Getting a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract is an exciting opportunity that can open a lot of doors for your business. After doing your research, perhaps you have decided this is the best step for your company to enter the public sector. But where do you start? Before you get a contract, you have to submit a GSA Schedule proposal, and before submitting your proposal, it’s important to have all the necessary materials ready to prevent any delays in the process of review and clarifications.

As GSA Schedule consultants, we sometimes see companies spend a great chunk of time and effort on getting a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and then they don’t know what to do with it, leaving the contract to gather dust and cobwebs. This is unfortunate, because getting a GSA Schedule contract is a long and often difficult process, but it can be so rewarding in the end. Why waste the time to get a contract if you aren’t going to take advantage of it? GSA Schedule contractors have access to a whole new world of customers, resources and tools to expand their business.

Paperwork, market research, proposals, negotiations–these are all things companies trying to break into the public sector deal with when establishing an effective government sales pipeline. Selling to the federal government can often be an intimidating task, but there are ways to streamline the process. For example, the General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is a $41 billion contract vehicle that makes it easy for contractors to sell their products and services to government agencies.

The federal government is actively working toward making sure small businesses have a big slice of government contracting dollars. Recently, the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) have signed a revised 8(a) Program Partnerships Agreement (PA) and established a final rule that will increase contracting opportunities both sole source and set aside contractors, and make it easier for government customers to use GSA Schedules to access 8(a) company solutions. 8(a) companies are a part of a small disadvantaged business program, and the government has been focused on making federal procurement more accessible for contractors under this program. Let’s discuss 8(a) Business Development, what the new partnership will mean, and other ways small businesses can utilize support from the government.

If you specialize in services, you are well aware that there are several labor regulations surrounding your workers, especially if you offer those services to the federal government. As a GSA Schedule contractor, you have already gone through the phases of getting your solutions awarded to your contract, but you must also ensure you are keeping up and complying with the latest regulations. One of these is the Service Contract Act (SCA), or often referred to as the Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS).

To keep the acquisition process efficient and running smoothly, the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies use various codes to identify and track suppliers, contractors, and shipments. Two important codes in the government contracting world are Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Codes and Department of Defense Activity Address Codes (DoDAACs).