The start of 2022 marks Biden’s second year of being president and our third full year of the pandemic. How has a new presidential administration and the global pandemic impacted government procurement? Just like it’s important to follow what kinds of products your consumers are buying and how much they are spending in the commercial world, it’s important for contractors stay on top of government initiatives and follow how the federal government plans to allocate their funding in 2022. Here are 5 government contracting trends we expect to see in 2022.

Just like last year, 2021 was yet another unpredictable year. However, one thing remained certain through this tumultuous time—increased federal government spending. As the global pandemic continues, the federal government continues to channel more funding and research toward mitigating COVID-19. However, COVID-19 isn’t the only factor influencing federal government spending. 2021 brought a whole new administration when Biden became president, and a new administration means budgets can fluctuate and government agencies can alter their spending habits.

Although the large corporations tend to take over the headlines for capturing government contracting opportunities, small businesses have plenty of opportunities to go after in the federal marketplace. Even if you see a Request for Quote (RFQ) that your company may not be able to handle on its own, you shouldn’t necessarily discredit it right away. There are several ways in which small businesses can partner with large or other small businesses to expand their offerings and increase their competitiveness. As a GSA Schedule contractor, there are 4 main ways you can team up with another business. They are: subcontracting, Joint Ventures, partnering with a reseller, and Contractor Team Arrangements (CTA). Let’s dive into each partnership and find out which one could work best for you.

Under the General Service Administration (GSA), there are several ways of contracting that can help your business win awards from the government. Some come in the form of competitive awards such as small business set asides and Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). While you are in an elite group of contractors in the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, you still have to compete with other contractors to get awards from both federal and state and local governments. However, there is the rare exception when competition is removed from the equation. Occasionally, there’s an instance where only one contractor can fulfill a government agency’s needs. These are called sole source contracts.

Once you receive your GSA Schedule, it’s important to consider the maintenance and compliance required to successfully manage your contract. While you’ve overcome the significant hurdle of getting your GSA Schedule awarded, you are not off the hook for the remainder of your contract. There are steps you need to take to ensure your contract complies with GSA regulations and requirements. If you fail to adhere to some of the regulations, you could risk getting your contract cancelled. To avoid contract cancellation and to maximize contract success, we put together a blog of some important rules you should keep in mind throughout the life of your GSA Schedule.

It’s never too early to start preparing for next year—as 2021 comes to a close, GSA is planning their strategic moves for 2022 and outlining what changes will be made to the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. In early December, we attended the Southwest Supply and Acquisition Center’s Industry Days, which is a yearly event devoted to providing contractors and industry partners developments on GSA. This year’s events gave insight to all the important updates that are expected to happen within the next year or two. What are some of these updates and how will it impact your business tactics? Here are some of the biggest takeaways.