OASIS user tips and FAQs
To assist OASIS users better navigate the system, we have curated the most frequently asked questions by topic area below. For additional help beyond the FAQs and existing training materials, please contact PBSOASIS@gsa.gov.
Topic areas
Access, accounts and user roles
How do I request access to OASIS?
Follow the instructions to complete theOASIS Customer Access Request Form [PDF - 408 KB].
The initial form requires your agency’s Customer Internal Authorizing Official’s (CIAO’s) approval. GSA can provide the name of that contact when you submit your original form and request that you get their approval and resubmit the updated form.
Have I Lost Access? / Why can’t I log into OASIS anymore?
OASIS users can lose access for several reasons.
If not you have not logged into OASIS for 90 days…
Like many IT applications, OASIS requires a user to log in every 90-days or the user risks losing access as a security measure. If you have lost access, please email pbsoasisaccounts@gsa.gov.
If you have logged into OASIS within the last 90-days…
- Refresh your browser completely
- Verify the email address being used for OASIS is IDENTICAL to the email for MAX.gov
- In the browser window, please make sure only the following is used for the URL: oasis.gsa.gov
- *Any extensions or additional information after the URL will cause a failure. This has happened with individuals who have previously been able to log in before, but created a bookmark and a ‘/index’ or other text was added to the URL in the bookmark.
How do I see a list of my agency’s Ordering Officials and CIAOs?
This list was shared with your CIAO in late May. In addition, GSA is working to make this The list available to you on your Customer Dashboard.
Can we see the list of everyone in my agency who has an OASIS account and what their roles are?
The query Active Users in My Organization query on your Portal shows all of the Active users for your AB Code, however, it does not show you the role that they hold. This is a good tool to use to manage access requests for users whose accounts have gone dormant for 90 days and need to have their accounts reactivated.
Is a non-approver/view only access role available?
A new Non Approver role was launched on June 10th, 2024. This role allows a user to do everything an ordering official can do except approve or reject OAs. In order to request access to this new role, please fill out the user request form found here [PDF - 408 KB].
Is my agency limited in the number of PBS OASIS Ordering Officer accounts?
Yes, GSA does have license constraints for Ordering Officials and the new Non-Approver role, which was rolled out on June 10, 2024. The number of licenses is limited to10 per AB code, but please reach out to GSA if your agency requires more than that.
Will OASIS access still require users to hold an OMB MAX account?
OASIS currently requires users to hold an OMB MAX account. Plans are in progress to transition customers to Login.gov later in the year. More details to follow in the coming months.
Is OASIS PIV card compliant?
Yes.
Can you clarify the types of customer roles available in PBS OASIS, what they are titled, and what they can do.
There are three types of customer user roles in PBS OASIS
1. Customer Internal Authorizing Official (CIAO)
- Not a role in the system
- Designates who within an agency can Approve OAs
2. Ordering Official
- View all OAs and associated data fields within AB code
- Ask for OA clarifications and billing clarifications through the system
- Submit Releases of Space
- Approve OAs
3. Non-Approver
- View all OAs and associated data fields within AB code
- Ask for OA clarifications and billing clarifications through the system
- Submit Releases of Space
What information will I have access to in OASIS?
Each user will have access to the OA data associated with the AB Code(s) they have been approved for during the user account creation. The decision of which AB Code(s) a user is granted is made by the appointed Customer Internal Authorizing Official.
How do I remove access for someone who has left the agency or who shouldn’t be on the OA?
Send an email and explanation to pbsoasis@gsa.gov.
Please note in some cases cabinet level budget personnel were added to all AB codes within their oversight at their request. If you believe this was done in error, email pbsoasis@gsa.gov and PBS will reach out to the contact and coordinate a review.
With the reconfiguration of the workflow now in effect, do we have to re-register for OASIS access?
No, if you had an account prior to the reconfiguration that account stayed as is. If your account has gone inactive, though, because you did not log on within 90 days you will need to send an email to the PBS OASIS accounts to have that reactivated.
Can everyone with access to a specific AB number see all the OAs for the AB number?
Yes.
Will we receive a notice as we approach the end of 90 days (prior to account deactivation?)
No. As a best practice, we recommend that you set a calendar reminder for yourself for every 80 days to log into the system.
