Every government contractor’s main objective is simple – win. But how? How does a compliant, well-qualified company successfully win a contract in such a competitive marketplace? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as straightforward as some would like it to be. However, one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle is clear, and that's pricing.

If you are a regular reader or subscriber to our Winvale weekly blog series and monthly newsletter, you have seen us cover Special Item Numbers (SINs) at length in the past, especially the newly formatted MAS Consolidation SINs. One of the first logical steps in submitting a new offer proposal to GSA in any MAS Large Category is to select the SINs that are applicable to your company. With the MAS Consolidation, GSA made SIN selection a little easier by narrowing 900+ SINs down into a list of just over 300. However, there is something to be said for a deeper level of separation.

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.

[This article was last updated on November 18, 2020] In the United States and across the globe, citizens are continuing to practice social distancing, work remotely, and check-in on the constant COVID-19 news cycle. For many, this is a jarring change of pace and we’re all still adjusting as further developments are announced. It’s hard to tell when this will all end, but one thing that’s certain is the U.S. 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.