Government Contracting Blog

You may have heard the term “best value” used in reference to government contracting, especially in the context of government buyers looking for best value products or services. But what exactly does best value mean, and why is it important for government contractors to understand? In this blog, we’ll explore what best value is, what government contractors should know about it, its relevance to the Multiple Award Schedule Program, and more.

As the federal government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world, opening a channel for government business is a popular and potentially lucrative strategy. For many, the General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program is the channel they elect to pursue. With its massive scope of goods and services and large pool of participating vendors, it’s the largest government contract vehicle in terms of sales, ever.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is going to begin implementing Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) into solicitations and contracts starting Monday, November 10, 2025. Almost a year after the CMMC Final Rule went into effect, the DoD published a Final Rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFARS) to allow CMMC to be added to contracts. If you’re not ready yet, don’t panic—just like the CMMC process has taught us so far, the implementation isn’t going to be speedy. On November 10, the DoD will begin Phase 1, which includes CMMC Level 1 and Level 2 self-assessments. Will this impact you? Read on to learn more.

Entering the public sector through a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) can open your business up to a whole new world of opportunities, from new federal and state customers to a range of tools and procurement sites to help you gain visibility. However, navigating a new market as a small business can be a daunting task. It can be especially daunting as a veteran-owned business—veterans can face significant obstacles entering the federal market.

Whenever a government agency wants to acquire a product or service, it's not always as easy as clicking the "place order" button we're used to on e-commerce sites. Depending on the price threshold, they may be able to purchase from your GSA Schedule directly and use that easy button, or they will need to solicit information from several contractors before they can decide who they will procure from.

With all the recent changes happening at GSA, it can be hard for contractors to keep up with the new requirements. As of MAS Refresh #29, newly awarded contractors will manage their catalogs in the FAS Catalog Platform (FCP) once they receive their “Welcome to FCP” email. Additionally, all current GSA contractors are expected to transition to FCP in the future. In this blog, we’ll cover what the FAS Catalog Platform (FCP) is, important dates to keep in mind, how to get started in FCP, and key changes related to reporting products and services.