How can I tell what role I have in OASIS?
The fastest way to check your account is to log into OASIS, open an OA Needing Approval, and see if you have the Accept button at the top of the form. You can also email pbsoasis@gsa.gov and request us to verify which account you have.
If we had approver access previously as an Ordering Official, do we automatically have access now as a Non-Approver?
If you were previously an Ordering official, and your agency kept you as an ordering official. You have the maximum rights and can do everything in the system.
If your agency asked to move you to a Non-Approver role, you will still have access to all of those OAs and be able to view them, request clarification, submit questions. The only action you would not be able to do is approve or reject an OA review.
What’s the process to change a user role from non-approver to ordering official if it’s needed?
To change your role, use the User Access Form found on gsa.gov/pbsoasis, and have the Supervisor and CIAO signature and then send that into pbsoasisaccounts@gsa.gov
How does an OA get terminated in OASIS, and who can terminate it?
OA’s terminate because they either expire or because agency’s submit a release of space request. All customers have the ability to submit a Release of Space request from the portal page, both Non-Approvers and Ordering Officials.
I am having trouble accessing OASIS. My regular browser is Microsoft Edge. Do I need to use Google Chrome for OASIS?
Google Chrome is the preferred browser for PBS OASIS. Be sure to turn off any pop-up blockers in your browser so that you can view all of the system fields and options.
Can Non-Approvers submit a release of space?
Yes, Non-Approvers can do anything an Ordering Official can, except Approve or Reject an OA, so they can submit release of space requests.
Will there be a “Read Only” role? (The New Non-Approver role does not work for my agency)
The Non-Approver and the Ordering Official are our only 2 customer roles in the system. We will note that anytime a user takes an action inside PBS OASIS, it is logged and we would have a record of that. So if you are worried that maybe one of your Non-Approvers would submit a Release of Space that shouldn’t have been sent, you would have a record of it, so you could follow up and correct that errant request. It’s not something that you could accidentally do as it does take a little bit of initiative to release that space.
As an Ordering Official, can I “assign” or place the name of the actual Ordering Official on an OA that is pending?
Yes! From the OA’s Needing Approval list, there is a column for Reviewer. This box is for you as a customer user, to enter information that would assist in your agency’s internal review.
I understand that I am approved in OASIS but I have not seen any link or email that gives me guidance on how to access the site. How will I be notified when I can start using the tool, and where to begin?
Access the system through oasis.gsa.gov. All active users can access the site at this time.
You also have access to all the training material on our site, including site access and basic navigation which are part of our updated PBS OASIS Customer User Guide [PDF - 2 MB] (Updated June 10, 2024). You can find this guide and all our training videos on our PBS OASIS website www.gsa.gov/pbsoasis
Billing and rent
Why do the future estimated terms, which included things like estimated escalations for operating expenses, taxes, parking etc., no longer on the OA?
The OA now reflects only actual billing charges. Annual operating and parking cost adjustment CPIs/OMB percentages are not known in advance and are therefore not included in the OA. If an agency would like to continue to estimate future escalations, that would need to be done outside of OASIS.
Where is the shell expiration date?
The shell rate terms are listed on your OA Summary BIRT report as the pending end date. The payment schedule is also shown on the Payment tab of your OA.
What is the easiest way to find the total annual rent cost in an OA?
As OA rates can have different start and end dates, the OA does not sum or estimate annual rent. You can:
- Sum the different payment lines’ annual rent on the OA Summary and apply a PBS fee if applicable.
- Review the payment lines in OASIS by looking on the Payments tab and selecting “Payments” under the payment schedule section
- Review the monthly ROW payments and multiple by 12
I’ve noticed that my bills no longer include two decimal place square footage, why is this?
GSA now rounds square footage on the rent bill using standard rounding conventions. Numbers five and above, round up and four and under are rounded down.
My bills no longer include USF or R/U factors, are those coming back?
No, the bill is based on the RSF charge basis and that is the only square footage listed on the bill. If you would like your measured usf or R/U, you can review the OA record Locations tab. Note that this tab shows your measured usable and R/U factor which may differ from your payment as GSA does not adjust for changes in measurement until we conduct an SDM Re-measurement
Most ad hoc clauses have gone away. How do I find out more about specific rental components such as free space and free rent?
