Some of us might just see it as the start of fall, but October also means the beginning of a new federal government Fiscal Year. The transition from FY 2025 to 2026 is a crucial period for contractors with new opportunities, shifts in budget allocations, and renewed procurement priorities. Especially now that we changed administrations, we can expect to continue to see a significant amount of change in federal procurement over the next year. How you prepare for this change as a GSA Schedule contractor can significantly impact your success in the coming year. So, let’s talk about 10 strategies to ensure your contract is ready for the upcoming Fiscal Year.

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 age-old question when researching services is: does paying more for a high-end service make it worth the investment? When companies decide to pursue a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), it doesn’t take long to see there’s no shortage of firms offering GSA Schedule consulting. But if you haven’t noticed already, the pricing ranges wildly. This leaves many companies wondering if they can get just as good of a service if they select a cheaper option. It really depends on what kind of support you’re looking for and what kind of long-term investment you’re trying to make.

In the recently released Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refresh #28, GSA restructured the requirements for new offerors or existing contractors proposing products that they do not manufacture, and instead, resell. Prior to this Solicitation Refresh, new offerors or current contractors adding products they did not manufacture to their GSA Schedule contract or proposal were required to submit a Letter of Supply to demonstrate they have the authority to distribute these products. However, GSA has now restricted the Letter of Supply requirement to only resellers under Large Category F (Information Technology) and the Printing and Photographic Equipment Subcategory within Large Category A (Office Management).

If you hold a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, there’s more to keeping it than just winning federal orders. While the MAS Program is a well-known vehicle for connecting with federal buyers, you also have a great opportunity to sell to state, local, and educational (SLED) entities with your GSA Schedule. For contractors who are struggling to reach their minimum sales requirement or those who want a stronger sales pipeline, state and local purchasing programs within the MAS program can be an untapped market. The two main programs we’ll discuss in this blog are Disaster Purchasing and Cooperative Purchasing, but we’ll also mention other additional programs you may be eligible for as a GSA MAS contractor.

Since the federal government is so vast and is comprised of hundreds of agencies, departments, and units--organization is key. This is especially true when it comes to government contracting. One of the ways the government streamlines and standardizes the procurement process is with National Stock Numbers (NSNs).