Federal agencies have reported receiving products that differed from the items that they ordered through GSA Advantage!* In some cases, the substituted products did not comply with the Trade Agreements Act (TAA) and were actually manufactured in non-TAA designated countries such as China.**
Federal agencies should be on the lookout for vendors that:
- Deliver products that are different from the products ordered through GSA Advantage!
- Contact a government customer claiming the originally ordered item is “out of stock” or “end of life,” and attempt to substitute a non‑TAA compliant product — often at the same price or cheaper.
Recommended Actions
- Confirm country of origin before ordering by searching the manufacturer’s website or by contacting the manufacturer directly to verify the item’ s part number.
- Check “made in” markings upon receipt on product tag or packaging.
- Report non‑TAA compliance issues through the “Report incorrect product information” or “Report order problems” link on GSA Advantage!
- Report receiving non-TAA compliant products to the GSA OIG Hotline (https://www.gsaig.gov/hotline) and include a copy of the order, any shipping documents, and photos of the items including the packaging, if possible.
If you have information related to fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or other violations of federal laws, regulations, or policies involving GSA programs, operations, or contracts, please report it to the GSA OIG Hotline. Complaints can be submitted at https://www.gsaig.gov/hotline.
* GSA Advantage is an e-commerce platform operated by GSA that gives government agencies access to millions of products and services from approved contractors. All items sold on GSA Advantage are subject to the TAA, which requires that all products that are not U.S.-made must be manufactured or “substantially transformed” in a designated country.
**A complete list of TAA-designated countries is available at :Look up Trade Agreements Act-designated countries | GSA
