Government Contracting Blog

If you are new to the world of government contracting, you may be asking yourself, “how is the federal marketplace organized so that I can sell my products or services?” The General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program is a long-term governmentwide partnership with commercial companies providing federal, state, and local government buyers access to more than 11 million commercial products and services at volume discount pricing. To put it simply, the GSA Schedule acts a medium for government agencies to search for and purchase contractors’ products and services at already determined discounts and terms and conditions. One of the greatest features of the GSA Schedule to prospective contractors is that it encompasses such a wide variety of products and services.

A GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract offers commercial companies a whole new pool of prospective customers. Obtaining a GSA Schedule can be a bit of a process, but those who are able to get a contract are awarded with ample business opportunities. If you are looking into getting a GSA Schedule, you probably have a lot of questions. You may not even know exactly what a GSA Schedule is, but that's OK, you have to start somewhere. As consultants well versed in government contracting, we know that the process can be confusing and there’s a huge learning curve with all the government acronyms and lingo. So, we gathered a list of key questions to help you navigate the process of getting a GSA Schedule contract.

Maintenance and compliance are a huge part of being a successful GSA Schedule contractor. One of the more important compliance requirements for GSA contractors is submitting sales in the Federal Acquisition Service Sales Reporting Portal, also known as FAS SRP. The FAS SRP supports the collection of data required by FAS procurement programs including Multiple Award Schedules and other Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACS).

Most GSA contractors are used to working with federal government agencies through the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program. While federal government agencies do account for a large percentage of GSA revenue, some of the major buyers through the GSA MAS Program are state and local government entities. State and local government entities cannot purchase everything through GSA Schedules, but they can qualify through certain programs. One of the ways in which states and local units of government can purchase off GSA Schedules is through the 1122 Program.

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.