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Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA) Task Order Numbers


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Need some guidance/feedback for the following:

The situation is that my company was awarded a GSA Schedule BPA and a task order as the Team Leader in a GSA Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA).  The BPA specifically identified the CTA Team Member by company name and GSA contract number in the BPA, but they were not identified in the awarded task order.  The task order did incorporate by reference our proposal which specifically identifies the team member and proposed items from their schedule.  However, there is only one task order number identified with the award and that is the task order number for my company as the Team Leader.  Should there not be an additional task order number for the CTA Team Member listed in the task order awarded?  By having two distinct task order numbers for each respective participant in the CTA each company will have a task order to report their IFF to GSA. 

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Here is an interesting document on CTAs:

https://www.gsa.gov/portal/mediaId/152791/fileName/MAS_CTA_StudentGuide_Fall_2016.action

Regarding the number of BPAs issued to holders of the CTA, see page 29: “The task order or BPA is issued to the Schedule contractor team as a whole, and lists all Schedule contractor numbers on it. In some cases, depending on the agreement, task orders can be issued directly to each team member. If multiple award BPAs are awarded to multiple teams, then the teams must compete for the task orders.”

Regarding number of delivery orders issued, see page 37: “Customarily, it is the CTA team lead that receives the delivery/task order award. However, unlike a prime/subcontract relationship, where all reporting is done under the prime’s name, a CTA focuses upon who performs the majority of work.”

Regarding the IFF, see page 27: “Reporting of sales and Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) payment responsibility. The CTA document should: • Specify that each team member is responsible for reporting its own sales under its GSA Schedule contract and paying the related IFF to GSA. • State that each team member will track sales by contract number to meet contract pricing and IFF reporting requirements.”

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Guest PepeTheFrog

PepeTheFrog wonders if having two nigh-identical task orders, for the same requirement, issued to two different members of a CTA would be...duplicative...and defeat the purpose of the CTA.

Are any of these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) helpful?

https://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/202257

"In a GSA Schedule Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA), who bills the customer?

The CTA document should designate who is responsible for invoicing and payment. While the team lead can submit an invoice on behalf of all team members, GSA recommends that payment be made to each team member. 

GSA recognizes, however, that there could be instances where it is advantageous to craft the CTA document so that payment is made to the team lead who, in turn, pays each team member. Under such circumstances, the CTA document should clearly indicate that all team members agree to this payment arrangement. 

The CTA document should also acknowledge that any dispute involving the distribution of payment between the team lead and the team members will be resolved by the team members, without any involvement by the government."

"In a GSA Schedule Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA), who is responsible for reporting sales and remitting the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF)?

Each GSA Schedule contractor is responsible for reporting its GSA Schedule contract sales and remitting the appropriate IFF."

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napolik - the document that you linked is a good resource, thanks.

PepeTheFrog - I get your point, but it would seem logical that in addition to the CTA, which is an agreement between the two parties, that something in the task order needs to pull this together.  Thanks for referencing the FAQs, I have seen them previously.

My overall question is still left unanswered however.  Specifically, does the task order to the CTA team leader have to specifically identify an additional task order number that would be associated with the CTA team member for them to identify for their GSA IFF reporting, or can the CTA team member use the CTA team leader task order number to report IFF? 

If the later, it is assumed that the CTA team member should be specifically identified in the task order.

 

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Guest Vern Edwards

Based on the information submitted by napolik and Pepe, it appears that GSA has once again muddied the waters by using official terminology in its own unique way, much as it has done with Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA).

In FAR Subpart 9.6, Contractor Team Arrangements," 9.601defines "contractor team arrangement" (CTA) as follows:

Quote

“Contractor team arrangement,” as used in this subpart, means an arrangement in which—

(1) Two or more companies form a partnership or joint venture to act as a potential prime contractor; or

(2) A potential prime contractor agrees with one or more other companies to have them act as its subcontractors under a specified Government contract or acquisition program.

Compare that to what GSA says about CTAs: https://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/200553

GSA, ever too lazy to develop its own terminology, prefers to sow confusion.

 

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Quote

My overall question is still left unanswered however.  Specifically, does the task order to the CTA team leader have to specifically identify an additional task order number that would be associated with the CTA team member for them to identify for their GSA IFF reporting, or can the CTA team member use the CTA team leader task order number to report IFF? 

See page 18 here:https://vsc.gsa.gov/stepstosuccess.pdf.

"We suggest that any arrangements between teaming partners be put in writing to prevent any misunderstandings. At a minimum, the CTA should clearly identify the MAS contractor team members, services and products that each team member will be responsible for supplying, price/discount of each line item and the applicable GSA contract numbers. Each team member will be responsible for reporting his or her sales and submitting the appropriate portion of the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) against the MAS contract.

Invoicing, payment, warranty and reporting remittances are areas that should be addressed in a CTA. Many times, agencies will want to receive a single invoice that cites the lead MAS contract. It is a good idea for each teaming partner to annotate his or her own MAS contract number on all invoices submitted to the CTA lead contract holder." 

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napolik - yes, we have all those points fully covered in our CTA.  Thanks.

Vern - you're so right, GSA's innovation/creativity couldn't produce terminology with more clarity, ha.  And yes, their terminology "Blanket Purchase Agreement" is not helpful.

I can't wait to see the confusion that comes from the final rule when it is published regarding Order Level Materials.

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