Government Contracting Blog

In order to safeguard national security, and protect sensitive information, the federal government has procurement restrictions regarding Information Technology (IT) services and products. Any company that sells IT goods or services to the federal government must abide by these requirements, including GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract holders. These procurement regulations are fast-evolving compared to other facets of government acquisition because of the shifting nature of technology and cyber threats. There are some buzzwords floating around that you may have heard of, such as “covered telecommunications” and “C-SCRM.”

Picture this scenario: you have applied for a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract and submitted all the required documents, a process that may have taken months. You’ve waited anxiously for GSA to review your proposal. Now, a Contracting Specialist (CS) has emailed you requesting you make major changes to your contract proposal to be considered compliant, and the only way to still be considered for Schedule award is to do this. These types of roadblocks are not always avoidable, but there are steps you can take to minimize the chances of this happening, and methods to best prepare a response when it does.

The rapid evolution of information technology has shaped virtually everything in today’s world, including how the federal government functions. For years, the government has lagged behind industry advancements for various reasons. As the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) puts it:

General Services Administration (GSA) recently released updated guidelines for Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTAs) that clarifies administrative details, expectations on agreement documents, and GSA’s limits on oversight. In light of this, we’ll cover some of the most common points of confusion we see from prospective contractors, including what CTAs are and what they aren’t.

If you’re a business that is interested in selling to the federal government, the first thing you will need is a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). UEI numbers are distributed through and maintained by SAM.gov, the System for Award Management. Once assigned, your UEI is permanent; even if your corporation’s ownership or location changes, the associated UEI will remain the same.

The General Service Administration’s (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is a contracting vehicle that connects a wide array of commercial goods and services with the federal government. Many businesses pursue the MAS program to expand their sales into the federal marketplace. These contracts are designed to service multiple buyers across the federal government and last up to two decades. Accordingly, GSA sets rigorous standards for businesses applying for a Schedule.