If you look back at your 2020 plans and goals from last January, they probably don’t mention anything about a global pandemic. 2020 was an incredibly unpredictable year for all of us. Despite the economic uncertainty, government spending continues to steadily increase as agencies spring to action to make sure national, state, and local organizations have the resources they need to provide COVID-19 relief.

On December 22, 2020, Congress passed a COVID-19 relief bill making it part of one of the highest spending bills in American history. The $900 billion Coronavirus bill is attached to an omnibus spending bill for the 2021 Fiscal Year totaling $2.3 trillion.

If you need something for your office, chances are you’ll hop onto a site like Amazon because it’s easy to search, the prices are reasonable, and it’ll arrive at your door in just a few days. If a government agency wants to purchase something, they can’t just order whatever they want from popular retailers, but they still need a simplified way to order products. So where do they go?

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 contractors have to upload their catalogs and price lists to reflect the MAS Consolidation by March 31, 2021, so it's important you know how to use SIP.

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.

COVID-19 has altered our perception of the workplace. Living rooms are being transformed into makeshift offices, conference room meetings have turned into virtual Zoom sessions, and employees are donning masks before they enter the office. As states slowly begin opening in phases, employees are trickling back into the workplace, but they will not immediately return to a pre-pandemic environment. There are certain social distancing measures and routine disinfection practices to follow, but with the right equipment, you can minimize the spread of COVID-19. As a supplier of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), we at Winvale know it’s important to make sure your employees are outfitted with the proper PPE they need to combat the virus. Here are the top five types of PPE you should purchase for your office to ensure the safety of your employees.