      Office Furniture
      Law Enforcement Personal Equipment
      Information Technology Professional Services
      Sporting Goods Equipment and Supplies
      Hardware Store, Home Improvement Center, Industrial (MRO) Distributor

      Below are the top 10 SINs by GSA Advantage! sales volume over the last year.  We’ve included the total number of MAS contracts that had sales in each SIN and the annual sales volume.

      Top 10 SINs by Annual Sales Volume

      SIN
      33411
      332510C
      339940/OS4
      332999
      33721
      333316P
      339113LAB
      334516
      339920S
      3152
      Total Sales
      $174,669,112
      $142,761,298
      $115,767,803
      $13,724,687
      $12,780,112
      $11,986,257
      $8,643,692
      $8,526,394
      $7,185,959
      $5,565,081
      Contracts
      471
      153
      239
      157
      132
      22
      47
      60
      138
      103
      SIN Title
      Purchasing of New Electronic Equipment
      Hardware Store, Industrial (MRO) Distributor
      Office Products and Supplies
      Law Enforcement Personal Equipment
      Office Furniture
      Photographic Supplies
      Laboratory Equipment and Products
      Analytical Instruments
      Sporting Goods Equipment and Supplies
      Miscellaneous - Apparel

      Top Selling Commercial Products by SIN

      Drilling deeper into the top selling SINs, we’ve identified the top products in each over the last year.

      SIN 33411: Purchasing of New Electronic Equipment

      HEWLETT-PACKARD
      HEWLETT-PACKARD
      LG INTERNATIONAL
      HEWLETT-PACKARD
      DELL
      2B0S3AV
      1Y5E8AV
      35BN75CB
      2J0V2AV
      210AYYG
      $6,143,165
      $5,947,908
      $4,385,713
      $4,198,334
      $4,135,584
      HP EliteBook 840 G8 14” Notebook
      HP ProBook 640 G8 14" Notebook
      LG Monitor, 35”, 3440x1440, VA
      ProDesk 405 G8 Mini Desktop
      Dell Precision Mobile Workstation

      SIN 332510C: Hardware Store, Home Improvement, Industrial (MRO)

      ZOLL MEDICAL
      FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES
      ANCHOR INDUSTRIES
      ABILITY 1
      FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES
      222000101020
      7510016648789
      9003077
      8540016308729
      7530016648803
      $424,946
      $380,675
      $292,643
      $286,361
      $283,022
      AED Plus Defibrillator
      Calendar Blotter, 22 x 18, 13-Month
      Fire Shelter Regular
      Toilet Tissue, 2-Ply, 96 Roll/Box
      Weekly Appointment Book, 12-Month

      SIN 339940/OS4: Office Products and Supplies

      HAMMERMILL
      CAPITAL SHREDDER
      PREMIUM BRAND
      UNIVERSAL PRODUCTS
      DELL
      86700
      K16 DESTR0YER
      7530013352623
      21200
      U4919DW
      $1,941,688
      $374,004
      $282,684
      $298,552
      $182,073
      Copy Paper, 92, 20lb, 8-1/2 x 11
      K16 Destroyer High Security Shredder
      Copy Paper, 92, 20lb, 8-1/2 x 11
      Copy Paper, 92, 20lb, 8-1/2 x 11
      Ultrasharp Widescreen LCD Monitor

      SIN 332999: Law Enforcement Personal Equipment

      MERCURY LUGGAGE
      3M
      3M
      MYSTERY RANCH
      ADVANTAGE SUPPLIES
      T9933BK
      MT20H682FB19CY
      MT20H682FB47CY
      888564173305
      39911
      $71,520
      $68,533
      $65,965
      $54,438
      $52,274
      Deployment/Container Bag
      Peltore ComTac V Headset, Foldable
      Tactical Headset, Two Way, Foldable
      3 Day Assault BVS-Coyote-M/L
      Backpack, 3-day pack, aluminum

      SIN 33721: Office Furniture

      VARIDESK
      HERMAN MILLER
      VARIDESK
      HERMAN MILLER
      VARIDESK
      49856
      AER1B22DWALPG-1G1G1BBBK23103
      49858
      CN122AWAAG1G-1BB3014
      45198
      $738,204
      $272,707
      $255,778
      $244,566
      $219,600
      ProPlus Standing Desk, 36”
      Aeron Chair
      ProPlus Standing Desk, 48”
      Embody High-Back Chair
      Corner Standing Desk, 36”

      PRO TIP

      One of the many benefits of MAS consolidation is that you can now offer a wide range of products under a single contract, as long as you have that SIN approved. If you want to explore adding a new SIN so you can get these top sellers on your contract, you can review the GSA process here.

