In the world of government contracting, one of the most confusing elements to navigate is all the acronyms. From government agencies to GSA Schedule terms, it seems as if there's an acronym for everything--and they aren't always spelled out. As a current or prospective GSA contractor, it's important you begin to learn government jargon because these terms will come up when you submit your GSA Schedule proposal, during GSA Schedule maintenance, and when you are communicating with government buyers.

GSA is planning to release the most anticipated document of the year so far—Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Refresh #16. This Refresh will include SBA size standard updates, Joint Venture (JV) solicitation guidance, and a series of updates to specific Large Categories. This Refresh is expected to come out on May 15, 2023, along with a Mass Modification (Mass Mod). No matter what products or services you offer, this Refresh is applicable to you, and you should be familiar with the changes before accepting the Mass Mod. Here’s what you need to know about this upcoming change.

Like shopping and ordering items online in just a few clicks on Amazon, GSA Advantage! is an online shopping and ordering system operated by the General Services Administration (GSA). The system provides government agencies access to a wide range of products and services available on GSA Schedule contracts, which are pre-negotiated agreements between GSA and commercial companies.

Throughout the life of your GSA Schedule contract, it’s expected that your business will experience changes, especially since you can hold your contract for up to 20 years. These factors all tie into how you provide discounts to your commercial and federal customers. As a contractor, you have the ability to make changes to your GSA Schedule through an update known as the Economic Price Adjustment (EPA) modification.

When considering your company’s opportunities for growth, taking stock of your resources is important. Certain businesses, especially small businesses may feel like they do not qualify for a GSA Schedule contract due to a variety of reasons, such as a lack of marketing presence, or lack of employees and experience to meet federal demands, etc. Something that many businesses could benefit from is a Joint Venture. Throughout the course of this post, we will be going over what a Joint Venture is, what it means in terms of a GSA Schedule, and how to obtain one.

If your company is the manufacturer of the products you sell, it’s fairly straightforward to propose those products with your GSA schedule offer, or to add them onto your current GSA Schedule via an Addition Modification. However, if you are a reseller and are offering products that you do not manufacture, then you will need a Letter of Supply. Getting a Letter of Supply completed as soon as possible is an important step in successfully acquiring or maintaining your GSA Schedule.