A GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract can open the door to countless federal contracting opportunities, but obtaining one requires more than simply submitting an offer. Before investing time in the proposal process, it’s important to understand whether your company meets GSA’s eligibility, compliance, and proposal requirements.
While sorting through the requirements may seem daunting at first, understanding them before you begin the proposal process can save significant time and help you determine whether pursuing a GSA Schedule is the right investment for your business.
While every company is different, these seven requirements form the foundation of every successful GSA Schedule offer.
Before preparing an offer, it’s worth taking a step back to determine whether your company is eligible in the first place. These initial qualifications help determine whether your business is ready to participate in the MAS Program and include being in business for at least two years (unless you’re an IT company that is FASt Lane and Springboard eligible), actively selling the products or services you intend to offer through the MAS Program, and offering Trade Agreements Act (TAA)-compliant products and services.
Companies that do not meet these criteria generally are not eligible to submit a MAS offer, but you can always consider partnering with an authorized GSA reseller on their GSA Schedule contract if that’s the case.
Once you’ve confirmed your business meets the basic eligibility requirements, GSA wants to verify that you have successfully provided similar commercial products or services before selling them to federal agencies. As part of the technical evaluation, you will be asked to demonstrate your experience through documentation such as:
For companies offering products, demonstrating experience isn’t the only requirement. GSA also requires contractors to comply with several federal procurement regulations, including the Trade Agreements Act (TAA). To be TAA-compliant, your product must either be “wholly produced or manufactured” in the U.S. or designated countries OR “substantially transformed” into a new and different product of commerce in the U.S. or designated countries. If you are unsure, you can find our complete list of TAA-designated countries here or watch one of our webinars on TAA Compliance for GSA Schedule Resellers.
GSA requires all pricing to be “fair and reasonable” and evaluates this through extensive market research. You must provide Pricing Support, which includes invoices, contracts, quote sheets, or published or publicly available commercial catalogs/price lists.
As of July 1, 2026, Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) became mandatory for all MAS contractors. As a result, contractors are no longer required to establish a Most Favored Customer (MFC) relationship or comply with the Price Reductions Clause. However, GSA still evaluates proposed pricing to ensure it is fair and reasonable through market research.
Although this standard may seem straightforward, you should review and ensure that neither your company nor key points of contact are excluded or debarred from doing business with the federal government. We also recommend checking the status of your company on SAM.gov and any companies or individuals with similar names. While uncommon, mistaken identity can create delays during the review process.
Once you have reviewed your GSA MAS contract eligibility, the next step is ensuring you are registered on the System for Award Management, or more commonly referred to as SAM.gov. If your business has worked with the U.S. government before, you may already be registered, but it’s still vital that your registration is up to date with the most current information. During registration, you’ll typically provide:
After you are properly registered within SAM.gov, you will be assigned a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a Commercial and Government Entity CAGE Code or NATO NCAGE Code (for internationally based entities). These will serve as your authoritative identifiers required to contract with the government. Your entity’s CAGE Code is associated with your physical address for all GSA mailing, payments, and administrative records.
Meeting the eligibility criteria and registering on SAM.gov are only the beginning. Contractors must also complete the GSA Schedule proposal process, which consists of three primary sections:
Each section is reviewed by a GSA Contract Specialist (CS) and/or Contracting Officer (CO) after submission, so it’s important to ensure your proposal is complete and accurate before you submit it. Additionally, during the proposal process, you will select Special Item Numbers (SINs) that correspond with your NAICS Code and the given services or products you are offering. These SINs determine which products or services you can offer under your contract and help government buyers find your company, making it important to select the correct SINs.
Given the complexity of the proposal process, many companies choose to work with GSA contract consultants or internal proposal teams to help organize documentation, review templates, and avoid common mistakes before submission.
In most cases, you will need to be actively in business for at least two years before submitting an offer; however, there are limited exceptions through the FASt Lane and Startup Springboard Program initiatives. These programs are generally intended for qualifying small IT startups that have received documented purchasing interest from a federal customer or agency.
GSA reviews every proposal against established solicitation standards and may reject or delay your proposal if it does not meet them. Common reasons include:
Most of these issues can be avoided by thoroughly reviewing the solicitation requirements and gathering the required documentation before submitting your offer.
Determining whether your business meets GSA’s Schedule requirements is the first step toward obtaining a Schedule contract. From evaluating your eligibility and preparing the required documentation to understanding pricing and compliance requirements, taking the time to prepare before submitting an offer can help you avoid common mistakes and set realistic expectations for the proposal process.
Whether you decide to pursue a GSA Schedule independently or work with experienced consultants, understanding the requirements before you begin can help you submit a stronger proposal and avoid unnecessary delays during the review process. If you have any questions about the next steps or how to stay eligible and compliant, a member of the Winvale team would be happy to help.