A government contractor always needs to plan ahead for future opportunities, arguably more so than in the commercial marketplace due to the bureaucracy involved. Given the fact that agencies often start planning future opportunities well in advance of the anticipated award date, you may feel you are keeping well informed of relevant contracting opportunities.

We’re all aware that the federal government is one of the largest buyers in the U.S. Contractors looking to tap into the federal market through GSA Schedules are first going to need to conduct market research to see where they fit in, and will need to continue to research even after they are awarded a contract. But how can we track where all the massive spending is going? Which contracts are obtaining the most cash flows? How much money does each state spend in taxpayer dollars?

In the dynamic landscape of modern business, strategic collaboration has emerged as a driving force behind success. One particularly powerful avenue for collaboration is through Joint Ventures (also referred to as JVs). Joint Ventures bring together the collective strengths and resources of two or more companies to achieve mutual objectives. When it comes to securing a General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule, forming a Joint Venture could become a game-changing strategy. GSA has expanded guidance to Joint Ventures under MAS Refresh 16 which has a myriad of benefits to all sectors of industry and partnership types.

The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program has long been regarded as one of the most popular government contract vehicles, allowing commercial companies to sell their products and services to federal, state, and local government entities. With pre-negotiated pricing and pre-vetted contractors, the MAS program streamlines the procurement process making it much more efficient to buy and sell products and services.

As a GSA Multiple Awards Schedule (MAS) contractor, there are a plethora of exclusive opportunities to sell your products and services to the government that you may not have otherwise. You have access to a whole new marketplace including federal agencies as well as some state, local, educational, and tribal entities.

Recently, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and GSA have signed a revised 8(a) Partnership Agreement that aims to increase contracting opportunities for 8(a) contractors. The agreement will also make it easier for GSA customers to purchase solutions from 8(a) through the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. Once the agreement is fully put in place, there will be increased ordering flexibility under the MAS program. To accomplish this, GSA and the SBA are working together to establish an MAS pool for 8(a) contractors. Let’s talk about this agreement, the upcoming pool, and what action items you need to take as a current or prospective 8(a) business.