83 FR 27986 - Request for Information From Platform Providers of Commercial e-Commerce Portals

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 116 (June 15, 2018)

Page Range		27986-27989
FR Document		2018-12891

The General Services Administration (GSA) is soliciting information from the providers of commercial e-Commerce Portals in order to complete Phase II of the requirements enacted in Section 846 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018, Procurement through Commercial e-Commerce Portals. Note: A separate RFI is posted for suppliers who sell products through commercial e-commerce portal. Throughout the design of this program, GSA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have emphasized open and ongoing engagement. The questions in this RFI are intended to continue the dialogue and to allow GSA and OMB both to draft the Phase II report (due to Congress in March 2019) and to move towards phased implementation later in 2019.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 116 (Friday, June 15, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 116 (Friday, June 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27986-27989]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-12891]

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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-QP-2018-03; Docket No. 2018-0002; Sequence No. 12]

Request for Information From Platform Providers of Commercial e-
Commerce Portals

AGENCY: Office of Enterprise Strategy Management, General Services
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Request for information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The General Services Administration (GSA) is soliciting
information from the providers of commercial e-Commerce Portals in
order to complete Phase II of the requirements enacted in Section 846
of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018,
Procurement through Commercial e-Commerce Portals. Note: A separate RFI
is posted for suppliers who sell products through commercial e-commerce
portal. Throughout the design of this program, GSA and the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) have emphasized open and ongoing
engagement. The questions in this RFI are intended to continue the
dialogue and to allow GSA and OMB both to draft the Phase II report
(due to Congress in March 2019) and to move towards phased
implementation later in 2019.

DATES: Interested parties may submit written comments to
www.regulations.gov by July 20, 2018. GSA is also hosting its second
modified town-hall style public meeting. This meeting is in furtherance
of Phase II on June 21, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Further Information for the public meeting may be found on the
Commercial Platform Interact group page on https://interact.gsa.gov/group/commercial-platform-initiative and in the Federal Register notice
(83 FR 25004) published on May 31, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by ``Request for information from
Platform Providers of Commercial

[[Page 27987]]

e-Commerce Portals'', by any of the following methods:
Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov.
Submit comments by searching for ``Request for information from
Platform Providers of Commercial e-Commerce Portals''. Select the link
``Comment Now'' and follow the instructions provided at the ``You are
commenting on'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if
any), and ``Request for information from Platform Providers of
Commercial e-Commerce Portals'', on your attached document.
Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory
Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW, 2nd Floor, ATTN: Ms.
Mandell, Washington, DC 20405-0001.
Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite ``Request for
information from Platform Providers of Commercial e-Commerce Portals''
in all correspondence related to this case. All comments received will
be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any
personal and/or business confidential information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jasmine Schaaphok at
jasmine.schaaphok@gsa.gov, or 571-330-3941, for clarification of
content and submission of comment. For information pertaining to status
or publication schedules, contact the Regulatory Secretariat at 202-
501-4755. Please cite ``Request for information from Platform Providers
of Commercial e-Commerce Portals''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The General Services Administration's (GSA) mission is to deliver
value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other
mission-support services across Government. For decades, GSA has
provided access to commercial products through a number of channels
including GSA Advantage!, GSA eBuy, GSA Global Supply, and the Federal
Supply Schedules.
GSA has long been focused on improving the acquisition of
commercial items. Throughout its history, GSA has sought to leverage
the best available technology to help agencies shorten the time to
delivery, reduce administrative cost, make compliance easier, be a
strategic thought leader and supplier of choice across the Federal
Government, and be a good partner to industry. Today, the best
available technology includes commercial e-commerce portals.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018,
Section 846 Procurement Through Commercial e-Commerce Portals, directs
the Administrator of the GSA to establish a program to procure
commercial products through commercial e-commerce portals. Section 846
language can be found at the following link--https://interact.gsa.gov/group/commercial-platform-initiative. Section 846 paragraph (c)
instructs the ``Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in
consultation with the GSA Administrator and the heads of other relevant
departments and agencies,'' to carry out three implementation phases.
OMB and GSA completed Phase I, an initial implementation plan, in March
of 2018.
The plan, found at https://interact.gsa.gov/document/gsa-and-omb-phase-i-deliverable-attached, discusses government and industry
stakeholder goals and concerns, the different types of portal provider
models currently prevalent in the commercial market, and areas where
legislative change or clarification are required to enable flexibility
in the full and effective use of commercial e-commerce portals in
accordance with the goals of section 846. The plan also outlines
deliverables anticipated to be completed in FYs 18, 19, and 20.
GSA is currently working on Phase II with the intent of delivering
a proof of concept near the end of FY19. Phase II of the legislation
requires (excerpt below):

(2) PHASE II: MARKET ANALYSIS AND CONSULTATION.--Not later than
one year after the date of the submission of the implementation plan
and schedule required under paragraph (1), recommendations for any
changes to, or exemptions from, laws necessary for effective
implementation of this section, and information on the results of
the following actions:
(A) Market analysis and initial communications with potential
commercial e-commerce portal providers on technical considerations
of how the portals function (including the use of standard terms and
conditions of the portals by the Government), the degree of
customization that can occur without creating a Government-unique
portal, the measures necessary to address the considerations for
supplier and product screening specified in subsection (e), security
of data, considerations pertaining to nontraditional Government
contractors, and potential fees, if any, to be charged by the
Administrator, the portal provider, or the suppliers for
participation in the program established pursuant to subsection (a).
(B) Consultation with affected departments and agencies about
their unique procurement needs, such as supply chain risks for
health care products, information technology, software, or any other
category determined necessary by the Administrator.
(C) An assessment of the products or product categories that are
suitable for purchase on the commercial e-commerce portals.
(D) An assessment of the precautions necessary to safeguard any
information pertaining to the Federal Government, especially
precautions necessary to protect against national security or
cybersecurity threats.
(E) A review of standard terms and conditions of commercial e-
commerce portals in the context of Government requirements.
(F) An assessment of the impact on existing programs, including
schedules, set-asides for small business concerns, and other
preference programs.

II. Written Comments

To assist in meeting the requirements associated with Phase II of
the implementation, GSA and OMB are inviting portal providers to submit
written comments. (A separate RFI has been issued for suppliers
interested in selling through portals.) GSA is requesting those
comments be submitted by July 20, 2018, which will allow the Government
to take them into account as we are drafting our Phase II deliverable.
To facilitate comment submission, GSA and OMB have developed a
number of questions grouped around five focus areas--spending trends,
data standards, user experience, cybersecurity, and terms and
conditions. These five areas are central to the analysis required for
Phase II, e.g. the terms and conditions questions will further the
analysis required in paragraph (E). A sixth focus area is intended to
give respondents an opportunity to provide feedback that, in addition
to the five areas described above, will help to inform GSA about the
general scope, shape, and types of products that should be considered
for a proof of concept. In accordance with the Phase I implementation
plan, the proof of concept is planned for launch in FY 2019.
Each question is intended to provide respondents with a general
framework for commenting. These questions are not intended to be all-
inclusive; other comments and observations are encouraged.

1. Spending Trends Questions

a. Spend Data: Over the past few months, GSA has participated in
demos provided by portal providers, many of whom have expressed a
willingness to share data on Government spend conducted through their
platforms, i.e. purchases using government-issued purchase cards.
Government spend data can be identified by looking at the first four
digits of the government-issued purchase card. These four digits are:

[[Page 27988]]

5565 and 5568 (Mastercard); and 4486, 4614, and 4716 (Visa).
Would you be willing to share this spend data with GSA?
Additionally, are you willing to share reports or dashboards
demonstrating your analytics capabilities? (If yes, GSA will reach out
separately to coordinate these requests.)
For those portal providers willing to share such information, the
following categories of aggregated Government spend data from civilian
agency and DoD buyers, over the last 3 years, would be particularly
useful:
i. Spend by agency:

1. Total spend broken out by agency
2. Number of transactions by agency
3. Average order size by agency
4. Seasonality of purchasing (i.e. only at the end of an FY or are they
spread out evenly throughout the year?)

ii. Spend by product category:

