Government Contracting Blog

One of the biggest reasons contractors choose to get a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract is the easy access it provides to the world’s largest buyer of goods and services, the U.S. government. With a GSA Schedule, contractors have already pre-negotiated their terms and pricing, giving them an advantage over other contract vehicles. Because of this, government buyers often choose to purchase from GSA Schedules.

If you have recently been awarded a GSA Schedule, you may be wondering what can you do to make sure your rates and offerings remain as competitive as possible? As a GSA Schedule holder, one of the most important aspects of maximizing the potential of your contract is having an understanding of best practices from a pricing standpoint. When can I raise my rates? When should I consider adding additional items to my GSA Schedule? How can I view my competitors’ rates? These are some of the questions GSA contractors should consider.

Whether you’ve been a GSA Schedule contractor for a few months or a few years, you’ve probably noticed there have been several changes within the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, from Solicitation Refreshes to system updates. One of the major updates and improvements is the creation and pilot of the Federal Acquisition System (FAS) Catalog Platform, or more commonly known as the FCP. GSA has been on-boarding new contractors recently and making changes as the system is rolled out, so let’s cover all the recent updates to the FCP and what you need to know about this new program.

It’s important for new and prospective GSA Schedule contract holders to keep in mind a GSA Schedule award is just the beginning of your contract’s life cycle. GSA Schedule contracts are broken out in four 5-year option periods, meaning your GSA Schedule can last for up to 20 years. And while some aspects of your GSA Schedule may not change drastically, a large portion of your offerings will likely look very different by the end of your contract. To help facilitate these changes to your GSA Schedule as easy as possible, GSA allows contractors to make modifications to their Schedule.

If you are a GSA Schedule contract holder, you are likely familiar with the OLM SIN. OLM, which stands for Order Level Materials, is an additional GSA Special Item Number (SIN) that most current contractors likely added during a modification. Similarly, some GSA contractors may be familiar with the acronym ODC, or Other Direct Costs. But what exactly are OLMs and ODCs, and how do they fit into the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program?

A GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) provides prospective contractors with unique access government buyers that they wouldn’t have otherwise. A GSA Schedule holder can offer products and services to government agencies such as the Department of Defense, executive and federal agencies, state and local agencies under certain conditions, and countless others. However, the greatest benefit of a GSA Schedule may be the ease that it allows contractors to have when negotiating terms, conditions, and price with potential buyers.