federal acquisition service u.s. general services administration may 6 th, 2010

Federal Acquisition Service

U.S. General Services Administration

Market Yourself with eToolsMarket Yourself with eTools

Peter A. BastonePeter A. BastoneOffice of Acquisition ManagementOffice of Acquisition Management

Market Yourself with eToolsMarket Yourself with eTools

Peter A. BastonePeter A. BastoneOffice of Acquisition ManagementOffice of Acquisition Management

May 6May 6thth, 2010, 2010May 6May 6thth, 2010, 2010


About Me:

• Office Information– Former Advantage/e-Buy Development Team Member– Currently with Office of Acquisition Management

• Experience:– Started on e-Tools in May 2002 (Advantage, e-Buy, e-Lib)– e-Buy stats reporting and surveys– Advantage categorization (buyer and vendor assistance)– Disaster Relief Aisle Manager– Advantage Requirements


Today’s Objectives: Advantage/eBuy Statistics, Sales, and Data (why you should be a

part) Common Terms, Acronyms, and the lingo (to make sure they get it) Common complaints, and why you need to do better. (data/pictures) The search engine Your text files (vendor catalogues) Categorization and UNSPSC Global Supply PO Portal Pick up your orders! MarkeTips Questions


Advantage Sales: FY2004 – FY2009

Total Sales

FY2004

FY2005 FY2006FY2007

FY2008FY2009

$0

$100,000,000

$200,000,000

$300,000,000

$400,000,000

$500,000,000

$600,000,000

$700,000,000

Total Sales

Total Sales $268,199,4$358,893,8$381,159,0$450,616,1$558,838,0$619,960,0

FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 FY2009


Advantage Orders: FY2005 – FY2009 TD

• FY 2010 TD: 357,753• FY 2009: 800,761• FY 2008: 740,732• FY 2007: 654,188• FY 2006: 558,546• FY 2005: 502,402

• Avg. Order:


Terms you will hear in this presentation

• U.N.S.P.S.C: United Nations Standard Products and Services Code. A four level category structure used to classify products.

• Indicator: An icon confirming that a product meets a specific criteria. Example: ENERGYSTAR® compliant, contains recycled content, bio-based…

• Search string: the terms that you enter into the Advantage search box.


Common Complaints from Customers:

• “better descriptions & accuracte pictures”• “minimum required order... dont hold the

customer hostage to order more than we need.”• “Require vendors to update their information”• “Better photos and… • all items include a photo”• No customer service• Honor prices


Problem: We can’t find items!


The Advantage search engine – demystified.

• Powered by Autonomy®.• Relevance Based Scoring Algorithm• Fields have weights, not hierarchies.• Length/Percentage makes a difference.• Exact phrase gets a boost.• Keyword loading is forbidden.• Punctuation is stripped out.


Global Supply

• GSA’s own program.• Boost (not preference) in search.


Problem: Vendor Catalogues


How They Work Catalogues

• VERY important for services vendors.• Search engine examines the ENTIRE document

contents.• .txt, .pdf, .html, .doc• Products before catalogues, except in cases of

exact name match. • To link, or not to link?• From Scan, or from scratch?


Problem: Browsing for Items


Categorizing by UNSPSC

• United Nations Standard Products & Services Code: www.unspsc.org

• Ex. Office Supplies -> Office Machines and their supplies and accessories -> Printer and facsimile and photocopier supplies -> Toner

• Your items are categorized by A.I.• Better titles/descriptions ensure your items end

up in the proper categories.


Keep your information current.

• Prices should be honored.• Models/Offerings should be up to date.


What do the BEST do?

• Provide Delivery Status (order status tool)• Temporary Price Reductions (sometimes daily)• Delivery, FAST (2 days) and on time.


Purchase Order Portal

• www.poportal.gsa.gov• NO more faxes• View/Print/Download• Formats: .txt, .xls, .xml• July: Import status into tool• October: Master/sub account to control dealers.


Why does my competitor ALWAYS come ahead of me in the search results?:• The words you are searching for are not present

as often in your product (if present at all), but are in your competitors.

• Your competitor has products, while you only have a catalogue file.

• Your products are not in the category you are limiting your search to.


Small Business Procurement – GSA Can Help!All small businesses should have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in providing goods and services to U.S. Government (Small Business Act)

The Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) statutory government-wide procurement goals*:

• 23% of an agency’s prime contracts for small businesses• 5% for small disadvantage businesses (prime & subcontracts)• 5% for women-owned small businesses (prime & subcontracts)• 3% for HUBZone businesses (prime and subcontracts)• 3% for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) (prime & subcontracts)

GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program can help you identify and include these companies in the competition for your agency’s business!

*SBA negotiates annual procurement preference goals with each federal agency and review’s each agency’s results. SBA ensures that the mutually established cumulative goals for all agencies meet or exceed the government-wide 23% small business goal.

federal acquisition service u.s. general services administration may 6 th, 2010

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