Transcription
GSA Catalog ManagementCoalition for Government ProcurementDecember 8, 2020Easy. Efficient. Modern.1
Agenda Background Overview of system modernizations Common Catalog Platform Authoritative Catalog Repository Verified Products Portal Demo of Verified Products Portal Wrap up / open discussionEasy. Efficient. Modern.2
Catalog Management BackgroundCatalog Management is a cornerstone initiative under Federal Marketplace (FMP), GSA’splan to modernize and simplify the buying and selling experience for customers, suppliers,and acquisition professionals.Through modernizing and simplifying our catalog management capabilities, GSA will ensure:Buyerscan easily search, compare, purchase, and receive offerings that meet theirrequirementsSupplierscan easily add and modify offeringsWorkforcecan easily access and analyze data.Other FMP cornerstone initiatives include: MAS Consolidation Commercial Platform Contract Acquisition Life Cycle Management (CALM)Easy. Efficient. Modern.3
Catalog Management BackgroundGSA manages more than 70 million products and services in its catalogs, but relies on outdated policies,processes, and tools resulting in significant problems for our stakeholders. Evidenced by: Volume of Helpdesk inquiries as it pertains to SIP - 13,750 in FY19 Volume of negative comments about SIP on the 2020 Supplier Relationship Management Survey Lengthy cycle times to reflect a catalog changes on GSA Advantage!The systems and processes our workforce & vendors use ultimately impact customer experience:21.7%Missing ProductDescriptions“It would be great to have an apples to apples comparison thatshows the specs for particular products”21.5%Missing ProductPictures“Pictures and descriptions would help As a buyer myself, Iwould love to see pictures like on Amazon.”15.1%ConfusingInformation8.9%Product AvailabilityIssues“We can just use plain language; we don’t need toovercomplicate.”“We need to have basic products in stock. Generally, about 50%of our needed office supplies are not in stock on any givenshopping trip.”Percentage of survey customers reporting issues, derived from6 months of Advantage Site Feedback Survey ResultsEasy. Efficient. Modern.4
Catalog System Modernizations(New) Catalog Management SystemsDownstreamApplicationsCommon Catalog Platform (CCP)The user interface / website for accessing and managing catalogsand catalog data for both GSA workforce and vendorsAdvantage and otherVirtual StoresAPI ConnectionAuthoritative Catalog Repository (ACR)SearchEngineGECOGSA GlobalSupplyOMSCALCeBuyAPI DataFeed(s)New cloud-based storage for all catalog dataAPI ConnectionVerified Product Portal (VPP)A portal for verified manufacturer / wholesaler data that will alsoaugment existing catalog dataEasy. Efficient. Modern.eLibrary 2.0 (Discovery,Navigator)5
Project RoadmapStage 3Discovery & AnalysisStage 1Stage 2FY19FY20 - FY21FY21 - FY22FY22 Scale CommonCatalogFullImplementationof CommonCatalogDiscovery &ScopingAnalysis &Market ResearchLay foundation forCommon Catalog Assessment of current Establish new master datastate Future-stateobjectives Enhancementopportunities Future-statealternatives andanalysis Recommendations Roadmap Stand-up newrepository - the “AuthoritativeCatalog Repository” (ACR) Define Requirements for Common Catalog Platform Establish New CatalogManagement Office (CMO) Improve MAS COTS products data quality Verified Product Portal MAS Products Data Standards& Policy Interim Enhancements toAdvantage!Common CatalogPlatformBegin consuminglegacy catalogmanagementsystemsImprove all MASproducts/servicesdata qualityEasy. Efficient. Modern.CatalogMaintenance Consumeremaining catalogmanagementsystems Improve all FASofferings dataquality (NSNs,GWACS/IDIQs)6
Verified Products Portal The Verified Products Portal (VPP) will be a manufacturer and wholesaler facing portal whereparticipants will be able to provide data elements such as supplier authorization details, productcategory details, product descriptions/images, supply chain attributes, and pricing information. VPP will connect to the Authoritative Catalog Repository (ACR), the new storage environment forcatalog data, through an Application Programming Interface (API) Data provided by the VPP will be used to augment and subsequently standardize catalogs foraccurate product representation to customersBenefits: Buyers SuppliersEliminate variability by providing more consistent productrepresentations and ensure product and reseller authenticityOffer new, richer product content such as videos and product manuals. Reduce the burden on resellers to provide letters of supply andproduct specifications Allow for greater automation in reviewing and approving catalogfiles for GSA workforceProtect against supply chain risksWorkforce Easy. Efficient. Modern.7
