While often thought of as out of date in terms of its technology, the federal government spends billions on new information technology (IT) solutions and services each year in support of various legacy system modernization efforts, cybersecurity initiatives, and other technology-focused programs. The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program allows contractors to sell various commercial IT products and services to the federal government through its Information Technology Category, or Category F. For the 2025 government fiscal year (FY), the IT Category experienced over $26 billion in sales, demonstrating a highly competitive marketplace for IT services and products under GSA MAS.
If you specialize in cybersecurity, software development, hardware manufacturing, cloud solutions, or any other type of IT field, the IT Large Category may be an opportunity for you to break into the federal marketplace. In this blog, we will provide an overview of the IT Category and several requirements you should consider prior to submitting your GSA MAS proposal or contract modification.
What Can You Sell Through the IT Category?
The IT Category is organized by subcategories and specific Special Item Numbers (SINs). Contractors can have multiple SINs awarded to their contract, depending on the services and/or products they specialize in. An overview of the subcategories and SINs available under the IT Category is provided below:
Subcategory: Cloud Services
- Cloud Computing and Cloud Related IT Professional Services (SIN 518210C)
Subcategory: Electronic Commerce
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Electronic Commerce and Subscription Services (SIN 54151ECOM)
Subcategory: Financial Management Services
- Financial Management Quality Service Management Office (FM QSMO) Core Financial Management (FM) Solutions and IT Professional Services (SIN 518210FM)
Subcategory: IT Hardware Subcategory
- Purchasing of New Electronic Equipment (SIN 33411)
- Leasing of New Electronic Equipment (SIN 532420L)
- Maintenance of Equipment, Repair Services and/or Repair/Spare Parts (SIN 811212)
Subcategory: IT Services
- Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) (SIN 54151HACS)
- Health Information Technology Services (SIN 54151HEAL)
- Information Technology Professional Services (SIN 54151S)
Subcategory: IT Software
- Software Licenses (SIN 511210)
- Software Maintenance Services (SIN 54151)
Subcategory: IT Solutions
- Earth Observation Solutions (SIN 541370GEO)
- Credential Service Providers (CSP) (SIN 541519CSP)
- Identity, Credentialing and Access Management (ICAM) (SIN 541519ICAM)
- Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 Product and Service Components (SIN 541519PIV)
- Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Shared Service Providers (PKI SSP) Program (SIN 541519PKI)
- Automated Contact Center Solutions (ACCS) (SIN 561422)
Subcategory: IT Training
- Information Technology Training (SIN 611420)
Subcategory: Telecommunications
- Wireless Mobility Solutions (SIN 517312)
- Commercial Satellite Communications Solutions (COMSATCOM) (SIN 517410)
Several IT Category SINs, such as SIN 33411, SIN 517312, SIN 517410, and all SINs under the IT Software Subcategory are Best-in-Class (BIC) solutions. A BIC designation for contracts means they are deemed as the highest performing contracts by the Office of Management and Budget, making these SINs particularly attractive as a contract vehicle of choice for federal buyers.
Understanding the Federal Market for IT Category SINs
As discussed, there are a variety of potential SINs offerors or current contractors can have awarded under GSA’s IT Category. One of the most popular IT SINs (accounting for about 5,150 contractors currently) is SIN 54151S, IT Professional Services. This SIN alone represented about $12.9 billion of spending during government FY 2025.
While only about 1,000 contractors had SIN 511210 (Software Licenses) awarded, just over $5 billion flowed through this SIN during the previous government FY.
SIN 518210C (Cloud Computing and Cloud Related IT Professional Services), another highly utilized SIN and awarded to about 1,130 contractors, accounted for $1.8 billion of spending during government FY 2025.
Special Requirements for the IT Category
Many SINs under the IT Category require offerors to prepare and submit additional requirements. For example, the IT Category requires offerors to submit two project experience narratives rather than the typical one, as required by the MAS Solicitation for most other SINs, to support most service-based IT Category SINs.
While almost all other GSA MAS Large Categories no longer require product resellers to have a Letter of Supply, IT product resellers must still acquire this letter from their suppliers to add products to their offer or contract that they do not manufacture.
