The General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) Program houses a unique variety of contract vehicles spanning across several industries. With over thirty (30) different Schedule contracts all geared towards different supply and service types, it is almost certain that your company’s offering could fit the scope of one of these contract vehicles. Understanding the scope of each GSA Schedule is an important factor when determining if pursuing a GSA Schedule is right for your business.

Schedule 84: Total Solutions for Law Enforcement, Security, Facilities Management, Fire, Rescue, Clothing, Marine Craft and Emergency/Disaster Response is one of most successful and highly sought-after Schedules in the GSA MAS program, thanks in part to its expansive nature. Based solely on the name of the Schedule, you can gather just how wide the scope of this particular Schedule is.

The world of government contracting can be a very intimidating place due to its complexity and competitiveness. Companies that decide to pursue a Schedule contract can easily access the network of federal, state, city, county, and municipal level agencies looking to buy products and services. It is important to understand the basics of government marketing in order to successfully sell your products and services.

In 2017, U.S. Senators Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Adam Smith (D-WA) proposed a bill known as the Saving Federal Dollars Through Better Use of Government Purchase and Travel Cards Act of 2017 that concentrated on reducing waste, fraud, and abuse of Government spending on travel and when using purchase cards. This bill passed through the House and Senate when it was incorporated into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (or NDAA 2018). The Saving Federal Dollars Through Better Use of Government Purchase and Travel Cards Act of 2017 addressed three key issues with Government spends: (1) improper payments, (2) questionable transactions, and (3) strategic sourcing. Our focus today will be strategic sourcing.

The GSA Schedules Program provides expansive new opportunities and tools to help companies successfully sell to the government. Having a GSA Schedule opens a whole new world of contracting and networking opportunities that could help expand your business and may be your ticket into the government space. However, with new business opportunity comes new responsibility. It is important to realize the compliance and maintenance factors attached to the award of a GSA Schedule. While the advantages are clear, companies should ensure they have the bandwidth to keep up with the maintenance of a GSA contract.

The short answer to this question? Yes, you’re able to sell to the Federal Government without being a GSA Schedule holder, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should due to a multitude of reasons.