      Top Selling Commercial Products by SIN within an Agency

      Ever wonder which agencies are buying the products you sell and where to focus your marketing efforts? We’ve identified the top agencies by procurement dollars spent in each of the top 5-SINs. We’ve also  analyzed spend for the top 3 agencies down to the SKU level so you can see what items each agency is most likely to buy.

      SIN 33411: Purchasing of New Electronic Equipment

      Agency
      Department of the Air Force
      Department of the Navy
      Department of Defense
      Department of the Army
      Department of Agriculture
      Department of Veterans Affairs
      Department of Homeland Security
      Department of Justice
      Department of Commerce
      Department of the Treasury
      Total Sales
      $126,447,616
      $8,110,554
      $7,280,662
      $7,009,688
      $5,281,942
      $4,881,554
      $4,697,289
      $2,340,393
      $1,043,845
      $1,012,379
      # of transactions
      54,803
      7,458
      6,111
      8,980
      11,164
      4,936
      5,313
      2,803
      1,872
      1,449
      Units Sold
      789,234
      124,577
      103,365
      149,053
      58,281
      68,080
      61,435
      39,441
      15,774
      21,682
      # of Contracts
      379
      272
      265
      273
      231
      202
      221
      168
      146
      124

      Department of the Air Force

      HEWLETT-PACKARD
      LG INTERNATIONAL
      LG INTERNATIONAL
      1Y5E8AV
      35BN75CB
      24BP450YI
      $5,929,017
      $4,181,050
      $1,238,264
      HP ProBook 640 G8 14" Notebook
      LG Monitor, 35”, 3440x1440, VA
      LG Monitor, 24”, TAA, Adj Stand

      Department of the Navy

      LOGITECH
      STARTECH
      TRIPPE MANUFACTURING
      960000694
      DP2DVI2MM6
      P581006
      $36,008
      $25,728
      $20,942
      HD 720p, c270, webcam
      DisplayPort to DVI Adapter Cable, 6ft
      DisplayPort Male to DVI ,6’

      Department of Defense

      TRIPPE MANUFACTURING
      LOGITECH
      STARTECH
      U357025UASP
      981000014
      DP2DVI2
      $35,165
      $26,994
      $20,323
      SuperSpeed External Hard Drive
      USB Headset w/Microphone
      DisplayPort to DVI Video Converter

      PRO TIP

      When selling items like laptops and notebooks, don’t forget to offer accessories and peripherals like docks and hubs, chargers, and adapters!

      SIN 332510C: Hardware Store, Home Improvement, Industrial (MRO)

      Agency
      Department of the Air Force
      Department of the Army
      Department of Agriculture
      Department of the Navy
      Department of Veterans Affairs
      Department of Defense
      Department of Homeland Security
      Department of the Interior
      Corps of Engineers, Civil
      Department of Justice
      Total Sales
      $44,662,912
      $17,647,639
      $15,299,251
      $14,833,022
      $11,181,432
      $9,648,132
      $7,785,456
      $4,403,277
      $3,738,808
      $3,700,632
      # of transactions
      74,787
      38,928
      62,608
      26,789
      26,264
      19,662
      18,011
      13,629
      11,432
      7,397
      Units Sold
      1,218,904
      513,533
      570,650
      490,195
      316,646
      339,789
      363,278
      165,713
      103,024
      174,478
      # of Contracts
      145
      134
      136
      135
      117
      127
      121
      121
      119
      108

      Department of the Air Force

      UNITED BOOK PRESS
      3M
      3M
      7530002223521
      40505112586851
      3121082
      $27,418
      $8,600
      $5,362
      Green Record Book 5-1/2 x8
      3M CUBITRON II DC 732U 5IN
      Disposable, Earplugs, Uncorded

