GSA’s New Common Catalog Platform To Replace SIP
by Abdul Aziz Mondal Business Development 16 January 2023
The new CCP platform comes to replace the old Schedule Input Program known to be not as user-friendly and straightforward as contemporary standards would imply.
In this article, we explain what Schedule Input Program is, what the Common Catalog Platform is, and what do GSA contractors get from this update.
What is the Schedule Input Program (SIP)?
The Schedule Input Program was designed by the GSA as an instrument for contractors to upload various documents and files related to their contracts. The SIP tool allows GSA contract holders to manage their product catalogs on GSA Advantage and GSA eLibrary, as well as to add or modify contract terms.
What is Common Catalog Program?
The Common Catalog Program or in short CCP is a replacement for the legacy SIP. It functions the same way and shares its purpose with the Schedule Input Program. However, the new platform was designed using the new UI principles and data exchange technologies, so it offers better capabilities and is more straightforward in usage by GSA Schedule contractors.
What are the reasons for introducing the new platform?
The Schedule Input Program is known for its extreme unfriendliness, up to the point where GSA contractors preferred to hire someone to submit text files and catalogs to SIP rather than do it themselves.
So, eventually, the GSA started developing a more advanced version of the platform, called CCP. The GSA engineers analyzed feedback and numerous complaints from GSA contractors and after a few years returned with the Common Catalog Program that is to replace the SIP very shortly. In addition, the new system also encompasses the functionality of the Contracting Officer Reporting System (CORS), along with the current Price Proposal Template (PPT).
Surely, the new platform should streamline the GSA contract modification process making it easier for vendors to make changes to the catalog file, avoiding interaction with cumbersome interfaces. Among one the most awaited novelties are integration with the eMod system, to automatically reflect changes made to the catalog on the federal eCommerce platforms.
Currently, the Common Catalog Platform undergoes beta testing. After the pilot phase ends, GSA contractors will be gradually transferred to CCP during the fiscal year 2024.
How does it work?
The interface will get simpler. In place of multiple tabs and modes of the older SIP, in CCP you will be working with two pages: the seller profile and catalog overview.
The seller profile allows you to specify or correct the information about the GSA contract holder, using a consolidated form. The catalog page allows you to make updates to the catalog by creating “actions”. Whenever Product Files for such an “action” are uploaded and the action is executed, CCP validates the data and submits Product Files automatically to eMod. You will also be able to access the Common Catalog Program from the eMo system.
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