한·미 FTA에서 양국은 자국의 정부조달 시장을 상대방에게 개방하기로 합의하면서, 협정서 17장에 구체적인 내용을 담고 있다. 한․미 FTA 상의 정부조달은 WTO 하의 정부조달협정(GPA)에 그 기본 바탕을 두고 있으며 WTO GPA의 많은 조항을 원용하였다. 주지하다시피 한국과 미국은 WTO GPA 회원국이어서, 양국의 정부조달 시장은 WTO GPA의 메카니즘하에서 이미 개방되어 있었다. 하지만 상대국 정부조달 시장에의 접근성은 상당히 제약되어 있었다. 이는 정부조달 시장 자체가 전통적으로 외국 공급업자에게 배타적일 뿐 아니라 계약의 발주 과정에서 국내 업자를 우대하는 규정과 정책 때문이었다.
정부조달 시장에서의 이러한 제한을 인식하고, 한․미 FTA 정부조달 조항은 WTO GPA와 비교할 때, 상대국에게 좀 더 많은 정부계약을 개방하도록 그 기준을 완화하였다. 주요한 내용으로는 첫째, 한․미 FTA에서는 양허기준을 WTO GPA의 절반 수준으로 낮추었다. 둘째, 정부조달의 발주과정에서 발주국 내에서의 해당 공급업자의 과거실적 요구를 금하도록 하였다. 셋째, 앞으로 발생할 수 있는 정부조달 관련 문제들에 보다 신속하고 효과적으로 대응하기 위해 ‘정부조달작업반(Government Procurement Working Group)’을 설치하기로 하였다.
미국 정부조달 시장은 물품과 서비스 공급업자들에게 아주 거대한 시장을 제공하기에, 한미 FTA 시대에 한국기업들이 미국 연방정부와의 조달계약을 좀 더 효과적으로 공략하기 위한 방안을 모색하여야 한다. 그중 미국 연방조달청(GSA)에서 주관하는 MAS 프로그램 (Multiple Award Schedule Program)은 한국기업들에게 하나의 좋은 대안이 될 것이다.
MAS 프로그램은 연방조달청의 하부기구인 FSS(Federal Supply Service)가 관할․운영하고 있다. MAS 프로그램에 참여하고자 희망하는 업체는 FSS가 사전에 물품과 서비스를 공급할 수 있는 공급업자로 선정해야 가능하다. MAS 프로그램의 주요목적은 상업용 물품과 서비스의 조달에 있어 그 절차를 간소화하고 보다 저렴한 가격으로 공급하는 것이다. 이는 물품과 서비스를 구매하는 정부기관으로 하여금 시간과 행정비용을 절감할 수 있도록 해준다. 이 이외에도 MAS 프로그램은 다음과 같은 몇 가지 장점을 제공한다. 첫째, 조달물품과 서비스 구매 시 매번 입찰절차를 거쳐야 할 필요가 없게 된다. 왜냐하면 FSS가 이미 MAS 프로그램에 등록된 물품과 서비스이 가격은 합리적이라고 결정했기 때문이다. 둘째, 동 프로그램은 해당 물품과 서비스의 등록은 대량의 구매를 가능케 하기 때문에 좀 더 많은 가격의 하락을 유도할 수 있다는 장점이 있다.
한국기업들은 한미 FTA가 비준되면 미 연방 정부조달에 있어 타국가의 기업들에 비해 상대적인 혜택을 얻을 수 있기에 MAS 프로그램에 관심을 기울일 필요가 있다. MAS 프로그램에서 취급하는 물품과 서비스 항목을 보면 한국기업들이 경쟁력을 가질 수 있는 품목이 많기에 더욱 그러하다. 본 논문은 MAS 프로그램이 운용되는 자세한 절차를 소개하고 있다.
The KORUS FTA contains government procurement provisions in Chapter 17, in which both the countries agree to open their procurement markets to the other party with some limitations. Chapter 17 of the KORUS FTA is based on the ‘WTO Agreement on Government Procurement(WTO GPA)’ and applies many WTO GPA articles and provisions to Chapter 17. Both the United States and Korea are Members of the WTO GPA. Thus, its respective procurement market has already been opened to the other party under the mechanism of the WTO GPA. However, accessibility to the other party’s procurement market has been very limited, not only because the market has traditionally been exclusive against foreign suppliers, but because there are several preferential regulations and policies for domestic firms in the course of awarding procurement contracts.
By recognizing such limitations and barriers in the procurement market, Chapter 17 in the KORUS FTA attempts to expand the criteria to include more government contracts to be opened to the other party, when compared with the WTO GPA. Chapter 17 significantly lowers the threshold amount for coverage, which is roughly half of the threshold amount under the WTO GPA. Further, Chapter 17 clearly prohibits the requirement of prior work experiences in the territory of the party of the procuring entity. In addition, Chapter 17 establishes a working group on government procurement to address any related issues and foster the procurement process.
