Government Contracting Blog

Past performance is one of the most important evaluation factors in government contracting because it gives agencies insight into how likely a contractor is to successfully perform the work being solicited. While the technical volume of a proposal response explains what your company plans to do, past performance shows what you’ve already done. The clearer you make that connection, the easier it is for reviewers to see how your experience directly connects to the government’s requirement and reduces the perceived risk of award.

It’s almost that time of year again when contractors begin preparing for the fourth quarter of the federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. For many agencies, FY Q4 continues to represent the busiest spending period of the year, which accounts for a significant portion of annual federal procurement activity. As a reminder, the federal government’s Q4 begins on July 1 and runs through September 30. With such a large surge in purchasing activity, agencies are working to obligate their remaining fiscal-year funds before budgets expire. As a result, there is increased demand for activity, which creates greater opportunities for GSA Schedule contract holders.

While searching for a contracting opportunity, you may have glossed over opportunities that are marked as Sources Sought Notices (SSNs). Maybe it's because it's not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and may seem like it's not worth your time because it doesn't directly end in contract award, but we suggest you reconsider. Sources Sought Notices play a key role in federal procurement process and can increase your odds of winning the opportunity.

If you’re reading this blog, you’ve probably started your search to get a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), and you’ve recognized that you’re going to need some expert help. You may need help with the whole process, or if you have your contract already, you may just be looking for comprehensive or as-needed maintenance support. Either way, we understand if you’re already overwhelmed with which firm to go with.

As we are now halfway through the government fiscal year, it’s important to review changes to the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). One of the key updates is that GSA made Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) mandatory for all contractors with the release of MAS Solicitation Refresh #31 in April. Before Refresh #31, contractors without TDR-eligible Special Item Numbers (SINs) fell under the Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) reporting structure and were required to monitor their compliance with the Price Reductions Clause.

Another week, another change in the world of federal procurement. Contractors shouldn’t let their eyes glaze over on this one though, even if it contains a lot of legal jargon. Last week, the White House released an Executive Order (EO) making fixed-price contracts the default method for federal procurement. The Executive Order, “Promoting Efficiency, Accountability, and Performance in Federal Contracting,” moves away from cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials, labor-hour and other non-fixed price contracts under Part 16 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) unless there is a special need for them.