As government Q4 approaches, businesses with GSA Schedules are gearing up for a busy period full of potential awards and increased contracting dollars. Federal agencies typically spend roughly 1/3 of their annual spending during this time, offering unique opportunities for those prepared to capitalize on them. However, one issue contractors can run into is realizing their pricing is out of date, or they don’t have enough time to submit a modification to add a crucial product or service to go after these awards. So, as we enter Q4 in the next month and as you enter the next Fiscal Year, how can you prepare your GSA Schedule so you are ready to respond to any relevant opportunity that comes up?

Whenever a government agency wants to acquire a product or service, it's not always as easy as clicking the "place order" button we're used to on e-commerce sites. Depending on the price threshold, they may be able to purchase from your GSA Schedule directly and use that easy button, or they will need to solicit information from several contractors before they decide on a purchase.

As a government contractor, especially a GSA Schedule holder, you have to keep track of several regulations to remain compliant. One of the requirements our clients ask about the most is Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliance. This regulation is neither simple nor clean-cut, and can become quite convoluted for some contractors. However, one non-negotiable is the final products you sell through the GSA Schedule must come from a TAA compliant country. This blog provides an in-depth look at which countries are TAA compliant, which ones are not, and explores the significance of these regulations for government contractors.

GSA is on a roll with Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refreshes. Refresh #21 is anticipated to be released in May 2024. This refresh will be followed by a Mass Modification, giving contractors 90 days to review the changes and accept the Refresh. If you’ve read a blog or two about our refreshes before, you know the drill—let’s review the changes we expect to see in this Refresh and what it may mean to you as a contractor.

If you’re doing business with the federal government or plan to soon, your organization should have some basic knowledge of what the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is and where to find certain clauses. The FAR is a complex document that outlines a set of rules and regulations for the federal government’s purchasing process. In other words, the FAR is essentially the primary rule book for executive agencies looking to acquire products and services.

A new Final Rule will introduce the support of price competition in AbilityOne Program contracts. The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, which operates as the U.S. AbilityOne Commission, published a Final Rule in late March clarifying the Commission’s authority to consider different pricing methodologies. The rule went into effect on April 22, 2024. Since the Program’s inception in the 1930s, price hasn’t been a major factor in awards, unlike the rest of the government contracting world. Let’s talk about this new legislation and how it impacts government contractors.