Government Contracting Blog

Once you have your GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), it can stay with your company for a long time. GSA Schedule contracts can last for 20 years, starting with a 5-year base period followed by three additional 5-year option periods. While your Schedule can last up to two decades, it’s meant to grow with you. Your offerings, pricing, and administrative information are not locked in with your initial award. They will need to be altered through a contract modification.

Once contractors acquire a GSA Schedule, they gain access to one of the largest buyers of goods and services in the world—the U.S. government. Since the U.S. government is one of the largest consumers, they want to receive the best values and prices available from contractors. This is where your Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) come in.

The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program can give your company a whole new world full of opportunities. Not only is it the leading contract vehicle for the federal government, government buyers often prefer purchasing through the GSA MAS program because contractors are pre-vetted and government buyers know they are getting the best prices available. However, this also means access to the program is not entirely unfettered. Before you can become a federal contractor, you need to make sure you are eligible to sell to the government through a GSA Schedule contract. Contractors must meet a number of requirements before they can pursue a GSA Schedule contract. 

Companies that choose to pursue a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract frequently reap the rewards of a nearly endless customer list. Once GSA MAS proposals are awarded, prospective vendors become contractors to one of the largest buying agencies in the world, but success isn't necessarily instant. After going through what can be a lengthy review process to have your contract awarded, you must also take a few initial steps to ensure you are setting yourself up for success. We recently wrote about what prospective contractors would need to get on a GSA Schedule contract, but what additional steps are required once the contract has been awarded? Let’s break down these crucial first steps:

It can be difficult to keep up in the world of government contracting because there are so many codes and number combinations that contractors need to know. There’s your contract number, CAGE code, DUNS number, your NAICS codes--and the list doesn’t stop there. It’s like learning a new language full of numbers and acronyms. As both a government contractor and consultant, we know NAICS codes are an important identifier for your business, but what exactly is a NAICS code and why is it relevant to GSA Schedule contractors? Let’s dive into FAQs about NAICS codes.

If you’re new to the world of federal contracting, chances are you have come across several foreign terms like GSA Multiple Award Schedule, and the definitions are not always self explanatory. The government has its own jargon we call "government speak" and it can be a little daunting at first to learn the terms and acronyms associated with selling to the government, but at Winvale, it’s our job to help our clients understand. Federal contracts like the GSA Multiple Award Schedule provide plentiful opportunities for businesses and organizations to expand their public sector sales presence, but in order to reap the benefits of selling in the government landscape, it’s important for companies to understand the basics of government contracting first. In this article, we'll break down the GSA Multiple Award Schedule, highlight the benefits, and tell you how you can get on the GSA Schedule.