If your family is as competitive as mine when playing games, you may have to bring out the rule book. The rule book outlines a set of instructions and is the ultimate authority on what rules must be followed for success. Well, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the General Services Acquisition Manual (GSAM) and Acquisition Regulation (GSAR), and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), are like the rule books that GSA contractors must reference when it comes to their GSA Schedule. Many of our clients ask us how to make sense of it all because it can be overwhelming. In this blog, we are going to outline the FAR, DFARS, GSAM/GSAR, and explain what they are, how you can understand them, and a few important clauses to follow.

It often comes as a surprise to many contractors that they can leverage their GSA Schedule contracts to sell to state and local governments. Contractors are not limited to using their Schedule to sell only to federal buyers. As a consultant, I come across clients who are constantly looking for ways to expand their customer base. Many are unaware that GSA also supports the procurement needs of state and local governments through various programs, especially during this time with recent natural disasters and the global pandemic. This blog will cover a few emerging opportunities that contractors can take advantage of and use to sell to state and local governments.

As the pandemic lingers, the demand for goods and services continue to be a spending trend among government agencies. To respond to this crisis and other health-related emergencies, state and local governments are able to purchase items from GSA Schedules by participating in GSA’s Public Health Emergencies (PHE) Program. This program allows some non-federal entities to use the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program for essential public health emergency supplies.

If you're a GSA Schedule contract holder it’s important to uphold the standards of ethics outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Becoming familiar with these sometimes dense and taxing regulations can be difficult. However, these policies and regulations are in place so that the integrity of contractors and government officials is upheld. This blog will explore some of the main FAR clauses and the best business practices contractors should follow to comply with government contracting ethics.

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.

In modern society, information and processes have become faster and simpler. Now you can order online ahead of time, pay as you shop for groceries, the list goes on. Thanks to technological advances, delayed gratification of many processes has become a thing of the past. If you’re a looking to get on a GSA Schedule, luckily you have one more way to simplify getting what you want. Through GSA’s Startup Springboard Program, all government agencies can have more access to essential products and services, and most importantly for prospective GSA contractors, you can submit a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) proposal with fewer than 2 years of being in business.