1. Categories/subcategories comprising 80% of the annual spend through
your portal
2. Dollar value, count of transactions, count of suppliers, proportion
of small and large supplier (count and dollars) for each category/
subcategory
3. Agencies comprising 80% of the dollar value for each category/
subcategory

iii. Spend outside the Contiguous US (OCONUS) vs spend within the
Contiguous US (CONUS)
iv. Spend by socioeconomic/small business designations.
b. Additional considerations:
i. What taxonomy or taxonomies are used to sort products into
suitable categories and subcategories, e.g. product service codes
(PSCs) or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code?
Please identify if the classification system is proprietary.
ii. What level and types of transactional data are made available
to buyers?
iii. What functionalities and/or capabilities are available to
buyers to analyze transactional data? Do you offer your commercial
buyers the opportunity to develop customized data analytics
capabilities?
iv. How do the pricing algorithms respond to sudden increases in
demand?
v. The Government seeks to increase small business participation
through this initiative. How might your platform aid in increasing
small business participation? What capabilities does your system have
(or what would you need from GSA or other agencies) to track agency
spending from the various socio-economic categories of small business
(small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, service-
disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business) so that
Government agencies can receive credit toward their agency socio-
economic goals when they buy through your portal? Please explain.
vi. The Government seeks to promote compliance with mandatory
sources (e.g. AbilityOne Program, Federal Prison Industries). What
capabilities does your system have to track agency spending from these
sources and limit ``leakage'' where purchases are made from non-
mandatory sources?
vii. How are you shipping items to base locations/overseas? What
are your labelling requirements/standards that you follow?

2. Data Standards

a. How do you use third party supplier data?
b. What are your data protection/security practices for
safeguarding both user and third-party supplier data?
c. What are your standard terms and conditions with third-party
suppliers and buyers regarding your use and their use of spend data?
d. Is your platform capable of integrating information from the
System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) to identify if a seller is a
small business in accordance with FAR 19.303? If not, explain why.
Would you be interested in testing capabilities with beta sam.gov?

3. User Experience and Program Design

a. GSA seeks to ensure that the government purchase card buyers
have a simple and clear user experience when selecting products across
multiple providers. How would you suggest we accomplish this? For
example, how could GSA get to a single log-on across portals? Are there
commercial analogs that achieve this purpose? If so, what, if any,
drawbacks or obstacles do those models present?
b. How are your supplier relationships structured? What fees are
charged? What do the onboarding and offboarding processes look like?
c. As a portal providers, do you have the capability to participate
in a `punchout' type of ecommerce experience? Please explain.
d. Implementation and operationalization of this program will
entail the involvement of GSA, ordering agencies, portal providers, and
third-party suppliers. GSA envisions its role primarily focusing on the
following:
i. Negotiating the contracts with the portal providers;
ii. working with stakeholders to shape the scope of product
offerings, based on suitability, potential challenges in managing
supply chain risk, and other considerations;
iii. working with agencies on effective use of protocols and
safeguards to refine access to product offerings;
iv. collecting, vetting and sharing data; and,
v. developing guidance in consultation with OMB and training
federal agencies in proper competitive procedures through the portal;
and,
vi. potentially validating the suppliers as responsible business
partners.
Do you agree with this description of roles and responsibilities
for GSA in optimizing the user experience and the overall success of
the program? Are there key items missing?
e. The section 846 language stated both that all existing
procurement laws applied and that GSA should strive to be consistent
with commercial practice. To reconcile these objectives, in Phase I,
GSA only proposed legislative changes necessary to reach program
implementation, primarily around the nature of competition. For
purposes of Phase II, what additional legislative changes GSA should
consider proposing?