Verified Products PortalCurrent State Held initial conversations with manufacturers and wholesalers introducing the concept andstarted collecting data for test environment Launched production environment on 11/30 (limiting participation) Finalized Terms of Use (ToU) AgreementNext Steps On-boarding and testing through late February before full-scale launch by end of FY21 Q2 Updating 4P reports to include two new flags (VPP Supplier Authorization Status andProhibited Product Compliance) Developing necessary connections to display VPP data in Advantage! Exploring options to build out self registration in VPPPlease forward any questions or feedback to VPP@gsa.govEasy. Efficient. Modern.8
Authoritative Catalog RepositoryThe ACR is a new, cloud based home for all catalog data and represents asignificant modernization to GSA’s catalog data storage.Benefits:BuyersSuppliersWorkforce Improve data accuracy and complianceBuilds the foundation for new features on Advantage! Improve catalog processing cycle time (current avg: 84 hours)Builds the foundation for new features in the CCP, e.g. line-item levelapproval Increase data accessibilityBuilds the foundation for new features in the CCPFoundational infrastructure deployed ACR is in active development as of Q4 FY20FY21 Focus Proof of Concept through developing interfaces with systems to ingest, enrich, andpublish MAS Products and Services catalogsEasy. Efficient. Modern.9
Common Catalog PlatformThe Common Catalog Platform (CCP) will offer a new, web-based user interface for allcatalog actors including contract holders and the GSA workforce.CCP ObjectivesFuture Benefits Integrated catalog and contracting to retiretwo-step cataloging processes Improved cycle time for catalog updates, providingcustomers access to vendor changes more rapidly Modernize vendor applications; shift toweb-based applications with a single user portal Supplier authorization information is automated andstored, ensuring GSA as a trusted source Simplify and automate catalog instructions andenable efficient catalog compliance Vendors have new functionalities such as item levelchanges and access to catalog history Implement data quality standards to improve theinformation supplied to customer applications Consistent, high quality product pictures anddescriptions are easy to upload and update for customeravailability Introduce new functionalities that make it easier tokeep catalogs up to date Streamlined data ingest, via a stepper, would guide avendor through questions to produce a Price ProposalTemplate (PPT) with only relevant data fields Shift to cloud-based storage to improve catalogprocessing times and improve data accessibilityCM will deliver improvements as they are built, driving functionality to stakeholders over a series ofdevelopment iterations. The focus of FY21 is on issuing a solicitation and making awardEasy. Efficient. Modern.10
CCP could allow Vendors to easily track line item changesThis mock-up is not meant to be exhaustive ordefinitive; it is a framework for discussionEasy. Efficient. Modern.11
CCP could enable vendors to easily search their own catalogsThis mock-up is not meant to be exhaustive ordefinitive; it is a framework for discussionEasy. Efficient. Modern.12
CCP could enable temporary removalsThis mock-up is not meant to be exhaustive or definitive; it is a framework for discussionEasy. Efficient. Modern.13
CCP could facilitate increased market research capabilitiesThis mock-up is not meant to be exhaustive ordefinitive; it is a framework for discussionEasy. Efficient. Modern.14
The CCP will be constructed in phasesPhase 1: Web-Based platform for vendors toadd, modify, delete catalog items Ability to approve and rejectproposed changes at item-levelCCP MVP PhasesPhase 5: Non-MAS, GWACs, IDIQs Compliance and market researchinsights provided through the UI Vendor ability to perform basicinventory management withoutAWF approvalPhase 4: Global Supply CatalogsPhase 3: Retail Operations and 4th Party LogisticsPhase 2: Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) CatalogsPhase 1:Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) CatalogsEasy. Efficient. Modern.15
VPP DEMOEasy. Efficient. Modern.16
Questions/DiscussionStay in touch!Join our Interact pageStay up to date with the project andprovide input/feedback!Email us atCatalogManagement@gsa.gov!Provide us feedback or ask a question!Easy. Efficient. Modern.17
GSA manages more than 70 million products and services in its catalogs, but relies on outdated policies, processes, and tools resulting in significant problems for our stakeholders. Evidenced by: Volume of Helpdesk inquirie
