Maintaining your GSA Schedule is not only a key to success as a contractor, but it’s essential to keeping your contract for up to 20 years. One fear our clients come to us with is losing their GSA Schedule—while this doesn’t happen with minor infractions, a series of missteps can add up. Losing your GSA Schedule can of course significantly impact your business, but understanding the reasons behind cancellations can help you avoid this pitfall.

As government Q4 approaches, businesses with GSA Schedules are gearing up for a busy period full of potential awards and increased contracting dollars. Federal agencies typically spend roughly 1/3 of their annual spending during this time, offering unique opportunities for those prepared to capitalize on them. However, one issue contractors can run into is realizing their pricing is out of date, or they don’t have enough time to submit a modification to add a crucial product or service to go after these awards. So, as we enter Q4 in the next month and as you enter the next Fiscal Year, how can you prepare your GSA Schedule so you are ready to respond to any relevant opportunity that comes up?

It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year—if you look at the numbers, government Q4 (July through September) of each year are by far the busiest months for government contractors. In recent years, Q4 of the government fiscal year has accounted for roughly 1/3 of all government contract dollars awarded throughout the year. This increase in spending can be attributed to an array of reasons including later award dates due to delays in budget availability, greater negotiation leverage, and adapting to potential new requirements that may factor into a particular procurement.

Hurricane season is approaching quickly, and if you've been watching any news related to the weather, you've seen how this season is predicted to be active and full of storms. On top of the recent unexpected earthquakes and tornadoes ripping through the mid-west, the government is going to be busy preparing and picking up the fallout from these natural disasters. In order to acquire the goods and services that are necessary to rebuild in a quick and efficient manner, many government agencies are purchasing items from commercial businesses through the General Services Administration (GSA) Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program. This program is an essential part of ensuring the government’s response to disasters is successful, cost-effective, and timely.

Two U.S. Senators recently introduced a bipartisan bill to cut through some of the red tape of the procurement process and make it more accessible for agencies and contractors. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Ted Cruz (R-TX), jointly introduced this legislation titled the Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement Act, or FIT Act for short.

In late March 2024, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) released a much-anticipated final solicitation for their $12.5 billion multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The contract, Base Infrastructure Modernization (BIM), will span 10 years with a 5-year base period and then a follow-on 5-year option to extend. The solicitation was released via PIEE under the primary North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 517111, Wired Telecommunication Carriers.