4. Cyber-Security Questions

GSA welcomes any insights that can be shared regarding how your
platform addresses the following cybersecurity topics:

a. Financial data theft/fraud
b. Intellectual property theft/damage
c. Distributed Denial of Service
d. Man in the Middle Attacks
e. Compliance with Information Security Standards
f. Data storage
g. Vulnerability assessments/monitoring
h. Encryption
i. Disaster Recovery
j. Network monitoring

5. Standard Terms and Conditions

a. General Roles and Responsibilities
i. For products sold by third parties on your portal, what, if any,
responsibilities do you assume with respect to a sale?
ii. For what, if any, purposes do you consider the third party
supplier selling on your portal to be your ``subcontractor''?
iii. What, if any, of the value-added portal services and
functionalities (e.g., order tracking, payment processing) have been
outsourced? Do you consider them subcontractors? If not, why not?
iv. Other than the suppliers selling on the portal and those
providing value-

[[Page 27989]]

added portal services and functionalities, are there entities that are
considered subcontractors of your business? If yes, what functions do
these entities perform for your business?
b. Order Tracking, Delivery and Issue Resolution
i. Describe how orders and delivery are tracked.
ii. Describe how issues are resolved (e.g., if the product doesn't
arrive in a timely manner or needs to be returned). Identify who is
responsible for resolving these issues when the sale involves a third
party seller. Include information on customer/ordering official
management throughout the process.
c. Payment
i. When a buyer makes a payment for a purchase on the portal, who
processes the payment?
ii. What are the payment procedures?
iii. Are payments by Electronic Funds Transfer allowed?
d. To Assist GSA in Determining the Applicability of the Service
Contract Act to a Portal Contract Under the Section 846 Program, Please
Advise of the Type of Work Your Employees Would Perform Under Such a
Contract.
e. Suitability of FAR Commercial Service Requirements
i. Please address the extent you believe the following clauses/
provisions are consistent with and/or are relevant to current, standard
commercial practice for operating commercial e-commerce portals. If
they are not consistent and/or relevant, please indicate what obstacles
they would present if applied to the section 846 program. Conversely,
if there are public policy reasons why any of these should be retained,
please explain.

1. 52.212-4(a), Inspection and acceptance
2. 52.212-4(b), Assignment of claims
3. 52.212-4(g), Invoice
4. 52.212-4(k), Taxes
5. 52.212-4(n), Title
6. 52.212-4(q), Other compliances
7. 52.204-10, Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier
Subcontract Awards
8. 52.219-3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole-Source Award
9. 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small
Business Concerns
10. 52.219-27, Notice of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
Set-Aside
11. 52.222-3, Convict Labor
12. 52.222-17, Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers
13. 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans
14. 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans
15. 52.223-18, Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging
While Driving
16. 52.232-29, Terms for Financing of Purchases of Commercial Items
17. 52.232-30, Installment Payments for Commercial Items
18. 52.242-5, Payments to Small Business Subcontractors
19. 52.212-3(t), Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
Reduction Goals
20. 52-212-4(f), Excusable Delays
21. 52.212-4(h), Patent Indemnity
22. 52.212-4(i)(4), Discount
23. 52.212-4(s), Order of precedence
24. 52.232-40, Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business
Subcontractors
25. 52.223-9, Estimate of Percentage of Recovered Material Content for
EPA-Designated Items
f. Additional Considerations:
i. Are there different terms and conditions based on the country
being served by a given commercial e-commerce portal?
ii. If you are not registered on www.sam.gov would you be willing
to register? Why or why not?
iii. For your other commercial customers, do you offer ways to
limit access to products on your platform for B2B customers who may not
want access to your full catalog?
g. Copies of standard terms and conditions:
i. Please provide GSA with copies of your standard terms and
conditions that apply to your suppliers?
ii. Please provide GSA with copies of your standard terms and
conditions that apply to users (i.e. buyers)?

6. Proof of concept

As explained in the Phase I implementation plan, GSA intends to
proceed with a proof of concept in FY 2019. What is your recommended
vision for a proof of concept that would be both manageable and
meaningful, including types of products offered?

