In addition to Recovery Act grants, cooperative purchasing authority for IT and security (Group 84) products and services, and disaster recovery programs, GSA has announced a new state and local government ordering ability for GSA Schedule contracts.

Public Health Emergencies (PHE) Grants

On August 24, 2009, GSA announced that effective immediately it will allow state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, purchasing with Federal grant funds in support of activities to prevent and respond to a Public Health Emergencies (PHE) declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to purchase what they require under all GSA Federal Supply Schedules. This policy change has support of the National Security Staff, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Homeland Security. State and local government entities may use any GSA Schedule contract to purchase products and services in advance of a PHE declared by the Secretary of HHS, as well as in the aftermath of an emergency event. State and local government entities are responsible for ensuring that the products or services purchased are to be used to facilitate prevention or response to a PHE.

The General Services Administration Acquisition Manual (GSAM), Part 538.7001, Definitions, offers the following definition of state and local governments: "The States of the United States, counties, municipalities, cities, towns, townships, tribal governments, public authorities (including public or Indian housing agencies under the United States Housing Act of 1937), school districts, colleges, and other institutions of higher education, council of governments (incorporated or not), regional or interstate government entities, or any agency or instrumentality of the preceding entities (including any local educational agency or institution of higher education), and including legislative and judicial departments."

Under the program, state and local entities may add their own terms and conditions to the order provided they do not violate the terms of the GSA contract. These terms should be reviewed before signing. The order can be rejected if the terms are not satisfactory. GSA's IFF fees are assessed and must be reported to GSA under the State and Local Government Special Item Numbers (SINs). GSA's industrial operations analysts (IOAs) and auditors can check to make sure you are collecting and reporting the data correctly.

There are over 88,000 governments in the United States, mostly local governments. This broad and diverse market can be several times larger than any commercial or even the Federal market.

Are you making it easy for them to reach you?

• Make sure you have a GSA Schedule contract.
• Sign the modifications indicating you want to participate in the state and local government programs.
• Develop a process to properly qualify the grant funding and separate GSA orders from other state and local government orders.
• Develop a process to review state terms, quote and process orders to state and local government, and report and pay the fees on GSA orders.
• Make sure your GSA contract has the products or services in demand for state and local government customers.

• If you do not want to do all of this yourself:
• Locate partners now such as Technical Communities who already have many GSA Schedule contracts and will act for you in the market.
• Make sure they have full access to the products or services that are in demand for the state and local governments.