      Department of the Army

      PPL ENERGYPLUS DIV
      FEDERAL PRISON INDS
      UNITED BOOK PRESS
      LS14250
      7510016648789
      7530002223521
      $24,293
      $19,556
      $18,622
      General Purpose Battery, Lithium
      Calendar Blotter, 22 x 18, 13-Month
      Green Record Book 5-1/2 x 8

      Department of Agriculture

      FED PRISON INDS
      FED PRISON INDS
      ABILITY 1
      7510016648789
      7530016648803
      753000FMHA038
      $36,181
      $33,375
      $14,573
      Calendar Blotter, 22 x 18, 13-Month
      Weekly Appointment Book,12-Month
      Heavy duty file folder, 1/3 cut

      SIN 339940/OS4: Office Products and Supplies

      Agency
      Department of the Air Force
      Department of the Army
      Department of Agriculture
      Department of Homeland Security
      Department of Veterans Affairs
      Department of the Navy
      Department of Justice
      Department of the Treasury
      Department of Defense
      Social Security Administration
      Total Sales
      $32,849,277
      $11,732,633
      $10,879,288
      $9,904,108
      $9,048,780
      $8,841,364
      $7,748,568
      $6,391,185
      $5,930,506
      $673,663
      # of transactions
      74,912
      33,144
      78,827
      31,223
      27,280
      20,338
      28,066
      35,536
      18,052
      2,453
      Units Sold
      641,159
      358,294
      463,949
      401,209
      355,750
      232,222
      422,810
      319,595
      195,815
      188,155
      # of Contracts
      278
      262
      254
      252
      232
      247
      236
      195
      244
      52

      Department of the Air Force

      ABILITY 1
      DELL
      DART
      7510001348179
      580AADH
      90HT3R
      $119,369
      $65,714
      $36,650
      Binder Retirement Airforce Holder
      Keyboard KB813, USB, Qwerty, BLK
      Foam Container,3CMP,2/100, Large

      Department of the Army

      PREMIUM BRAND
      NEWELL RUBBERMAID
      SAFCO
      7530013352623
      30256
      4185BL
      $131,227
      $47,114
      $27,256
      Copy Paper, 92 Brightness, 20lb
      LabelWriter Shipping labels, 2.31”x4”
      Stacking Chairs, Black

      Department of Agriculture

      HAMMERMILL
      EVERREADY
      BOISE-CASCADE
      86700
      L91
      54901
      $220,431
      $177,773
      $132,624
      Copy Paper, 92 Brightness, 20lb
      Lithium AA Batteries, 1.5V
      Office Paper, 8-1/2” x 11”, White

      332999: Law Enforcement Personal Equipment

      Agency
      Department of the Air Force
      Department of Homeland Security
      Department of the Army
      Department of the Navy
      Department of Justice
      Department of Defense
      Department of Agriculture
      Department of the Interior
      Department of the Treasury
      Department of Veterans Affairs
      Total Sales
      $7,329,006
      $1,754,260
      $1,074,968
      $871,425
      $713,592
      $585,383
      $282,527
      $273,613
      $250,650
      $139,325
      # of transactions
      5,713
      1,668
      1,202
      825
      999
      661
      907
      805
      272
      271
      Units Sold
      148,873
      39,526
      44,215
      22,635
      13,324
      13,423
      6,351
      4,891
      10,085
      3,341
      # of Contracts
      137
      103
      108
      99
      82
      89
      87
      83
      47
      47

      Department of the Air Force

      ROTHCO
      ATLANTCO
      ADVANTAGE SUPPLIES
      7740
      6553000
      39501
      $22,960
      $22,620
      $20,797
      Potable Water Purification Tablets
      1QT CANT/UTIL Pouch, Multi
      Mobility Folder/War Wallet, Map Case

      Department of Homeland Security

      MAGPUL INDUSTRIES
      PERFECT FIT
      SMITH & WESSON
      MAG556-BLK
      823N
      350103
      $12,765
      $10,954
      $10,206
      The Magpul PMAG 30 M3 Window
      Nylon MK4 Mace 3oz Holder
      Chain-Linked Handcuffs, Standard Size

      Department of the Army

      DANIEL DEFENSE
      MAGPUL INDUSTRIES
      ROTHCO
      1301816037
      MAG606-BLK
      8201
      $14,737
      $6,412
      $5,840
      Heavy Duty Quick Detach Sling Swivel
      M-LOK QD Sling Mount, Black
      Face Paint Stick, GI Camo Light

