The GSA Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) Guide, dated September 17, 2024, sets out how the General Services Administration and its civilian-agency customers run CSOs. It supplements GSAM Part 571 and complements the DoD implementation at DFARS 212.70.
The guide describes a two-phase competition — an initial solution brief screened for merit, followed by an invitation to submit a full proposal — publicized through SAM.gov. The process is designed to reach innovative and nontraditional vendors, including start-ups, that may not respond to conventional solicitations.