When it comes to federal procurement, the government has a distinct order in which government agencies can purchase goods and services. For example, offerings through the AbilityOne Program, a program that provides employment opportunities for people who are blind or who have significant disabilities, must be considered for purchase before GSA Schedule contracts and other federal contracts.

On August 10, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, sending it to the House of Representatives for consideration. It is welcome news that an infrastructure bill is being discussed after years of Congressional inaction, but simply securing funding will not guarantee successful projects. An unprecedented combination of economic, social, and climate challenges will loom over the construction sector for years, making effective project management systems more necessary than ever. Before the first projects begin, government agencies and contractors alike should examine and take the necessary steps to improve their own project management infrastructure.

The federal government offers a lot of support for small businesses looking to enter the public sector. This includes small businesses owned by women, economically disadvantaged businesses, and veteran-owned businesses. Here at Winvale, we have several clients who are Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs), and that’s why we want to acknowledge resources available to these businesses as they navigate the federal marketplace. The General Services Administration (GSA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) are among several federal administrations that promote veteran entrepreneurship, and it’s important you take advantage of these resources if you are a veteran business and a GSA Schedule contractor.

This blog was last updated on November 4, 2021. The White House COVID-19 Response Team recently announced that millions of federal contractors and subcontractors must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 4, 2022, unless they are granted a legal exemption. This order mandates both in-person and remote federal contractors, as well as employees who are working under a covered contract to get vaccinated. So, which contracts are considered “covered” under this order and what other COVID-19 protocols will contractors have to follow to remain compliant? Let’s break down the order:

The Vendor Support Center (VSC) has long been regarded as a library full of useful information for prospective and current contractors. Whether you are looking to get a GSA Schedule and you want to do research on the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program, or if you need help uploading your catalog files to GSA Advantage!, and want to learn more about marketing your Schedule, the VSC has a plethora of government contracting resources. But as you might have experienced with government sites, they can often be outdated and a little difficult to navigate.

On August 31, 2021, GSA proposed a rule to help GSA Schedule contractors perform on Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) orders beyond their contract term. This proposed rule would amend the GSA Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to include an internal GSA policy of extending FSS orders for 5 years beyond the terms of an FSS contract. As a reminder, the GSA Schedule is also referred to as the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) and the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), so this order directly affects GSA contractors.