ELECTRONIC COMMERCE/ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE (EC/EDI) FOR TRAINING AIDS AND DEVICES POC Jodie Paustian, IRS Small Business Specialist, (202) 283-1350. Federal Supply Group 69, Training Aids and Devices. Only the Electronic Commerce/Electronic Data Interchange (EC/EDI) method will be used to solicit and receive quotes and provide notice of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) purchase requirements exceeding the micro-purchase threshold ($2,500) and not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold ($100,000) for the Federal Supply Code (FSC) 6910, Training Aids, within Federal Supply Group (FSC) 6910, Training Aids, within Federal Supply Group (FSG) 69, Training Aides and Devices, effective May 1, 1996, unless the contracting officer determines that it is not cost effective or practicable to use EC/EDI for a specific procurement. When the EC/EDI method is used to solicit and receive quotes, a presolicitation notice will not be published in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD). The IRS has made a determination that only brand name items will be purchased using the EC/EDI method. Competitive pricing for multiple brand name items will be solicited to the maximum extent practicable. See FSGs 58, 67 and 70 for additional FSCs designated for procurement exclusively through the EC/EDI method. The IRS, having conducted an EC/EDI pilot from August 1994 to present will expand the use of EC/EDI in its headquarters and implement EC/EDI functions described in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Subpart 4.504 in the four regional procurement offices located in Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and two computing centers in Detroit, MI, and Martinsburg, West Virginia. By the above effective date, IRS will begin soliciting and receiving quotes for the specific FSCs within FSG 69 from Trading Partners (businesses that have agreed to exchange business information electronically) using the Federal Acquisition Computer Network (FACNET). Businesses who wish to receive and respond to electronic requests for quotations (RFQs) issued by the IRS for the designated FSCs must register via a Value-Added-Network (VAN) with the Federal Government's Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database to become a Trading Partner. For additional information on the IRS plans to implement EC/EDI, contact Jodie Paustian, IRS Small business Specialist, at (202) 283-1350. For the more current list of Government Certified VANS and information on the Federal Electronic Commerce initiative and how to become a Trading Partner, contact the Electronic Commerce Center help line at 1-800-EDI-3414 or Internet: dodedi@acq.osd.mil. EC/EDI information is also available by accessing the Small Business Administration (SBA) Online at 1-800-697-4646 to browse or 1-900-463-4636 to download information; and 202-401-9600 (local). SBA also has EDI demonstration software available at their business information centers for use by the public. Note: The IRS EC/EDI program supports only the X.12 3040 Convention.

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