Government Contracting Blog

When you first got your GSA Schedule, you probably learned that it could last for up to 20 years. The thing to keep in mind about this 20-year period though, is that it’s broken up into four periods of five years, consisting of a base period and then three option periods. While your GSA Schedule may last for up to two decades, GSA maintains the right to cancel or allow your GSA Schedule to expire at any time (although it doesn’t generally happen without cause). After this 20-year period is up, you can submit an offer for a new GSA Schedule using streamlined acquisition procedures. As such, proper maintenance of your GSA Schedule is crucial to ensuring a smooth GSA Schedule renewal process whether it's every 5 years or 20 years. So, here's what you need to know about renewing your GSA Schedule. 

For GSA contract holders, it is no secret that some of the tools used to manage and maintain contracts are slow and outdated. For example, the layout of the Schedule Input Program (SIP) is difficult to navigate, and catalog information is divided into multiple tabs. Though most find it frustrating, it’s crucial for GSA contractors to use this program to update their contract data and maintain compliance. However, after receiving feedback and hearing contractor’s frustrations, GSA started developing solutions to replace some of their existing platforms to modernize the acquisition process. One of the solutions is the Common Catalog Platform (CCP) which will replace SIP, the Contracting Officer Reporting System (CORS), and the current Price Proposal Template (PPT). 

We all know that impatient feeling we get when we order a package online—we immediately go to the tracking page to see exactly what time and day our item will be delivered, even if we just pressed “order.” Some companies go as far as to provide a map of the drivers so you can see just how far they are from your doorstep on delivery day. While government agencies may not be tracking their items quite so closely, they want to know where their products are when they order them from your GSA Schedule on GSA Advantage!. This is made possible by reporting your GSA Advantage! order status. However, some GSA contractors are not reporting their order status, resulting in concerned calls and impatience from government agencies wondering when their items will arrive.

Think of the last deadline you missed in your current position or back in school. It happens to the best of us, but either way, we all want to make things right so you can keep your GSA Schedule compliant. One deadline in particular that we stress to not lose track of is your company’s Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) certification. In the past, required contractors just needed to self-certify, but as of this year, you need to officially register and certify through the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Contractor Portal.

The federal government is always looking for ways to streamline the procurement process so it goes more smoothly and efficiently for both contractors and government buyers. One way the government has modernized government contracting is with Procurement Instrument Identifiers (PIIDs). PIIDs are part of a uniform award identification system that helps track solicitations, contracts, agreements, or orders and related procurement instruments. Although PIIDs were created to simplify the procurement process, you might still be confused on their meaning and how they fit into the federal marketplace. Let’s go over what you need to know about using PIIDs, how to read them, and why these codes are important for GSA Schedule contractors.

There are plenty of advantages to being certified as a small business. First off, the Small Business Administration (SBA) encourages government agencies to purchase from small businesses whenever possible, and the federal government maintains set-asides or sole-source contracts specifically for small businesses to give them a fair chance to win government contracts. These set-asides limit competition and increase odds by making a contract open to small businesses exclusively. So, if you qualify as a small business and want to become a government contractor, you’ll need to register. In this blog, we’ll cover how to qualify, what options are available to you, and how to register as a small business contractor.