If you have dealt with the federal government before whether it’s for taxes, going to the DMV, or applying for a grant, you know that you have to abide by a set of rules and follow a specific procedure. The same goes for federal contracting. Contractors and government agencies follow the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) when they want to sell or buy through government contracts. The FAR is essentially the “rulebook” for federal procurement. While there are several important clauses in the FAR, we’ll highlight 4 clauses you should pay special attention to as a current or prospective GSA contractor.

As you may be aware, government agencies cannot make decisions on a whim. There are several rules, regulations, precedents, and processes that are put in place, so each decision is made carefully and methodically. This is especially true for federal procurement. Whenever a government agency has the need for a particular product or service, they often conduct market research to make sure they are surveying all the possibilities and finding the one that works the best for them. This doesn’t always mean the cheapest or the fastest, but these can be factors in determining what the best value is.

The start of 2022 marks Biden’s second year of being president and our third full year of the pandemic. How has a new presidential administration and the global pandemic impacted government procurement? Just like it’s important to follow what kinds of products your consumers are buying and how much they are spending in the commercial world, it’s important for contractors stay on top of government initiatives and follow how the federal government plans to allocate their funding in 2022. Here are 5 government contracting trends we expect to see in 2022.

Just like last year, 2021 was yet another unpredictable year. However, one thing remained certain through this tumultuous time—increased federal government spending. As the global pandemic continues, the federal government continues to channel more funding and research toward mitigating COVID-19. However, COVID-19 isn’t the only factor influencing federal government spending. 2021 brought a whole new administration when Biden became president, and a new administration means budgets can fluctuate and government agencies can alter their spending habits.

Under the General Service Administration (GSA), there are several ways of contracting that can help your business win awards from the government. Some come in the form of competitive awards such as small business set asides and Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). While you are in an elite group of contractors in the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, you still have to compete with other contractors to get awards from both federal and state and local governments. However, there is the rare exception when competition is removed from the equation. Occasionally, there’s an instance where only one contractor can fulfill a government agency’s needs. These are called sole source contracts.

After the Biden Administration passed a sweeping domestic funding plan which includes $1 trillion dollars in anticipated infrastructure spending, you may be wondering how to infiltrate the public sector and gain access to the vast amount of government contract opportunities. While selling to the government may seem like a difficult endeavor, understanding the many nuances of the government marketplace will certainly help you expand your company’s public sales efforts. In this blog, we’ll cover five steps to how to sell to the government including how you can get on a streamlined contract vehicle like the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS).