GSA Pricing Lab / Free planning tool
Decision guide & local worksheet
Define a pricing research project before collecting more rates
Decide which observations are comparable and what normalization work is required.
A public price is useful only when its unit, scope, terms and date fit the question. Use this brief to scope a pricing research engagement. It does not calculate a recommended price, promise reasonableness or replace the pricing instructions that apply to an offer or modification.
Name the pricing question and output
Decide whether the project supports an offer, a modification, internal positioning or a comparison of a defined service. Ask for an auditable research brief with source dates, comparability reasoning and unresolved questions. “Find the market rate” is too vague without a defined unit and scope.
Agree what the provider will research and what commercial decisions remain with the client. Research observations are not automatically acceptable contract prices.
Compare units before amounts
Per-user monthly software and a fixed per-site package have different units. A labor category with different qualifications or responsibilities may not be a like-for-like comparison. Volume, geography, service level, included support and term length can matter.
Record the normalization needed before comparing observations. Exclude items that cannot be made sufficiently comparable for the stated question; collecting more mismatched examples does not fix the problem.
- Offering scope and qualification requirements.
- Unit, quantity or volume assumption.
- Included services and commercial terms.
- Source date, status and limitations.
Use the current applicable pricing instructions
GSA’s offer and modification guidance governs the applicable preparation route. Template requirements differ by circumstances, including current TDR and catalog processes. A research worksheet is not a substitute for required supporting information.
Do not apply an obsolete blanket EPA formula or assume that a public catalog entry creates a government-approved increase for another contract.
Read the fictional comparability decisions
The example contains no invented prices. It compares a per-user offering with a per-site bundle, then a closer observation with terms still to check. A “Comparable” mark is your planning judgment, not a statistical validation or government determination.
The summary counts observations that you marked comparable. It does not average rates, rank providers or suggest a price.
Purchase research with a reproducible handoff
Specify the question, source categories, expected normalization method, exclusions and review output. Ask how the provider records uncertainty and how your pricing approver will use the work.
Export the brief for a GSA support discussion. Keep internal costs, margins, customer terms and proprietary price files in an approved project environment.
Build your local planning brief
Make a bounded planning brief, then download it for your own review. Use role labels and nonsensitive references rather than names, credentials or source documents.
Your entries stay in this page’s memory. This worksheet does not upload, email or save responses to a server or browser storage. Existing site scripts continue to operate under the site’s privacy policy. Download before refreshing or leaving. Do not enter sensitive, personal or customer information.
Your local planning draft. Use the fictional example to see how the tool works.
| Offering or observation category | Pricing unit | Terms and scope to compare | Source date | Comparability decision | Normalization or next check | Row |
|---|
Review the brief before requesting support
- The research answers a defined commercial question.
- Units, scope, terms and dates are checked.
- Normalization and exclusions remain visible.
- Research is distinguished from a recommended or approved contract price.
This tool organizes preparation. It does not update an official record, submit an offer, certify compliance or guarantee an award, assessment or processing result.
Official sources and scope of this guide
Sources checked 30 October 2026. Requirements can change. Use the actual solicitation, contract and current official instructions for your circumstances. The worked examples are fictional and do not describe client results.
This resource is published by Federal Bid Partners. It is independent educational material and is not a government website.