Government Contracting Blog

The 4th quarter always seems to be the most important--whether it’s in a football game where a quarterback is running a 2-minute drill while down one score, a basketball team is rallying back from a deficit and banking on a buzzer beater to take home the win, or even discussing government spending toward the end of the fiscal year when government agencies are rushing to use up their annual budget. One statistic that stands out to rookies and seasoned contracting veterans alike is that nearly one-third (yes, 1/3!) of federal contract dollars are awarded during Q4 of the government’s fiscal year. With agencies spending the remainder of their annual budget, and a rising need to procure a larger volume of products and services, the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program becomes a key vehicle for both buyers and sellers.

For the first time in a long time, GSA has updated the look for the eBuy Contractor Portal. The changes went live this past Sunday, May 31st and are now available for contractors to view once logged into the system. At first glance, the login screen does not look much different than before, but the major change in the eBuy experience comes after logging in with your GSA MAS Contract number and password. 

As the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) continues to mount across the country, new players are stepping forward in the government contracting space to provide the public sector the proper protective gear they need as employees slowly begin to return to their offices. In times of national crisis like this, it is absolutely essential that the right companies are able to provide the right products and services to the public sector. However, as many of our regular blog-readers may be aware, selling to the government is not always as straightforward as it may seem. Contractors who are working with the government must be aware of the nuances of each deal and the compliance aspects that companies who sell primarily to commercial customers may not be familiar with.

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, GSA and the agencies procuring through GSA Schedules are adapting to the needs of American citizens. An increase in purchasing through the Schedules program has brought along a slew of revisions to procedures and procurement efforts. Normally we discuss contracting from the vendor perspective, however, it is important to understand changes on the procurement side in order to gauge contracting activity and efforts to prepare for potential contracting opportunities and partnerships. From a buyer’s perspective, one of the most significant changes by way of the pandemic is an update to both the Micro-Purchase (MPT) and Simplified Acquisition (SAT) Thresholds. 

In the United States and across the globe, citizens are adjusting to the new “normal” of social distancing, working remote, classes being cancelled, and the constant COVID-19 news cycle. For many, this is a jarring change of pace in the everyday and we’re all adjusting as further developments are announced. Will we all be working from our homes for another 3-4 weeks, or possibly more? It’s hard to tell at this time, but one thing that’s certain is the US Government’s need for innovative and valuable solutions in times of crisis. As part of the contracting community that provides these solutions for the government, GSA Schedule Contractors play an essential role in responding to and eventually resolving crises – and COVID-19 is no different. 

The GSA MAS Consolidation is here, and things are changing FAST for government contractors. Not to worry, Winvale is here with all the information your company needs to help successfully navigate the new MAS solicitation updates. We’ve seen the updates and how they affect new offerors, but let’s take a look at how current contractors will be affected.