If you’re a federal contractor, or thinking about becoming one, you’ve probably noticed that the Trump Administration has been busy reshaping how the government buys goods and services. Two major bills, the FoRGED Act and the SPEED Act are a major part of that plan. Both are designed to modernize federal acquisition by removing barriers and make the processes more efficient and flexible. Any time there’s a change like this to procurement, there are going to be impacts both positive and negative. So, you might be wondering what do these acts actually mean for you as a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contractor? Let’s break it down.
The Fostering Reform and Government Efficiency in Defense (FoRGED) Act, introduced December 2024, is a Senate proposal for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would overhaul Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition. The main purpose of this act is to streamline regulations, simplify contracting for commercial firms and nontraditional contractors, and accelerate the development of new technologies.
Highlights of the bill include:
The SPEED Act, also known as Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery, was introduced June 2025 in the House. It’s the House’s version of the annual defense bill. The purpose of the bill is exactly like its name: to speed up the procurement process and make it more flexible.
The SPEED Act includes:
The SPEED Act emphasizes faster procurement cycles, wider use of commercial buying practices, and improved access for innovative and nontraditional vendors.
While both of these acts are both directed at reforming federal procurement, they have their distinct purposes. The FoRGED Act is more focused on prioritizing commercial companies and removing obstacles to allow more commercial firms and nontraditional contractors into defense space. The SPEED Act is aimed at streamlining acquisition processes by raising acquisition thresholds and reducing regulations.
These acts focus heavily on the Department of Defense, so why do they matter for GSA Schedule contractors?
Both of these acts include a push to shift to a best value mindset over lowest cost. This is something that has been in the works for a few years, and even GSA has requested a change to best value procurement to give Contracting Officers and contractors more flexibility when it comes to pricing. As we’ve discussed before in a previous blog, the FoRGED Act could mean an end to the Price Reduction Clause (PRC). We are already seeing it slowly phasing out, with several contractors now required to follow Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) practices, which do not include the PRC.
Again, both acts emphasize the use of commercial and nontraditional solutions. This is expected to have a positive impact on the MAS Program, as federal agencies are directed to lean more on commercial vehicles.
The best value approach in both of these acts would give GSA more flexibility to allow contractors to provide Other Direct Costs (ODCs) as part of an overall solution. Also with an expansion of Other Transaction Authority (OTA) in these acts, there could be more room for innovative and cutting-edge technologies through the MAS Program.
The FoRGED and SPEED Acts have not been passed, but they are part of a larger movement to reform federal acquisition as a whole. The federal government has started to make other changes to accomplish this including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) overhaul and consolidating most procurement under GSA.
If you want to stay updated on these changes and more, check out our blog and newsletter. If you need help managing these changes and maintaining your GSA Schedule, or you are looking to get a GSA Schedule, Winvale is here to help.