Government Contracting Blog

While going through the GSA Schedule offer process there are several documents to submit and the requirements can vary depending on what solutions you plan to offer, if you’re offering products or services, and if you’re a small or large business, but one thing is for certain—no GSA Schedule offer can be completed without registering in the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is an official U.S. government website where you can register your entity, search for contract opportunities, and run reports, making it a key website for GSA contractors.

Becoming a government contractor can be daunting for small businesses without enough experience to meet the complex requirements. However, subcontracting is one way small businesses can get their hands on federal government dollars and gain performance experience in the industry. To help government agencies meet their small business spending budgets each fiscal year, large or often referred to as Other than Small Businesses (OTSBs) are required to make a Subcontracting Plan. This plan outlines how an OTSB intends to accomplish its subcontracting goals. As a result, small businesses have a chance to test their ability to perform in the federal marketplace by subcontracting with companies that have a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). This blog is an overview of GSA subcontracting and explains how small businesses can use subcontracting as a steppingstone toward getting their own GSA contract.

If you’ve done any research into GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts, you’ll see one key phrase used a lot: “Contract compliance.” But what does it mean? Contracts in any sphere can be complicated, and government contracts are especially difficult, as government buyers and sellers have to abide by procurement regulations established in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Any business that holds a GSA contract or is looking to acquire one needs to be aware of the terms and conditions that are applicable to their company. Failing to be compliant with those terms and conditions can have serious consequences for your GSA contract.

As a small business, you have a lot of resources available to help you succeed in the government marketplace. In an effort to increase small business participation, the federal government has designated small business contracting vehicles set aside specifically to support small business efforts. Small businesses can also compete in other contract vehicles meant for both large and small businesses.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—if you look at the numbers, government Q4 (July through September) of each year are far and away the busiest months for government contractors. In recent years, Q4 of the government fiscal year has accounted for roughly 1/3 of all government contract dollars awarded throughout the year. This increase in spending can be attributed to an array of reasons including later award dates due to delays in budget availability, greater negotiation leverage, and adapting to potential new requirements that may factor into a particular procurement.

Another opportunity is on the horizon for GSA IT contractors. GSA is in the process of creating a governmentwide Cloud Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) against the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) focusing on cloud technologies. Recently named Ascend, this contract vehicle will serve as a one-stop-shop for government customers to acquire secure cloud service offerings from GSA contractors. GSA is currently seeking advice from the private sector and they have released a draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) in anticipation of the draft solicitation. Let’s breakdown this upcoming BPA and what it could mean for you as an IT contractor.