The IT Category Attachment to the MAS Solicitation includes instructions for proposing similar labor categories across different IT SINs. For example, offerors of the Cloud SIN must include “Cloud” in each labor category’s title. The labor category titles and descriptions proposed under the Cloud SIN cannot be duplicated and proposed as is under other IT SINs requiring different specialized services, such as SIN 54151S.
SIN-Specific Requirements
As a potential or current contractor, it’s important to review the IT Category Attachment before selecting an IT SIN to add to your GSA MAS proposal or existing contract. A non-exhaustive list of SIN-specific requirements under the IT Category is noted below:
- SIN 54151HACS: Offerors are required to pass an oral technical evaluation, which will occur after your offer or modification is submitted. All labor categories proposed under this SIN should align with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity, or the NICE Framework).
- SIN 518210C: Offerors must prepare a technical narrative identifying how their cloud computing services meet the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Definition of Cloud Computing (NIST Special Publication 800-145), including the following essential characteristics: on-demand self-service, broad network access, resource pooling, rapid elasticity, and measured service. Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings under this SIN no longer need to meet the “on-demand self-service” requirement.
- SIN 511210: Offerors must submit the End User License Agreement (EULA) for their software and include either “Perpetual Software” or “Term Software” in the product title; contractors are also encouraged to offer this SIN in conjunction with SIN 54151, Software Maintenance Services.
- SIN 541519ICAM: Both project experience narratives used in support of this SIN must be prior federal application deployment projects for public-facing IT systems.
- SIN 33411: Contractors offering new equipment are required to provide maintenance and/or repair services and repair parts for the geographic scope of their contract.
- SIN 561422: In MAS Solicitation Refresh #31, labor categories offered under this SIN must be in support of the total Automated Contact Center Solution and cannot be a standalone offering.
Unique Programs Under the IT Category
The IT Category offers several programs for contractors to participate in to increase the availability of emerging and innovative support services, software, hardware, and other IT offerings for both federal and other eligible GSA MAS purchasers.
FASt Lane Program
As a GSA MAS IT offeror or contractor, you may be eligible to submit your offer or contract modification under GSA’s FASt Lane program. This program is intended to significantly reduce the review and award timeline for an offer or modification meeting the requirements to participate. The criteria include:
- Be a current GSA MAS offeror under the IT Category or an existing IT Category contractor with an assigned IT Contracting Officer (CO).
- Be associated with a FASt Lane-eligible initiative.
- Have a written request from a federal ordering activity requesting your participation in the FASt Lane program to support their IT service or product requirements.
You must also submit the FASt Lane Eligibility Checklist available on GSA’s dedicated FASt Lane webpage and complete the applicable sections whether you are a new offeror or current contractor. During GSA’s offer or modification review process, offerors and contractors are required to respond to inquiries from GSA’s reviewing CO within 24 hours or two hours, respectively, to maintain FASt Lane eligibility.
Startup Springboard Program
GSA’s Startup Springboard Program allows newer or startup companies with less than two years of corporate experience to submit a GSA MAS offer and provides flexibility in the financial and past performance documentation that can be included in a proposal.
Now that Refresh #31 is released, GSA’s Startup Springboard Program is no longer available across all large categories. The program will be restricted to only offerors under the IT Category and who also qualify for the FASt Lane program, supporting the government’s focus on procuring new and innovative IT products and services aligning with federal initiatives.
Cooperative Purchasing Program
Offerors and contractors under the IT Category can select to participate in the Cooperative Purchasing Program. This program allows GSA MAS contractors to sell their IT offerings to eligible state, local, and tribal governments; public educational institutions; and more entities.
Are You Staying Up to Date on New Developments in the IT Category?
Now that Refresh #31 is out, the Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) program is mandatory across all SINs. Several service-based IT SINs that have been under the quarterly Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) sales reporting structure, such as SIN 54151S, will be transitioned to monthly reporting under TDR. The expansion of the TDR program is notable for potential IT offerors who may have avoided GSA MAS due to the disclosure of CSP data for certain non-TDR SINs.
Looking ahead to Refresh #32, GSA plans to incorporate a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) GSAR clause relating to the use of AI by GSA MAS contractors. The draft clause may be revised based on industry feedback. In June, GSA intends to release updated consolidated guidance for authorization under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) for cloud service providers.
The federal marketplace is constantly evolving; if you need assistance navigating the often-complex requirements associated with the IT Category or GSA MAS in general, one of our expert consultants is available to help.