Rental components, such as free space and free rent do include an ad hoc clause. These common scenarios and others like Broker Commission Credits and Agency Funded Shell will continue to be documented in the clauses. OA or customer specific information however was removed from the OA as it is an interagency agreement and not meant to document all project or non-financial occupancy information. Specific occupancy questions can be directed to your project team or by using the Ask a Billing Question feature in OASIS.
Can a modified date be added to the OA?
The History tab, within the OA record, provides the date and reason for any modification of that record.
How do we get access to Rent on the Web?
Rent on the Web (ROW) is GSA’s online portal for access to rent bills and billing related information, including:
- Monthly rent bills
- Furniture and IT (FIT) bills
- DHS Security Charges
- Rent Estimates
- Expiring Leases and Occupancy Agreements report
- Monthly ROW Newsletter containing agency billing and pricing contacts
Rent on the Web Resources
Are Current and Prior Year Adjustment details available for viewing in OASIS?
Yes, all adjustments on your bills August 2023 and later are in OASIS. Adjustments done prior to August 2023 are not available.
Email notifications
When do we get all notifications to come via email and what should we do if we aren’t receiving them?
Notification emails are sent when you have an OA to Approve, when a Request Clarification answer has been provided, or when an OA has been rejected. Emails are sent to the Ordering Officials listed on the OA. Non-Approvers cannot receive email notifications.
If you are not receiving emails there are 3 quick troubleshooting checks:
- Did other Ordering Officials in your agency receive an email. If not, the issue is most likely with your agency firewall. Contact your local IT support to discuss options to add OASIS to your safe list.
- Open OASIS and ensure your account is active. If you cannot open OASIS your account has timed out after 90 days of inactivity and you much contact pbsoasisaccounts@gsa.gov to restore access.
- 3. Check the OA record Contact tab and ensure you are listed. If you are not listed as an Ordering Official you can still take action on the OA but email pbsoasis@gsa.gov and request a correction so you receive future emails.
When OA’s don’t need a signature, will the tenant agency still get an email? For example: alerting the agency when a succeeding lease was awarded.
At this time no, but we will add this as a potential future enhancement.
Will Non-Approvers receive the same notification emails as the Ordering Officials?
No, at this time Non-Approvers cannot receive the email notifications because they are not contacts of the OA record. That is something that we are looking into and evaluating as a future enhancement.
Prior to the reconfiguration, there was a notifications area showing OAs that may have changed in version number due to an administrative update . Will an agency still get these notifications ?
No, those notifications are no longer created.
When we turn back space, either at expiration or through a release of space request, what sort of notification will we receive ?
GSA is working to improve and clarify the Release of Space notifications. That update will debut in Fall of 2024.
We previously received notifications about OA’s receiving a new version/ revision, but I don’t see the tab anymore. Is there a new location for such information?
No, these notifications are no longer generated.
If, as an Ordering Official, you accept the OA as yours and you then Request Clarification or Reject the OA, will communications on this OA still be sent to all Ordering Officials or just the Ordering Official that accepted the OA?
This is a little bit different in this new reconfiguration approach, in that you don’t accept the OA. If you ask for a clarification, everyone will receive the notification email and will be able to review the OA and clarification.
Is there an email notification sent if another user updates a previous request clarification with additional details/notes?
No. Once the request is pending with GSA, you do not receive any notification until it comes back from GSA.
Will GSA resume sending notifications with the PDF “Snap Shot” OA?
No, the pdf of the OA is now inside OASIS. We put this version control feature in place to ensure that you would always have access to the most current version of the document to review in the event the OA is rejected and a new version sent.
What is the email address the notifications are coming from?
The email will come from: notifications@oasis.gsa.gov
OA approval process
What is the timeline for approving OAs?
We ask that OAs be reviewed and approved within three weeks, but please work with your project team on timing for specific projects,
When Viewing a list of OAs to approve, can you rearrange the columns and save that order for future use?
You can rearrange them by clicking on the columns and dragging it where you would like to place. It will not save though and each time that you go out of the system it will return to the default system standard.
Can OASIS users customize their view portal to only see the OAs they are responsible for (ie States assigned to them) and not the entire agency list of OAs?
