eRETA update: cost estimate expiration
GSA has updated our External RWA Entry and Tracking Application (eRETA) to help ensure the accuracy and quality of Summary Cost Estimates (SCE). This change impacts how long SCEs are valid before they must be revised and re-approved.
Effective March 16, 2024, all SCEs for Work Requests include an “Estimate Valid Thru” date that will be valid for 90 days after approval. If a Work Request is not funded after 90 days, the accompanying SCE will revert to “pending” status and must be revised and re-approved by GSA.
SCEs may change over time and may need to be revised to meet current market conditions, code changes, scope changes, etc. This eRETA improvement increases the reliability of SCEs, ensuring they are valid and up to date when customers provide funding.
Once GSA approves an SCE, it remains in “approved” status for 90 days. After 76 days (two weeks before the estimate becomes invalid) a notice is emailed to the customer and GSA points of contact listed on the Work Request, reminding the customer to fund the estimate or provide GSA with an updated funding timeline. After 90 days, if no action is taken, the estimate will revert to “pending” status.
This update impacts all Summary Cost Estimates in eRETA. On March 16, 2024, any estimate more than 90 days old (approved by GSA before December 16, 2023) reverted to “pending” status and requires re-approval by GSA. Any estimate approved on or after December 16, 2023, will have an “Estimate Valid Thru” date of 90 days after approval (i.e. an estimate approved on January 2, 2024, will be valid through April 1, 2024). Any time GSA re-approves an estimate, the “Estimate Valid Thru” date is updated.
The “Estimate Valid Thru” date will only apply to new projects which don’t have funding submitted by a customer. It will not apply to RWA Amendments. Once the RWA is sent to GSA for acceptance, the “Estimate Valid Thru” date will no longer apply and the Summary Cost Estimate will remain valid until it is modified by GSA.
The “Estimate Valid Thru” date does not apply to, and will not appear on, estimates for Severable Services (overtime utilities, cleaning or preventative maintenance type services). Severable Service estimates will remain approved until they are modified by GSA.
Visit www.gsa.gov/ereta for more information about eRETA. Please contact your GSA R3 Account Manager with any questions.
This article is part of the Spring issue of the FOCUS newsletter. Please visit the Focus Newsletter page to read our newsletter.