What is GSA eBuy
e-Buy is GSA's RFQ/RFP Website
e-Buy is an online procurement for government buyers to request quotes from GSA Schedule vendors. It is an electronic Request for Quote (RFQ) and Request for Proposal (RFP) system designed to allow government buyers to request information from GSA contract holders, research and find responsible vendors, and prepare RFQs/RFPs online.
What Does eBuy do?
e-Buy facilitates the request for and submission of quotes or proposals for commercial products, services available through GSA Federal Supply Schedules. Using the e-Buy system, Federal buyers may prepare and post an RFQ/RFP for specific products and services for a specified period of time. Once posted, contractors (sellers) may review the request and post a response.
e-Buy was designed for federal agencies to ease online purchasing. With eBuy, federal buyers can:
- Receive quotes on millions of products and services
- Find sources of supply
- Seek information
- Procure complex requirements by attaching statements of work
- Request large dollar items
- Establish Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) pricing
With e-Buy, GSA contractors can tap into a new large customer base for their products and services and:
- Increase sales
- Access all RFQ/RFPs placed under categories for which you hold contracts
- Receive email notices of RFQ/RFP opportunities
How Does eBuy Work?
When an agency posts a solicitation to eBuy, only vendors who have a GSA schedule contract with the SIN specified by the agency may respond. Vendors will only see opportunities that fall under one of its awarded SINS.
How do I Respond to eBuy Opportunities?
An RFQ will typically include a document or two that will explain what the agency wants to buy, and instructions on responding with your proposal. Your response should closely follow their instructions, but you should be sure to articulate your value proposition, since agencies use a best value determination to make their final decision. Don't assume that the value your firm delivers is obvious - state it clearly.
GSA eBuy Login
To login to GSA eBuy, a GSA Contractor would simply use the password generated by GSA when the vendor registered its GSA contract shortly after award. Make sure that your key GSA sales people have the eBuy login so that your firm doesn't miss any opportunities. Visit the GSA Vendor Support Center for more details (vsc.gsa.gov).
Tip for the Savvy GSA Contractor
Don't rely on GSA eBuy alone. yes, it's a great tool for finding opportunities, but going out and creating deals makes more sense. Why? By the time you see an opportunity on eBuy, or FedBizOpps for that matter, you can bet that a competitor has already talked to an agency and may have influenced the scope of the purchase.
Learn more about the federal buying cycle and how to succeed. Read:
It's NOT about Finding RFPs; It's about CREATING Deals
GSA eBuy Profile
Be sure to set up your profile in GSA eBuy so that you and your team can receive email notifications of pending RFQ's that may apply to your products or services. Log into eBuy and then click on the "profile" tab. There you can enter emails by SIN, so the right person in your organization receives an email.
eBuy e-mail notices are sent out approximately every four hours. Some RFQs may open prior to the email notifications. RFQs remain open for at least 48 hours.
You can also receive eBuy RFQ notifications via text message on your cell phone.
To learn more about GSA's eBuy system and login process, see An Introduction to GSA eBuy.
e-Buy facilitates the request for and submission of quotes or proposals for commercial products, services available through GSA Federal Supply Schedules. Using the e-Buy system, Federal buyers may prepare and post an RFQ/RFP for specific products and services for a specified period of time. Once posted, contractors (sellers) may review the request and post a response.