No, the queue of pending OA’s is based on your AB Code and cannot be further segmented. You can search that portal for certain GSA Regions or for states to narrow your view. Please keep in mind, if you reject an OA you see in the queue because it is not yours to review, you are rejecting it on behalf of your entire agency and removing it from everyone’s queues.
How do I navigate to the OA Summary page?
If you’re looking for your OAs summary document, you can access it either from the OA Record or, if it’s one you previously approved, you can find it on the “All Customer Reviews” query.
If an OA has more than one “Work in Progress” OA, should the customer sign them all or just the most recent one?
In general, there should only be one version in place at a time. That version may contain both billing and proposed pending changes. The payment effective dates and expiration date along with the payment schedule status differentiate the billing and proposed. We will only have one OA version with you at a time.
Did all OAs Revision Number get reset to start at ‘300’. Does any/all types of changes on the OA cause the Revision Number to increment?
All migrated Billing OAs have a revision number of 300. OAs that had not billed before have a revision number of 0.
All changes that alter the terms and conditions of the OA will generate a new amendment number.
If comments or changes are needed, do we have the ability to annotate this back to the Realty Specialist without approval or rejection?
Our new “Request Clarification” module will allow you to do just that! See this covered in our training video - “How to Approve an OA”. On the approval form, scroll down to the request, clarification section, click, Add to enter a new question, and a pop-up opens.
In the prior configuration, I would receive the actual OA in pdf for review, now I receive a link to access OASIS to review the OA?
Yes, the pdf of the OA is now inside OASIS. We put this version control feature in place to ensure that you would always have access to the most current version of the document to review in the event the OA is rejected and a new version sent.
After utilizing the request for clarification and an OA is updated accordingly, will OASIS automatically reject and file the now old OA and produce an updated OA?
It’s a little more nuanced. The OA will not automatically reject, but GSA is able to reject it, correct it, and resend it manually if a correction is needed.
Can Non-Approvers submit comments on an OA?
Yes! Using that internal note feature (see training video “How to Approve an OA”), you are able to add any of those internal notes that you want as a Non-Approver, or request clarification.
Do questions to GSA and comments internal to the agency as part of the review within the system become part of the record within TRIRIGA or will they disappear after an OA is approved/signed?
Yes. They become part of that approval record sheet, and you are able to view them in the Approval Form linked in the OA record and in the All Customer Review query.
Other
How do we subscribe to the OASIS newsletter?
All OASIS Ordering Officials, Non Approvers, and CIAOs are automatically subscribed to the bi-weekly OASIS Bulletin. Additional interested parties can subscribe right from a forwarded copy of the newsletter or email our main mailbox pbsoasis@gsa.gov to be added to the mailing list.
Is GSA changing the CFR?
GSA is working with OMB to update the CFR.
When will the Pricing Policy Guide be updated?
The National Pricing Team is currently working through the issuance process.
Are agencies allowed to see leases along with OAs?
After the lease is executed it should be provided by the Leasing Specialist to all relevant stakeholders including local and headquarters customer representatives. Pre-award leases are procurement sensitive and cannot be shared.
Will amendments to OAs require Agency approval by designated personnel?
Amendments require approval if they increase the square footage or tenant improvements and will be sent through OASIS.
Can the Digest Action # or LA # to which the rent action is related be reflected in OASIS?
This is not information that is available in OASIS.
How do I know if my space is Federal or Leased?
The occupancy right (OA Type) is shown in the “All OAs” query, OA record general tab, and on the OA BIRT report.
Can I still download the old style of OAs from OASIS rather than the new, more condensed version?
The OA BIRT report is the official interagency OA document.
Is it possible to integrate my system with OASIS?
Not at this time.
Project planning
What is the Client Project Agreements (CPA)?
The CPA is a tool used to assist GSA and customers in the initial stages of space planning.
Should we expect updated CPAs as the project proceeds?
The CPA is not intended to be updated or modified after its initial development. The CPA is a collaborative document that defines a project’s strategic requirements and other occupancy considerations no later than 30 months prior to an occupancy expiring (12 months prior to the OMB submission for prospectus projects). While there may be financial information contained in the CPA, it is an initial estimate based on known project and market considerations at the time. Final square footage and rates may not be known when the CPA is signed.
