The Army recently announced their plans to develop a software development support services contract exceeding $1 billion over a 10-year period of performance. This contract is anticipated to be a Multiple-Award, Indefinite Quantity, Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) vehicle with the ability to rapidly award task orders for software development requirements across the Army. In late May, the Army released a Request for Information (RFI) for the New Modern Software Development IDIQ and will take into consideration responses from industry. This could be a huge opportunity for software development contractors, so let’s dive into what we know about this upcoming IDIQ so far.

In the chaos of government Q4 of the Fiscal Year, contractors are focused on responding to federal opportunities, but may be missing out on key state and local government opportunities as well. There’s a common misconception that contractors can only sell to the federal government through a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract. Along with a list of eligible national and international organizations, GSA contractors can also sell to state and local government as well as tribal governments and certain educational institutions through certain purchasing programs. Most state governments end on June 30 or September 30, meaning now's the time to be searching for these opportunities.

Navigating the General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program can be complicated—there are a lot of confused businesses out there trying to make sense of all the requirements and regulations. It can be easy to get lost in the sea of terms and red tape, and possibly form misconceptions about the process. Unfortunately, these misconceptions about GSA Schedules can deter businesses from taking advantage of the opportunities they offer. In this article, we’ll debunk the top 5 GSA Schedule myths so you are well prepared before you enter the world of GSA.

As a GSA Schedule contractor, there are a few pre-requisites you need to meet before you can begin preparing your GSA Schedule proposal that also continue throughout the life of your contract. One of these requirements is Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliance. In order to maintain TAA compliance with your GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, you must agree each “final product” you sell will have been “substantially transformed” in the U.S. or in a signatory country designated by the TAA, throughout the entirety of your contract.

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.