Government Contracting Blog

In the recently released Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh #28, GSA restructured the requirements for new offerors or existing contractors proposing products that they do not manufacture, and instead, resell. Prior to this Solicitation Refresh, new offerors or current contractors adding products they did not manufacture to their GSA Schedule contract or proposal were required to submit a Letter of Supply to demonstrate they have the authority to distribute these products. However, GSA has now restricted the Letter of Supply requirement to only resellers under Large Category F (Information Technology) and the Printing and Photographic Equipment Subcategory within Large Category A (Office Management).

As a potential GSA Schedule contractor or current offeror looking to expand your contract, you should begin with researching Special Item Numbers (SINs) that align with your commercial offerings. SINs represent the specific products or services you will offer to the government through a GSA Schedule contract. Understanding Special Item Numbers’ requirements is a crucial step when deciding which services to add to your contract through a modification or developing your contract proposal.

As a government contractor, there are many websites and resources to keep track of and monitor for compliance. If you are interested in becoming a GSA Schedule contractor, you are required to maintain an accurate and up to date account in the System for Award Management (SAM), or SAM.gov. This site not only allows you to search government contract opportunities and award notices but also houses a lot of core data relating to federal contractors’ businesses, including addresses, corporate representations and certifications, banking information, service classifications, and more.

The process of acquiring a General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract can be an intimidating one. Given the recent Executive Order (EO) directing most federal procurement activities under GSA’s management , it’s expected that the MAS program will experience an increase in opportunities as a result. Thus, you may be interested in acquiring a GSA Schedule contract to participate in this expected growth, and, like anyone setting out on a new journey, you probably have a lot of questions.

Since taking office, President Trump has signed multiple Executive Orders (EOs) impacting federal procurement and the operations of popular contract vehicles. For example, a recent EO was signed to consolidate many Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) under GSA, due to the agency’s expertise in managing federal procurement through the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and other contracts.

The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) allows contractors to sell their products or services to the federal government through specific Special Item Numbers (SINs) that align with their commercial business practices. If your business offers Information Technology (IT) software, products, or professional services, there are multiple SINs that could be applicable to your GSA MAS offer within the IT Category. However, most IT SINs require offerors to follow instructions, prepare supporting documents, and draft technical narratives beyond the standard requirements. For example, to have the Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) SIN awarded, offerors must submit two supporting technical narratives demonstrating past performance, pass an oral technical evaluation, adhere to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, and more.