If you have any questions about your future rates during the project planning process, please work with your GSA project team to receive updated project information prior to receiving an award OA. For more information please visit the Occupancy Planning and Requirements site.
Do succeeding leases require a new OA signature?
In general, the succeeding lease does not need a signature as long as we are not changing square footage, adding Tenant Improvement or changing the cancellation rights. However, per the recent GSA asset management alert that went into place last year, we are changing cancellation rights on most leases to non-cancellable. Therefore, many succeeding leases are requiring a customer approval at this time.
Release of space
What is the process to release space in OASIS?
You can complete the release of space request on your OASIS Portal. Please ensure you include the OA number and a description of the space. The request does NOT need to identify the specific space records up for release. Customers should identify the space to the best of their ability using space records, room numbers, a brief description of the room location or use. Examples include SW corner of 5th floor, Room 7300, computer lab on the 13th floor, Bob Smith’s office suite. The request will then be sent to GSA for review and you will be notified of the decision.
Did OASIS cause GSA to stop providing 1204s when we release or accept space?
The 1204 Condition Survey Report document is still in use but may not be equally used amongst GSA regions or for actions completed in leased vs federal space. The document is not required to process a space release or new OA as part of the workflow in OASIS, but may still be part of the regional checklist for beginning a new occupancy or releasing space. Please work with your regional project team or leasing specialist if you have any questions about the documentation or would like to obtain a copy of a completed 1204.
Is there a standard number of days we can expect to be contacted after we have requested a release of space?
GSA’s process requires a prompt response to all releases of space. The exact length of time can vary based on the complexity of the release and research required.
After we release space in a building, do we receive a new OA that needs to be signed?
If it was a simple release, no, you would not get a new OA for approval. However, if you had to do some reconfiguration and spent tenant improvements for the relocation of space, or if you are relocating to new space, you would be asked to sign a new OA.
Can a release of space request be canceled?
No, a release of space cannot be canceled. You can Submit a Billing Question to alert the region that you no longer wish to release space and they can deny the request.
Do I need to submit a space release request in OASIS to update the AB Codes for my agency (not to return space to GSA)?
No, policy would not require a Release. This is a unique situation for the few customers that have multiple AB Codes. Submit a Billing question through OASIS to your Regional OA Editors. The OA will be sunset and a new OA created.
Is there a way to edit a Release of Space request? Or add space drawings to the original request, when needed by GSA?
Currently no. We are reviewing the process this fall and may make minor changes to the process.
Reporting
Will there be any standard reports created?
Yes, additional reports will be added to OASIS in the next year. PBS also has a reports team that is working on requirements and recommendations for customer reporting.
It’s not easy to associate street addresses to the OA numbers. Can addresses be added to the “All OA” report, when downloading to excel?
This request has been added to our suggested enhancement list.
When can we expect portfolio level reporting from OASIS with all critical fields and payment schedules?
Additional reports will be added to OASIS in the next year. In addition, PBS has developed a reports team that is working on requirements and recommendations for customer reporting and additional functionality.
GSA is working on updating the dashboard due to the transition from OA Tool to OASIS, but much of that work should be done by the end of May. The dashboard is accurate and easy to use.
Is there anywhere in OASIS to run reports, such as what our agencies total rent costs are this fiscal year and what they are projected to be for the next fiscal year etc?
With all of our queries you do have the ability to export data (see video - Working with Queries), but these do not include payment information.
A separate team is working on agency reporting features, and they offered a Client Enrichment Series session - PBS Customer Dashboard - Reporting Made Easy, on July 11, 2024 from to show customers how to access our dashboard tools for information on your Projects, Occupancies, RWAs, Locations and Rent.
For more information on the PBS Customer Dashboard, including how to access the system, please go here: gsa.gov/pbscustomerdashboard
Will there be downloadable full Occupancy Agreement documents? Can I select multiple OAs to download at once, or must they be done one at a time?
The OA Summary Report pdf is the full Occupancy Agreement document. You can download that from the Approval Record or from the OA Record. You can download queries with multiple OAs’ information by selecting them in the search and exporting, but you can only download one OA Summary Report pdf at a time.
