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.

As global conflicts continue, causing inflation, supply chain shortages, and other negative economic impacts, many businesses turn to the public sector to expand their markets and find a more stable stream of opportunities. Even if the commercial markets are not performing well, the government is always in need of supplies and services to keep our agencies and programs running. However, even if you know some of the government contracting basics, getting your own government contract and finding time to maintain contract compliance can be a large ordeal to take on yourself. As GSA Schedule consultants, we at Winvale help our clients acquire a GSA Schedule and offer maintenance and compliance assistance throughout the entire contract. With over 20 years of experience, we’ve seen the many ways our clients have profited from public sector consultants. But we know it's not always easy to justify hiring someone to help you through this process.

When you go through the GSA Schedule acquisition process, you are evaluated on many levels. From administrative and financial records, to past performance and your pricing, GSA takes a close look at your company. This is because GSA wants to ensure you are going to be a reliable contractor and can supply the products and services you intend to offer. However, once you have made it successfully through the acquisition process and are awarded your GSA Schedule contract, the evaluations don’t necessarily evaporate.