The U.S. government procurement provides an enormous and lucrative market for the suppliers of goods and services. Considering all the circumstances, we need to explore where the Korean firms should primarily concentrate to further effectively pursue government contracting with the U.S. agencies in the KORUS FTA era. The General Service Administration(GSA)’s 'Multiple Award Schedule Program(MAS Program)’ might be a good option for the Korean firms.
The Federal Supply Service(FSS), a division of GSA, manages and operates the MAS Program. The FSS awards contracts under negotiated procurement procedures. A contractor is eligible for the MAS Program only after FSS approves a schedule contract for its supplies and services.
The primary objective of the program is to provide contracting activities(or buying officers) with a simplified process for acquiring ‘commercial’ supplies and services at a discounted price. This procurement process allows the agency-buying offices to purchase needed supplies and services with shorter lead times, lower administrative costs, and reduced inventories. The MAS Program offers several benefits, including but not be limited to: (1) the buying offices are not required to perform solicitation or procurement procedures for the federal supply schedule items, because FSS has already determined the prices to be fair and reasonable; (2) Agency-buying offices are not required to synopsize their orders in ‘FedBizOpps’; and (3) the Program enables the government to use its buying power to obtain volume discounts on purchases.
Having been awarded a schedule contract does not guarantee, however, that the contractor will receive government orders automatically. It only indicates that the contractor is eligible to respond to solicitations to be issued by various federal agencies and institutions and that the approved supplies and services are reasonably priced. Therefore, the approved contractor should immediately turn their attention to marketing their new award toward potential purchasers, by developing and providing a contract price list or catalog. Korean firms need to seek exploring businesses under the program, considering its fairly large size, the benefits described earlier, and the relatively easy accessibility thereto. Given the list of Schedules, there are a lot of items in which Korean firms could be competitive. This article introduces a detail process of how Korean firms will obtain a supplier status under the MAS Program.
The KORUS FTA contains government procurement provisions in Chapter 17, in which both the countries agree to open their procurement markets to the other party with some limitations. Chapter 17 of the KORUS FTA is based on the ‘WTO Agreement on Government Procurement(WTO GPA)’ and applies many WTO GPA articles and provisions to Chapter 17. Both the United States and Korea are Members of the WTO GPA. Thus, its respective procurement market has already been opened to the other party under the mechanism of the WTO GPA. However, accessibility to the other party’s procurement market has been very limited, not only because the market has traditionally been exclusive against foreign suppliers, but because there are several preferential regulations and policies for domestic firms in the course of awarding procurement contracts.
By recognizing such limitations and barriers in the procurement market, Chapter 17 in the KORUS FTA attempts to expand the criteria to include more government contracts to be opened to the other party, when compared with the WTO GPA. Chapter 17 significantly lowers the threshold amount for coverage, which is roughly half of the threshold amount under the WTO GPA. Further, Chapter 17 clearly prohibits the requirement of prior work experiences in the territory of the party of the procuring entity. In addition, Chapter 17 establishes a working group on government procurement to address any related issues and foster the procurement process.
The U.S. government procurement provides an enormous and lucrative market for the suppliers of goods and services. Considering all the circumstances, we need to explore where the Korean firms should primarily concentrate to further effectively pursue government contracting with the U.S. agencies in the KORUS FTA era. The General Service Administration(GSA)’s 'Multiple Award Schedule Program(MAS Program)’ might be a good option for the Korean firms.
The Federal Supply Service(FSS), a division of GSA, manages and operates the MAS Program. The FSS awards contracts under negotiated procurement procedures. A contractor is eligible for the MAS Program only after FSS approves a schedule contract for its supplies and services.
The primary objective of the program is to provide contracting activities(or buying officers) with a simplified process for acquiring ‘commercial’ supplies and services at a discounted price. This procurement process allows the agency-buying offices to purchase needed supplies and services with shorter lead times, lower administrative costs, and reduced inventories. The MAS Program offers several benefits, including but not be limited to: (1) the buying offices are not required to perform solicitation or procurement procedures for the federal supply schedule items, because FSS has already determined the prices to be fair and reasonable; (2) Agency-buying offices are not required to synopsize their orders in ‘FedBizOpps’; and (3) the Program enables the government to use its buying power to obtain volume discounts on purchases.
Having been awarded a schedule contract does not guarantee, however, that the contractor will receive government orders automatically. It only indicates that the contractor is eligible to respond to solicitations to be issued by various federal agencies and institutions and that the approved supplies and services are reasonably priced. Therefore, the approved contractor should immediately turn their attention to marketing their new award toward potential purchasers, by developing and providing a contract price list or catalog. Korean firms need to seek exploring businesses under the program, considering its fairly large size, the benefits described earlier, and the relatively easy accessibility thereto. Given the list of Schedules, there are a lot of items in which Korean firms could be competitive. This article introduces a detail process of how Korean firms will obtain a supplier status under the MAS Program.