Space and square footage
Why does my square footage not match exactly to the old numbers?
Square footage in OASIS is rounded to 2 decimal places rather than the 9 decimal places that were used under the old OA Tool. The conversion caused slight rounding variances, proportional to the size of your assignment.
Why did my square footage change in October 2023 and where is Joint Use?
During the transition to OASIS, joint use space was removed and rolled into the total square footage. This was a one-time adjustment in square footage which was processed in October 2023. At that time, OAs were also aligned with the current building R/U factor. In some cases this change, along with the Joint Use transition caused a larger RSF correction.
Is it true that OAs in Federal Buildings no longer have an expiration date?
This is correct. OAs in federally owned space have annual terms that automatically renew each year unless a move out date is listed on the OA or the customer agency provides a release of space notice. The shell rate continues to be set for 10 years and can be used for your internal space process. Customer agencies continue to have a 4 month release of space rights.
How do I find my assigned USF and cost/square foot?
Assigned usable square feet is available on the OA BIRT report and in the OA record (Location Tab). Cost/sqft was removed for Tenant Improvements as TI repayment is based on a monthly principal amortization.
Now that joint use charges have been rolled into the overall rent, how often should we expect changes to joint use?
Changes to Joint Use common space should be rare and would only occur at the fiscal year transition. A change to JU would be reflected as a change to the RU.
How can we determine the correct Joint Use (J/U) SF for an OA?
The Joint Use is now a component of the building common space. The RU was updated in FY24 to account for Joint Use space and any other measurement driven changes to the common spaces.
What is an acceptable variance of square footage differences before GSA will make a change or update?
The specific variances are dependent on the size of the OA. A variance of 300+ should be investigated by GSA though. Please send the specific OA number to pbsoasis@gsa.gov.
What is an acceptable variance of square footage differences before GSA will make a change or update?
The specific variances are dependent on the size of the OA. A variance of 300+ should be investigated by GSA though. Please send the specific OA number to pbsoasis@gsa.gov.
Will the OA ever display the unrounded R/U factor?
No, GSA has made the decision to change to a two decimal RU. That is the official RU factor.
How is “assigned sf” defined?
Assigned square footage is sometimes known as “usable” square footage. Think of it as the area where your agency normally houses personnel or furniture. This is different from Rentable square footage (RSF), which is the area for which your agency is charged Rent; and may include a share of building support and common areas.
How do you get the USF from the RSF on the Payments tab?
You can view the USF or measured usable square footage on the Location tab.
Will the RSF and USF in D2D match OASIS?
Yes, the USF and RSF in the PBS Customer Dashboard in D2D is in the process of being updated to reflect the assigned USF and RSF from OASIS. This should be done by the end of May. The billed RSF will be reflected on the Rent tab (billing records do not contain a USF, and therefore it is not available) with the assigned USF and RSF on the Occupancies and Locations tabs.
How can we as an agency verify the Sq Footage is 100% correct, before signing the OAs?
The OA will match the lease contract square footage or the drawing square footage (owned). The OA goes through an internal GSA review to ensure the OA space is correct.
Can questions about RSF and any changes be submitted through OASIS?
Yes, you can submit any billing or occupancy agreement questions, including square footage, through the OASIS Billing Question workflow.
Is GSA planning to include floor plans with OASIS OAs?
GSA has drawings and floor plans available for our federally-owned space. All new federal OAs will include a floor plan. Existing federal OAs will be transitioned over the next several years to link their plans directly to the OA record.
How does OASIS store the drawings of the interior of the leased space?
OASIS does not store or provide leased drawings. The lease contract is the source document for the OA. Please reach out to your regional leasing team to request a copy of any existing floor plans for your leased space.
Does GSA use OMNICLASS for Space Classifications (Types)?
GSA uses Table 13 - Omniclass Room Names with some variation. The complete list can be found in GSA’s NBSAP guide.
Will the floor plan documentation be available in AutoCAD or Autodesk view?
The assignment drawings are in pdf format.
There have been issues where the rentable square feet in the OAs do not match what’s in Rent on the Web (ROW) tool. Has this issue been brought to the OASIS team’s attention?
