Government Contracting Blog

After having a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract awarded, contractors will have access to a large federal marketplace with many potential buyers. However, it can be overwhelming to understand the opportunities and strategies available to contractors. Government buyers use a few resources to research or evaluate potential GSA Schedule contractors that could fulfill their project or order requirements through a Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposal (RFP), or Request for Quote (RFQ). While each request differs in their degree of formality, a Request for Quote is important for contractors to understand to accurately respond to a government solicitation and hopefully win a contract.

With a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), you can access a wide network of federal, state, and local agencies looking to procure products and services. One misconception contractors have, however, is they can sit back and watch the orders roll in the minute their contract is awarded. This isn't true for the commercial world, and generally isn't true for the public sector either. While you are part of a unique pool of contractors, you still have to compete with other companies for business, and be proactive about advertising your solutions to government agencies.

At this point, you’ve likely seen hundreds of articles published in this series and on our website about GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), the MAS consolidation, the structure, how it works, and on and on. But, what about the VA Federal Supply Schedule Service (FSS) Program? Most of the questions our consulting team sees come through our online chat or via email are about the GSA MAS program but today, we’ll be shining some light on the MAS program’s not-so-little sibling, the VA FSS Program managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts provide businesses with the opportunity to sell their products and services to the federal government, but many potential contractors are unaware of the tools available to shape a competitive offer.

While searching for a contracting opportunity on SAM.gov, you may have glossed over entries that are marked as Sources Sought Notices (SSNs). Maybe it's because it's not a Request for Proposal (RFP) and overall may seem like it's not worth your time because it doesn't directly end in contract award, but we suggest you take a closer look. Sources Sought Notices play a key role in federal procurement and can increase your odds of winning the opportunity.

If you are considering joining the world of government contracting, there’s a lot of information to consume. Where do you even start? At Winvale, we talk a lot about the General Services Administration (GSA) and the MAS program because it's one of the most widely used programs among federal buyers, but government contracting is a massive industry overall. In this blog, we'll cover some of the government contracting basics so you can feel confident in figuring out your first step into the public sector.