Dated: June 11, 2018.
Laura J. Stanton,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of Enterprise Strategy Management,
Federal Acquisition Service, General Services Administration.
[FR Doc. 2018-12891 Filed 6-14-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-89-P

27986 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 116 / Friday, June 15, 2018 / Notices

complete copies of the following records 1934, as amended, or the rules and 1850 M Street NW, Suite 240,
for the Station (as such records exist as regulations of the Commission, and (iii) Washington, DC 20036.
of the release date of the Order): (a) All there have been any other violations of 22. It is further ordered that the
station logs for the relevant license term; the Communications Act of 1934, as Secretary of the Commission shall cause
(b) all quarterly issues and programs amended, or the rules and regulations of to have this Order or a summary thereof
lists for the relevant license term; and the Commission which, taken together, published in the Federal Register.
(c) to the extent not included in the would constitute a pattern of abuse; (b) Federal Communications Commission.
station logs, all EAS participant records In light of the evidence adduced Katura Jackson,
for the relevant license term. FVC may pursuant to issue (a) above, whether the
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Office of the
not destroy or remove any of such captioned application for renewal of the Secretary.
records prior to such filing, or redact or license for Station KLSX(FM) should be
[FR Doc. 2018–12835 Filed 6–14–18; 8:45 am]
modify any information in such records granted on such terms and conditions as
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
as they exist as of the release date of the are appropriate, including renewal for a
Order. In the event that, on or after the term less than the maximum otherwise
release date of the Order, FVC creates or permitted, or denied due to failure to
modifies any documents that it so satisfy the requirements of section GENERAL SERVICES
provides, each such document should 309(k)(1) of the Communications Act of ADMINISTRATION
be prominently marked with the date 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 309(k)(1). [Notice–QP–2018–03; Docket No. 2018–
that it was created or revised 17. It is further ordered, pursuant to 0002; Sequence No. 12]
(identifying the revision(s)) and FVC section 309(e) of the Communications
should include in the sponsoring Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Request for Information From Platform
affidavit or declaration an explanation 309(e), and section 1.254 of the Providers of Commercial e-Commerce
of who created or revised the document Commission’s rules, 47 CFR 1.254, that Portals
and when he or she did so. We the burden of proceeding with the
AGENCY: Office of Enterprise Strategy
otherwise will conduct the hearing introduction of evidence and the burden
Management, General Services
without discovery, although the of proof with respect to the issues
Administration (GSA).
Commission or its staff may make specified in Paragraph 18 of the Order
shall be on the applicant, Family Voice ACTION: Request for information.
inquiries or conduct investigations
pursuant to Part 73 of the Rules and any Communications, LLC. SUMMARY: The General Services
reports filed in this docket as a result of 18. It is further ordered that Family Administration (GSA) is soliciting
such inquiries or investigations will Voice Communications, LLC is made a information from the providers of
become part of the record in this party to this proceeding. commercial e-Commerce Portals in
hearing. 19. It is further ordered that, to avail
order to complete Phase II of the
15. We will take official notice of all itself of the opportunity to be heard and
requirements enacted in Section 846 of
publicly-available Commission records the right to present evidence at a
the National Defense Authorization Act
for the Station as part of the record in hearing in these proceedings, Family
(NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018,
this docket. FVC has the burden of Voice Communications, LLC shall file
Procurement through Commercial e-
proceeding with evidence and the complete and correct copies of the
documents described in Paragraph 16 of Commerce Portals. Note: A separate RFI
burden of proof in this hearing. Within is posted for suppliers who sell
60 days of publication of notice of the the Order, on or before the date
specified. If Family Voice products through commercial e-
Order in the Federal Register, FVC will commerce portal. Throughout the
file a written direct case on the Communications, LLC fails to file such
documents for KLSX(FM) within the design of this program, GSA and the
designated issues, no longer than 25 Office of Management and Budget
pages, and supported by an affidavit or time specified, or a petition to accept,
for good cause shown, such filing (OMB) have emphasized open and
unsworn declaration pursuant to 47 CFR
beyond the expiration of such period, its ongoing engagement. The questions in
1.16. Within 30 days of FVC’s filing, any
captioned license renewal application this RFI are intended to continue the
other person granted party status may
for the station shall be dismissed with dialogue and to allow GSA and OMB
file a responsive submission, no longer
prejudice for failure to prosecute and both to draft the Phase II report (due to
than 25 pages and supported by an
the license of the station shall be Congress in March 2019) and to move
affidavit or unsworn declaration. Within
terminated. towards phased implementation later in
10 days of the deadline for filing such
20. It is further ordered that Family 2019.
responses, FVC may file a rebuttal
submission addressing all responses, no Voice Communications, LLC shall, DATES: Interested parties may submit
longer than 10 pages and supported by pursuant to section 311(a)(2) of the written comments to
an affidavit or unsworn declaration. Communications Act of 1934, as www.regulations.gov by July 20, 2018.
16. Accordingly, it is ordered, amended, 47 U.S.C. 311(a)(2), and 47 GSA is also hosting its second modified
pursuant to sections 309(e) and (k)(3) CFR 73.3594, give notice of the hearing town-hall style public meeting. This
and 312(g) of the Communications Act within the time and in the manner meeting is in furtherance of Phase II on
of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 309(e), prescribed therein, and thereafter June 21, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern
309(k)(3) and 312(g), the captioned submit the statement described in 47 Standard Time. Further Information for
application for renewal of license for CFR 73.3594(g). the public meeting may be found on the
21. It is further ordered that a copy of Commercial Platform Interact group
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