The OASIS record has square footage in 2 separate tabs. One is the Location tab, and one is the Payment tab. The Payment tab is the amount that appears on your Rent on the Web bill. ROW will show one line for each payment type. If OASIS has multiple blocks of space, they will sum into one line and you may see very minor (less than 2 sqft) of variance from this summing. If you have instances where that doesn’t happen, please send those to the pbsoasis@gsa.gov, and we can dig into those.
The other tab on the OA is the Location tab. The Location tab shows your measured, assigned square footage, and there are cases, for very valid reasons, where that would not be the same as your billed square foot. One of the prime ones is remeasurement. When an agency first moves in the space is measured and the bill is based on that amount. We do not alter that if we find minor changes to measurement guidelines. The Locations tab would reflect that change but would not carry through to the Payment tab. This is the primary source of variance between square footage.
Why would our R/U (rentable/usable) factor have gone up in OASIS vs the old OA?
Starting in FY24, three different events contributed to variances in the RU factor calculated in OAs. The first was converting to a two decimal RU factor (from systems that use as many as nine decimal places), so there were some slight rounding changes.
The second thing that we did in October of 2023 was convert joint use away from a separate charged line into part of the building common space. When that occurred the R/U factor increased to reflect the new space in rentable while removing it as a separate change.
Then we had a third event - PBS had not done a systemic update of our RU factors in several years. In October, with the transition and the joint use change, we did align our RU factors again. So if your R/U factor had gotten misaligned in the previous years you would have seen a correction that occurred in October to bring it back into line.
Tenant improvements
General and Custom TI used to be separate lines on the rent bill but aren’t anymore. Why?
General and Custom TI is considered when setting your allowance based on your tier and deciding on RWA funds. This is shown on the Client Planning Agreement (CPA) and project documents. Once it gets to the OA though there’s no difference between the two classifications. The bill combines them into a single monthly amount.
What does GSA provide to agencies to document reconciled TI expenditures used in owned space?
A Tenant Improvement Certification can be provided to document the principal amount spent on the project.
In owned space, at what rate is Allocated TI amortized?
As of March 18th 2024, the TI Amortization rate for federal space is 4.335%.
When is TI Allowance communicated to the Agency?
The TI Allowance is part of the project planning and strategic requirement stage. It is documented on your CPA and updated through the project planning as you elect to spend more/less or provide RWA funds.
The start and end date aren’t on the OA Summary Report anymore. Why not?
When an OA is created, we’re at the award stage. We know how much the principal, interest, and term are going to be, but the start date may be less firm as it sometimes slips due to buildout delays. Therefore, the TI on the official OA Summary approval doesn’t specify the start or end date in order to allow it to adjust as needed. However, you can always see those dates by looking at the OA records PAYMENT tab to see the TI effective and expiration date.
TI used to have a rate per square foot, but it doesn’t show up anymore on the OA. Why?
The prior OA Tool converted everything to a rate per square foot. TI doesn’t really fit this model though. The total principal spent (plus interest) is divided over the term to come up with a monthly amount. The rentable square feet and rate weren’t part of that calculation and caused confusion when there were slight fluctuations in sq ft. We removed those data elements that were not part of the calculation.
Will my monthly TI amount ever change?
Your monthly TI will change if you add additional TI, pay off TI during a partial release, or if the total term of the amortization period changes. Adding additional TI will result in a new OA approval, but paying down TI and changing the term are handled through the release process.
Training and support
Where can I find the customer user guide?
The OASIS customer user guide is located on our OASIS website here, and outlines the current process. The guide will be updated and reissued to coincide with the launch of the rebuild.
Where can I find additional OASIS training?
Past training can be found on our OASIS website here. Any future live training will be communicated on the OASIS Bulletin or on our website.
Who should I contact with OA, and OA billing questions?
Questions about a specific OA can be asked using the Ask a Billing Question feature in OASIS. More general questions should be directed to pbsoasis@gsa.gov
Have the OASIS training videos been updated to reflect all of the June 2024 changes to the new workflow?
All our OASIS training videos listed below are available on gsa.gov/pbsoasis. Videos marked as “NEW” have been updated to reflect the new customer approval workflow and portal effective June 10,2024. All other videos remain accurate, but were developed prior to the new workflow and portal
U.S. General Services Administration