U.S. General Services Administration
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GSA is implementing the Commercial Platforms program, as directed in Section 846 of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
In response to Section 846 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18), Procurement Through Commercial e-Commerce Portals, GSA partnered with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish a program to procure commercial products through commercial e-commerce portals.
GSA implemented the program in multiple phases (with reports delivered to Congress after each phase):
- Phase I - Implementation Planning [PDF - 567 KB] (December 2017 - March 2018)
- Phase II - Market Research and Stakeholder Consultation [PDF - 696 KB] (April 2018 - April 2019)
- Phase III - Program Implementation Guidance [PDF - 1 MB] (May 2019 - May 2020)
- Business Model Cost Estimate Analysis [PDF - 505 KB] (in response to FY20 NDAA, Section 827) (July 2021)
- Business Model Testing and Analysis [PDF - 1014 KB] (in response to FY22 NDAA, Section 853) (July 2022)
What does the legislation outline as requirements?
- Contract must be competitive with multiple portal providers
- GSA shall accept portal provider commercial terms and conditions to the maximum extent practicable
- All existing procurement rules and regulations apply
- Orders shall not exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT)
- Platforms must be widely used in the private sector and excludes portals managed by Government
In Summer 2020, GSA launched the Commercial Platforms program to GSA SmartPay® Purchase Card (GPC) holders, providing access to multiple online platforms for purchases of routine, commercial products. The program is open to GPC holders from participating agencies.
What are the benefits of the program?
- A modern, streamlined buying experience
- Choice across a large pool of suppliers and products
- Pricing benefits (B2B discounts, tiered pricing, bulk discounts)
- Supports mandatory source purchasing through the AbilityOne program
- Facilitates small business purchasing
- Enhanced data visibility and key insights into online purchases
- Implementation of Supply Chain Risk Management requirements, to include restricting access to debarred vendors, a focus on counterfeit prevention, and support for Section 889.
- Standardized terms and conditions through a whole-of-government approach
- A dedicated team to assist with training, change management, and data analytics across the online platforms.
When do I purchase from the program?
GSA SmartPay® Purchase Card (GPC) holders from participating agencies are encouraged to use the program’s online platforms for the purchase of routine commercial items, typically made from consumer websites. GPC holders should follow existing purchase card policies before purchasing items on the Commercial Platforms program.
For additional details on purchasing requirements and guidelines, download the ordering procedures [PDF - 164 KB] and consult your program coordinator regarding any agency-specific policies.
Provided below are resources to help you learn more about the program.
Buyer Resources
- Virtual Training
- Commercial Platforms 101 [PDF - 2 MB]
- Commercial Platforms Proof of Concept Guide [PDF - 486 KB]
- AbilityOne Guide [PDF - 2 MB]
- Best practices for preventing personal purchases [PDF - 330 KB]
Supplier Resources
For questions related to the program, email us at Section846@gsa.gov.