Station KLSX(FM) is designated for a
hearing upon the following issues: (a) this Order shall be sent by Certified page on https://interact.gsa.gov/group/
To determine whether, during the Mail, Return Receipt Requested, and by commercial-platform-initiative and in
preceding license term, (i) the station regular first-class mail to Family Voice the Federal Register notice (83 FR
has served the public interest, Communications, LLC, 9004 South 8th 25004) published on May 31, 2018.
convenience, and necessity, (ii) there Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85041, with a copy ADDRESSES: Submit comments
have been any serious violations by the to its counsel of record, Lee J. Peltzman, identified by ‘‘Request for information
licensee of the Communications Act of Esq., Shainis & Peltzman Chartered, from Platform Providers of Commercial

VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:11 Jun 14, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\15JNN1.SGM 15JNN1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 116 / Friday, June 15, 2018 / Notices 27989

added portal services and 13. 52.222–35, Equal Opportunity for GENERAL SERVICES
functionalities, are there entities that are Veterans ADMINISTRATION
considered subcontractors of your 14. 52.222–37, Employment Reports on [Notice-Qp–2018–02; Docket No. 2018–0002;
business? If yes, what functions do these Veterans Sequence No. 11]
entities perform for your business? 15. 52.223–18, Encouraging Contractor
b. Order Tracking, Delivery and Issue Policies to Ban Text Messaging Request for Information From
Resolution While Driving Suppliers Selling on Commercial E-
16. 52.232–29, Terms for Financing of Commerce Portals
i. Describe how orders and delivery
are tracked. Purchases of Commercial Items AGENCY: Office of Enterprise Strategy
ii. Describe how issues are resolved 17. 52.232–30, Installment Payments for Management, General Services
(e.g., if the product doesn’t arrive in a Commercial Items Administration (GSA).
timely manner or needs to be returned). 18. 52.242–5, Payments to Small ACTION: Request for information.
Identify who is responsible for resolving Business Subcontractors
these issues when the sale involves a 19. 52.212–3(t), Public Disclosure of SUMMARY: The General Services
third party seller. Include information Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Administration (GSA) is soliciting
on customer/ordering official Reduction Goals information from the suppliers selling
management throughout the process. 20. 52–212–4(f), Excusable Delays product through commercial e-
Commerce Portals in order to complete
c. Payment 21. 52.212–4(h), Patent Indemnity Phase II of the requirements enacted in
i. When a buyer makes a payment for 22. 52.212–4(i)(4), Discount Section 846 of the National Defense
a purchase on the portal, who processes 23. 52.212–4(s), Order of precedence Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal
the payment? 24. 52.232–40, Providing Accelerated Year 2018, Procurement through
ii. What are the payment procedures? Payments to Small Business Commercial e-Commerce Portals. Note:
iii. Are payments by Electronic Funds Subcontractors A separate RFI is posted for those
Transfer allowed? 25. 52.223–9, Estimate of Percentage of companies who are providers of
d. To Assist GSA in Determining the Recovered Material Content for commercial e-commerce platforms.
Applicability of the Service Contract EPA–Designated Items Throughout the design of this program,
Act to a Portal Contract Under the GSA and the Office of Management and
f. Additional Considerations: Budget (OMB) have emphasized open
Section 846 Program, Please Advise of
the Type of Work Your Employees i. Are there different terms and and ongoing engagement. The questions
Would Perform Under Such a Contract. conditions based on the country being in the RFI are intended to continue the
served by a given commercial e- dialogue and to allow GSA and OMB
e. Suitability of FAR Commercial commerce portal? both to draft the Phase II report (due to
Service Requirements Congress in March 2019) and to move
ii. If you are not registered on
i. Please address the extent you towards phased implementation later in
