When you enter a new marketplace, one of the first things you think about is how you can create and maintain contacts. While the federal marketplace works differently from the commercial world, it’s still something that’s relevant. Especially when you are responding to active contracting opportunities.

Each year, the government awards billions of dollars in federal contracts to businesses to meet the need of government agencies. But how do you get a government contract? If you are considering joining the world of government contracting, there’s a lot of information to know. Sometimes it can be confusing to figure out where to start. At Winvale, we talk a lot about the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, but government contracting is a wide net. Here are some government contracting 101 basics you should know:

So, you have been recently awarded with a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) and are probably wondering what tools are available to you as a GSA Schedule contractor. While there are several websites and resources at your fingertips, we’re going to focus on GSA eBuy, an online procurement tool that allows eligible government agencies to procure products, solutions, and services from GSA contract holders registered on the eBuy platform. Let’s cover what GSA eBuy is and how you can use it your advantage.

One of the requirements GSA Schedule contractors tend to worry about the most is the minimum sales requirement. Under this requirement, contractors must generate $25,000 in sales within the first 2 years, and $25,000 every year thereafter. This can seem like an intimidating number, especially for some smaller businesses that aren’t used to reporting $1 million in commercial sales each quarter. So, what can you do to stay on top of this and successfully meet the minimum sales requirement? One thing to do is study spending trends and identify the top government customers. Which government agency is spending the most through government contracts, and what are they spending it on? Here’s what you need to know.

It often comes as a surprise to many contractors that they can leverage their GSA Schedule contracts to sell to state and local governments. Contractors are not limited to using their Schedule to sell only to federal buyers. As a consultant, I come across clients who are constantly looking for ways to expand their customer base. Many are unaware that GSA also supports the procurement needs of state and local governments through various programs, especially during this time with recent natural disasters and the global pandemic. This blog will cover a few emerging opportunities that contractors can take advantage of and use to sell to state and local governments.

Successfully qualifying government opportunities for your organizations pipeline is a vital step in becoming a successful government contractor. Like many things in life, the qualification stage in the government contracting process requires due diligence on your part to ensure that you can meet all of the stated requirements.