You know what your products and services are, you have an idea where and how you want to market them, but who are your target customers? As public sector consultants, we’re asked this question a lot because a wide array of agencies purchase through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program and the answer isn't always clear. The GSA MAS program was created for government agencies to have access to around 11 million different products and services at a volume discount, but it’s not open to just any organization. So who can you sell to with a GSA Schedule contract?

After you are awarded your GSA Schedule contract, there are certain requirements you must keep up with including sales reporting, contract, modifications, and meeting a certain minimum revenue. As a small business entering a new marketplace, while it’s all exciting, it may also be concerning or overwhelming for you.

Most government solicitations start off with some form of market research, including, but not limited to, Sources Sought Notices (SSNs), or Requests for Information (RFI), where the government generally will state their requirements and see how industry responds. This allows the government to ‘define’ their requirement, but also determine availability from commercial providers and how the agency can set up competition requirements at the solicitation/Task Order level.

2023 has already brought important changes for the future of small businesses in the federal marketplace. The Department of Defense (DoD), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) are issuing two final rules amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). These rules will implement changes to Small Business Administration Regulations (SBA) which will improve federal market opportunities and provide more clarity as well as consistency between SBA and FAR regulations. The final rules will go into effect on March 16, 2023.

Every business has its own standard Commercial Sales Practices that ensure the company remains competitive and successful within the marketplace. However, many businesses do not track them in a way that easily translates to GSA’s requirements. Having a strong record of your Commercial Sales Practices is a vital part of obtaining and maintaining a GSA Schedule. For companies considering entering the federal marketplace through the GSA Schedules Program, it's smart to learn the Commercial Sales Practice disclosure requirements from the early stages. In this blog, we'll highlight what you need to know from the beginning of the GSA Schedule offer process to after award.

As a government contractor, you have to stay vigilant about certain regulations so you are staying within the guidelines of the federal government. However, it’s not always an easy guidebook to follow. Some contractors are subject to additional policies if they handle certain types of information. If you are a government contractor within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), or you handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), there are certain regulations and clauses you have to follow. Here’s what you need to know about the security requirements for safeguarding CUI.