www.sam.gov would you be willing to
believe the following clauses/provisions 2019.
register? Why or why not?
are consistent with and/or are relevant DATES: Interested parties may submit
iii. For your other commercial
to current, standard commercial practice customers, do you offer ways to limit written comments to
for operating commercial e-commerce access to products on your platform for www.regulations.gov by July 20, 2018.
portals. If they are not consistent and/ B2B customers who may not want GSA is also hosting its second modified
or relevant, please indicate what access to your full catalog? town-hall style public meeting. This
obstacles they would present if applied meeting is in furtherance of Phase II on
to the section 846 program. Conversely, g. Copies of standard terms and June 21, 2018, at 8:30 a.m., Eastern
if there are public policy reasons why conditions: Standard Time (EST). Further
any of these should be retained, please Information for the public meeting may
i. Please provide GSA with copies of
explain. be found on the Commercial Platform
your standard terms and conditions that
1. 52.212–4(a), Inspection and Interact group page on https://
apply to your suppliers?
acceptance interact.gsa.gov/group/commercial-
ii. Please provide GSA with copies of platform-initiative and in the Federal
2. 52.212–4(b), Assignment of claims your standard terms and conditions that
3. 52.212–4(g), Invoice Register (83 FR 25004), published on
apply to users (i.e. buyers)? May 31, 2018.
4. 52.212–4(k), Taxes
5. 52.212–4(n), Title 6. Proof of concept ADDRESSES: Submit comments
6. 52.212–4(q), Other compliances identified by ‘‘Request for information
As explained in the Phase I
7. 52.204–10, Reporting Executive from Suppliers Selling on Commercial
implementation plan, GSA intends to
Compensation and First-Tier e-Commerce Portals’’, by any of the
proceed with a proof of concept in FY
Subcontract Awards following methods:
2019. What is your recommended vision
8. 52.219–3, Notice of HUBZone Set- • Regulations.gov: http://
for a proof of concept that would be
Aside or Sole-Source Award www.regulations.gov. Submit comments
both manageable and meaningful,
9. 52.219–4, Notice of Price Evaluation by searching for ‘‘Request for
including types of products offered?
Preference for HUBZone Small information from Suppliers Selling on
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

Business Concerns Dated: June 11, 2018. Commercial e-Commerce Portals’’.
10. 52.219–27, Notice of Service- Laura J. Stanton, Select the link ‘‘Comment Now’’ and
Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Assistant Commissioner, Office of Enterprise follow the instructions provided at the
Business Set-Aside Strategy Management, Federal Acquisition ‘‘You are commenting on’’ screen.
11. 52.222–3, Convict Labor Service, General Services Administration. Please include your name, company
12. 52.222–17, Nondisplacement of [FR Doc. 2018–12891 Filed 6–14–18; 8:45 am] name (if any), and ‘‘Request for
Qualified Workers BILLING CODE 6820–89–P information from Suppliers Selling on

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Document Created: 2018-11-02 12:01:09
Document Modified: 2018-11-02 12:01:09

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Request for information.
Dates		Interested parties may submit written comments to www.regulations.gov by July 20, 2018. GSA is also hosting its second modified town-hall style public meeting. This meeting is in furtherance of Phase II on June 21, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Further Information for the public meeting may be found on the Commercial Platform Interact group page on https://interact.gsa.gov/ group/commercial-platform-initiative and in the Federal Register notice (83 FR 25004) published on May 31, 2018.
Contact		Jasmine Schaaphok at [email protected], or 571-330-3941, for clarification of content and submission of comment. For information pertaining to status or publication schedules, contact the Regulatory Secretariat at 202- 501-4755. Please cite ``Request for information from Platform Providers of Commercial e-Commerce Portals''.
FR Citation		83 FR 27986