      33721: Office Furniture

      Agency
      Department of the Air Force
      Department of the Army
      Department of Agriculture
      Department of the Navy
      Department of Homeland Security
      Department of Veterans Affairs
      Department of Defense
      Department of the Interior
      Department of Justice
      Department of Commerce
      Total Sales
      $5,110,256
      $1,235,816
      $1,173,014
      $1,007,319
      $869,618
      $854,261
      $718,769
      $461,553
      $343,708
      $206,839
      # of transactions
      2,502
      812
      1,269
      597
      479
      475
      471
      428
      219
      173
      Units Sold
      12,884
      3,697
      2,738
      2,723
      2,012
      1,913
      1,629
      973
      1,009
      444
      # of Contracts
      108
      60
      63
      52
      49
      52
      48
      34
      25
      32

      Department of the Air Force

      VARIDESK
      VARIDESK
      VARIDESK
      49856
      49858
      45198
      $242,903
      $107,835
      $74,967
      ProPlus Standing Desk, 36inW
      ProPlus Standing Desk, 48inW
      Corner Standing Desk, 17-1/2” x 36”

      Department of the Army

      VARIDESK
      VARIDESK
      VARIDESK
      49856
      45198
      49858
      $55,819
      $34,648
      $32,984
      ProPlus Standing Desk, 36inW
      Corner Standing Desk, 17-1/2” x 36”
      ProPlus Standing Desk, 48inW

      Department of Agriculture

      VARIDESK
      HERMAN MILLER
      HERMAN MILLER
      49856
      AER1B22DWALPG-1G1G1BBBK23103
      CN122AWAAG1G1-BB3014
      $60,817
      $50,551
      $33,784
      ProPlus Standing Desk, 36inW
      Aeron Chair
      Embody High-Back Chair

      PRO TIP

      The Department of the Air Force is the single largest buying agency across each of the top SIN categories we analyzed. Learn more about how to do business with the agency by visiting the Air Force Contracting web page.

      Small Business is Making a Big Impact

      When GSA announced their plans for MAS consolidation, they predicted it would provide numerous opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses by eliminating many of the burdensome requirements for suppliers looking to obtain a GSA contract.  As we analyzed sales transaction data, we were thrilled to see the huge impact small and disadvantaged businesses are having in the market.

      Sales by small businesses under the MAS program have increased by more than 30%. Small businesses (under 500 employees) and certified 8a/other disadvantaged businesses account for the majority of sales in each of the top 5 SINs we analyzed.

      SIN
      33411
      33411
      332510C
      332510C
      339940/OS4
      339940/OS4
      332999
      332999
      33721
      33721
      Percent of Sales
      25%
      42%
      71%
      11%
      32%
      66%
      18%
      76%
      21%
      37%
      Business Category
      8a or other Disadvantaged Small Business
      Under 500 Employees/not a Disadvantaged Small Business
      8a or other Disadvantaged Small Business
      Under 500 Employees/not a Disadvantaged Small Business
      8a or other Disadvantaged Small Business
      Under 500 Employees/not a Disadvantaged Small Business
      8a or other Disadvantaged Small Business
      Under 500 Employees/not a Disadvantaged Small Business
      8a or other Disadvantaged Small Business
      Under 500 Employees/not a Disadvantaged Small Business

      Final Thoughts

      GSA took the initiative to revise the MAS program, the largest commercial item contracting vehicle in the federal government. It’s easier than ever before to offer a full range of products across all SINs to government buyers looking for exactly what you sell.

      We’ve amassed some great data on MAS sales by SIN and included some tips on how you can leverage this data to drive sales and kickstart your company’s success in FY 2024. We urge you to take a few minutes to go through our report and discover new insights into what’s selling and how you can refocus your sales strategy ahead of the new federal fiscal year. There may be a new SIN you want to add to your contract, or SKUs you should be promoting to new potential customers. 

      If you need a deeper dive into a particular category, let us know and we’ll see if we can help provide additional intelligence that’s specific to your target business.

      If you have any suggestions or need additional information or metrics, please contact us at 678.457.9634 or g.bousquet@xsb.com.

      You can learn more about XSB and how Warwick can help you modernize your federal eCommerce sales strategy at https://xsb.com/warwick/

      Thank you!

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