Government Contracting Blog

SIP—it’s only three letters, but it can be a dense and frustrating program for GSA Schedule contractors. SIP, which stands for Schedule Input Program, is a software program created by the General Services Administration (GSA) for contractors to upload their contract information to GSA eLibrary and GSA Advantage! platforms.

GSA Schedule contractors have dealt with a lot of changes recently - from the three phases of the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Consolidation to the upcoming MAS Solicitation Refresh #5, it can be a lot to keep up with. One of the newest updates to eOffer and eMod is part of GSA’s IT modernization efforts to support security and provide solutions that are recognized internationally. On November 30, 2020, GSA Schedule contractors will need to use DocuSign to sign documents in eOffer and eMod. GSA contractors will also need the GSA FAS ID to sign-in to eOffer and eMod by the end of Q2 in Fiscal Year 2021. Let’s go through these updates and what you need to do to comply with them.

Whether you’re a new GSA Schedule contractor or you have been selling to the government for years, Contractor Assessments (CAs) can be stressful if you’re not prepared. Even if you are on top of your contract maintenance, it can be intimidating to have an official checking up on your company and handing you a detailed report card about your performance. How do you know what to expect? Now you have a guide to help you make sense of the process.

It’s no secret the federal government prioritizes small business participation in federal contracts. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, the federal government awarded $132 billion in prime contract dollars to small businesses and awarded just over $90 billion in subcontracts to small businesses. How does the government accomplish this? As children we were always taught to share, and although it’s slightly more complex and heavily regulated in adulthood, the concept is still very relevant. The federal government requires Other Than Small Businesses (OTSB) to create a “practicable opportunity” for small businesses to participate in federal procurement. One of the ways to accomplish this is through small business subcontracting.

As a GSA Schedule contractor, you know there are a multitude of laws, regulations, and guidelines you need to follow to remain compliant. If you provide services through your contract, one of the laws you may have heard of is the McNamara O’Hara Service Contract Act (SCA). Enacted in 1965, the SCA’s main purpose is to protect employees performing work for contractors and subcontractors. At Winvale, we have a lot of clients asking us if the SCA impacts them as GSA Schedule contractors so let’s review the SCA, SCA exemptions and compliance, and why it’s relevant for several GSA Schedule contractors.

Who are my customers? It’s often the burning question in any commercial marketplace. You know what your products and services are, you have an idea where and how you want to market them, but who is your target audience? It’s no different when you’re selling to the government through a GSA Schedule contract. As public sector consultants, we’re asked this question a lot because a wide array of agencies purchase through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program and the answer isn't always clear. The GSA MAS program was created for government agencies to have access to around 11 million different products and services at a volume discount, but it’s not open to just any government entity. So who can you sell to with a GSA Schedule contract?