Government Contracting Blog

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.

In the world of government procurement, there are multiple contracting vehicles for businesses to consider when deciding to sell their services to federal agencies. We often discuss the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and its requirements; however, additional contract vehicles include OASIS+, Alliant 3, 8(a) STARS III, Navy SeaPort NxG, and more. If you already hold a GSA Schedule, it’s important to understand other contracting vehicles that exist beyond GSA MAS to ensure you are maximizing your government business opportunities. Especially as we enter a new administration with shifts in spending habits and priorities, it’s important to keep additional contracting opportunities at the forefront of your business strategy.

Federal contractors are likely familiar with the numerous rules and policies they must follow to receive a contract award and throughout a contract’s period of performance. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) regulates the rules for agencies’ procurement of products and services and is managed by the Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In November of 2022, these agencies, or the “FAR Council,” proposed an amendment to the FAR requiring mandatory climate disclosures for federal contractors, such as reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions publicly. However, this proposal was recently withdrawn mid-January.

As the U.S. is preparing for a change in presidency in January, GSA Schedule contractors, businesses, and citizens alike may be wondering how this shift in the nation’s leadership could impact government spending trends. With the incumbent party leaving office and a new party entering, agencies might experience potential increases or decreases in their budgets and a different emphasis on future initiatives than the previous four years. While current government Fiscal Year (FY) budgets for agencies have been set, a new president can influence the type of contract opportunities emerging from agencies and how their funds will be directed depending on the polices the Trump administration plans to enforce.

If you hold a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, you are probably familiar with the digital platforms available for contractors to market their pricelists, research competitors, and find contract opportunities. These platforms include GSA Advantage!, GSA eLibrary, and GSA eBuy.

Companies interested in pursuing a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract should review and understand the many requirements needed to submit an offer. The proposal process can be broken down into three main sections: administrative, technical, and pricing. Within the administrative section, GSA assesses a company’s organizational structure, compliancy with SAM.gov registration, and financial statements, among other attributes. While the administrative section may seem like an easier section to complete, prospective offerors should not take this section lightly, as companies’ proposals can be rejected for insufficient or negative financial information.