Government Contracting Blog

The government contracting world can be challenging—there are lots of rules and regulations to keep track of, billions of dollars being spent through various procurement methods, and tough competition among established contractors. We often hear the question “how do we make a name of ourselves amongst all of this?” from many new businesses who are wanting to break into the federal market.

Although contracts can have a reputation of being binding, your GSA Schedule contract is meant to grow and change with your company. Anytime you need to change your address or primary Point of Contact, add or delete a product, alter a product description, or upload new photos, you are able to make these changes through a modification (mod). Each modification type requires a series of documents and/or requirements, and it can be difficult to figure out what needs to be done in order to successfully complete a mod. Thankfully, the General Services Administration (GSA) has created a guide to keep contractors up to date on all the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) modification standards.  

Frequently known as the “Amazon” of the government contracting world, GSA Advantage! is an important tool that government contractors use to publish their pricelist and market their approved GSA products. Within GSA Advantage! you can find a wide variety of contractors who offer anything from printers and shredders to drones used to map the world. Government agencies frequent this site because they can easily search for and order products within a few clicks, meaning it’s a crucial site for contractors to learn how to navigate. It also means that you should be keeping your pricelist, a list of your offerings as well as your terms and conditions, updated. Just like you expect the items you purchase on Amazon have all the correct specifications such as size and color and look like the photos, the government expects the same from GSA Advantage!. So here’s what you need to know about your GSA Schedule pricelist.

GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts have many compliance requirements to ensure that contractors provide products and services that align with federal procurement regulations. One aspect of compliance that many contractors are hesitant about is the Trade Agreements Act (TAA). Under TAA, contractors must agree each "final product" they sell will have been “substantially transformed” in the U.S. or another approved country. GSA contractors often have a lot of questions about “substantial transformation” and what this means. In this blog, we’ll explain the TAA, what “substantial transformation” means, and how Advisory Ruling requests can help you navigate this requirement and remain in compliance.

If you have dealt with the federal government before whether it’s for taxes, going to the DMV, or applying for a grant, you know that you have to abide by a set of rules and follow a specific procedure. The same goes for federal contracting. Contractors and government agencies follow the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) when they want to sell or buy through government contracts. The FAR is essentially the “rulebook” for federal procurement. While there are several important clauses in the FAR, we’ll highlight 4 clauses you should pay special attention to as a current or prospective GSA contractor.

The short answer is no, companies are able to win federal contracts without a GSA Schedule, but you could be limiting your company from capitalizing on prime government business. This is because federal government agencies often look to the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program and other Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) first to purchase goods and services. However, sometimes a GSA Schedule isn’t the right fit for your company, or you may need some time to reevaluate your options. In this blog, we’ll discuss the benefits of holding a GSA Schedule contract and compare it to other government contracting options so you can make the best decision for your company.