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.

If you want to get on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), the first step is putting together your proposal. Preparing an MAS offer is no easy task, and there’s plenty of pitfalls to avoid. Luckily, we here at Winvale have years of experience with creating GSA Schedule proposals, and we’ve learned a few tricks along the way. In this blog, we’ll talk about some of the Do’s and Don’ts to keep in mind when preparing a GSA Schedule proposal.

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 However, one issue contractors can run into is realizing their pricing is out of date, or they don’t have enough time to submit a modification to add a crucial product or service to go after these awards.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.

It’s impossible to get very far in the GSA Schedule acquisition process without encountering the acronym “SIN.” Special Item Numbers (SINs) are of critical importance to the GSA, but can be confusing to new contractors. Much of this confusion arises from the relationship between SINs and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes, which many contractors are already familiar with. Here at Winvale, we receive many questions about SINs, NAICS Codes, and the differences between them—so let’s break that down.