Navigating the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) acquisition process from beginning to end can leave you with lots of questions. Knowing where to go to answer these questions will give you more confidence as a GSA Schedule contractor. GSA has several websites to help contractors sell their solutions, find contracting opportunities, market their contract, report their sales, and keep their contract updated. While these websites are crucial to becoming a successful GSA contractor, it can be difficult to track down all the necessary sites and learn how to use them at first.
So, we put together an essential guide to GSA’s key sites to help you find the answers you are looking for and help you best optimize your GSA Schedule.
SAM.gov
The System for Awards Management, or SAM, is now the official website for people who make, receive, and manage federal awards. Other functions offered include contract opportunities, contract data reports, wage determinations, assistance listings, and federal hierarchy directory. SAM.gov also provides a search engine that uses agency names, key words, and specific dates to help you find the best contracting opportunities for your company.
Your company is required to register with SAM.gov to qualify for federal opportunities such as the GSA MAS Program. When registering, you will include information that will be essential to qualifying for GSA award such as tax information and North American Industry Classification (NAICS) Codes. Not only is this information required, but if you are getting assistance from a consulting firm such as Winvale, they will need this information to complete your contract.
GSA Advantage!
GSA Advantage! is essentially Amazon but for government purchasing. Once you are awarded your GSA Schedule contract, you have to consider how you will market and sell your product. Through GSA Advantage!, government agencies can find your products and services and purchase them through one medium. Since GSA Advantage! is an easy and efficient place for transactions, it’s the most important site for buying and selling. With over 30,000 orders a week, optimizing best practices on GSA Advantage! can make all the difference in government sales.
This resource is also beneficial when you are preparing your GSA Schedule offer. When picking a proposed price for your product/service it must be “fair and reasonable”, which includes prices based on ‘like and similar’ goods or services. GSA Advantage! is also a great resource to compare competitive pricing during the GSA proposal process.
GSA eLibrary
Whether you are buying or selling, GSA elibrary is where you will find the most up to date GSA contract award information on available products and services. GSA eLibrary provides an organized and updated version of all products and services under GSA and VA acquisition solutions. Organized by category and then by SIN (Special Item Number), eLibrary make it easy to navigate good and services available. You can review this helpful guide for more information on GSA eLibrary.
GSA eLibrary is where you will keep a physical Text File price list that includes contact information, awarded SINs, and a pricelist of all products and/or services. GSA requires pricelists to be maintained throughout the life of the contract and updated with any modification made. A well-maintained GSA eLibrary profile will help government buyers find your offerings easily. The site is also beneficial if you are looking to partner or team with another GSA contractor.
EOffer/eMod
EOffer/eMod is the tool used to submit contract offers and contract modification requests to GSA. Once you have completed your GSA Schedule offer or when you make modifications to a pre-existing Schedule, eOffer/eMod is where you will submit them for review and hopefully award. This is where you will make any additions, deletions, administrative changes, or pricing changes to your GSA Schedule.
It can also be used to view the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation. Organized by category and SIN, contractors can easily view the solicitation with corresponding SINs as their products or services and connect with the buyer. Because the MAS solicitation is updated on eOffer/eMod and requires action for Mass Modifications, it’s important you are frequently checking for updates that may apply to your GSA Schedule.
GSA Interact
GSA interact provides a platform where members of the GSA community can learn, share, and engage with each other on GSA topics both virtually and in person. There are several options for engagement in the GSA community from interactive blog posts and open discussion on trending topics.
In the ever-changing world of government acquisitions, this is a great resource for up-to-date news and information from members within the GSA community. For those who are new to GSA, there is a learn option which provides access to webinars, prerecorded videos, and in person training events. With GSA being so broad and covering many topics of interest, GSA interact gives you the option to join a group and engage with others who share the same interests. This communication and collaboration increase government effectiveness and provides a more unified understanding of GSA.
GSA Vendor Support Center
If you are ever lost or need assistance with your GSA Schedule, GSA Vendor Support Center is the website to visit. GSA Vendor Support is a great starting point for vendors to research the federal market. GSA Vendor Support Center provides a wealth of knowledge on the different contracting vehicles provided by GSA and can help you pick which route is best suited for your needs. VSC provides education on the websites listed above, Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) sales reporting, Transactional Data Reporting (TDR), and much more.
GSA Vendor Support Center also works as a hub to the rest of GSA resources and education on GSA topics. For example, the “Vendor Start-up Kit” will show you how to upload your awarded pricelist to GSA Advantage!. After your contract has been awarded, you will need to register your Schedule contract with the Vendor Support Center.
Do You Need More GSA Resources?
Hopefully, you feel more comfortable navigating the resources available on your GSA journey. While these may point you in the right direction, the GSA MAS process is not an easy one and may require professional help.
If you want to learn more about the GSA Schedule acquisition process, properly maintaining your contract, or marketing your solutions among other things, you can subscribe to our blog and our monthly newsletter. We also have a hub of government contracting resources you can check out. If you need additional help acquiring or maintaining your GSA Schedule, or want to see if your company qualifies for one, you can reach out to Winvale consultant.
