Letter of Supply

If a contractor would like to offer products via the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) for which they are not the manufacturer, GSA often requires confirmation that the contractor is authorized to distribute those products, either by the manufacturer itself or otherwise through the manufacturer’s distribution network.

For products offered under GSA’s Information Technology large category, the Printing and Photography subcategory, or the Office Management large category, GSA requires one of two specific methods to confirm this authorization: a Letter of Supply or authorization via the Verified Products Portal (VPP).

What is a Letter of Supply (LoS)?

A letter of supply is a verification from a manufacturer, wholesaler, or otherwise authorized partner/distributor of an offered product (known here as a supplier) that a particular vendor is authorized to distribute specific products. If the vendor is not the manufacturer of the products being offered, the vendor may only offer products it is authorized to distribute, either by the manufacturer itself, or as otherwise authorized pursuant to wholesaler agreements or other policies establishing the vendor’s authority to distribute offered products. Manufacturers acting as their own vendors do not need a LoS.

An Alternative to Providing a LoS

GSA’s Verified Products Portal (VPP) captures supplier authorization information directly from participating manufacturers and their authorized partners. The VPP enables automated verification and enforcement of supplier authorization and reduces the burden on vendors to provide individual letters of supply.

What Must be Contained in A Letter of Supply?

Make sure your letter of supply:

Is on the supplier company letterhead.
Is signed and dated within 12 months of submitting it to us.
Is signed by both the vendor and supplier, who are company officials authorized to make the commitment.
Specifies the brand or manufacturer of supplied products. Do not list individual products unless the supplier is limiting its agreement to specific products rather than an overall brand or manufacturer.
Selects the appropriate first paragraph from the template language. Choose the reference that says “submitted in response to…Solicitation Number 47QSMD20R0001” for new offers and choose the reference that includes your MAS contract number if you have an existing contract.
The OEM/Distributor will provide information to the contractor that is required for the contractor to maintain compliance with the contract terms (e.g., country-of-origin information to support compliance with the Trade Agreements Act).

Letters of Supply require the use of a specific template, which is available through GSA’s website here.

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