Government Contracting Blog

One of the biggest reasons contractors choose to get a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract is the easy access it provides to the world’s largest buyer of goods and services, the U.S. government. With a GSA Schedule, contractors have access to government buyers with pre-negotiated prices and terms, giving them an advantage over other contract vehicles. This is because government buyers often choose to purchase from GSA Schedules with streamlined procurement and pre-negotiated pricing, terms and conditions, and pre-vetted contractors.

When it comes to federal procurement, the government has a distinct order in which government agencies can purchase goods and services. For example, offerings through the AbilityOne Program, a program that provides employment opportunities for people who are blind or who have significant disabilities, must be considered for purchase before GSA Schedule contracts and other federal contracts.

You may have done your research on what a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract is, looked at the benefits and requirements, and decided you want to pursue it–but now what? One glance at the list of everything you need to submit your proposal, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Although the guide is there to help you, there’s a lot of paperwork required to create a successful GSA Schedule proposal (also known as offer), and you might have some hesitation about where to start. In this blog, we’ll help you navigate all the trainings, documents, and materials you need to start drafting your GSA Schedule offer in 5 steps.

When you go through the GSA Schedule acquisition process, you are evaluated on many levels. From administrative and financial records, to past performance and your pricing, GSA takes a very close look at your company. This is because GSA wants to make sure you are going to be a reliable contractor and can supply the products and services you intend to offer. However, once you have made it successfully through the acquisition process and are awarded your GSA Schedule contract, the evaluations don’t necessarily evaporate.

We live in the digital era and as we have seen with the pandemic, more and more aspects of life are becoming digitized. This does not exclude our federal entities, so it’s imperative that our federal government is protected from the threats that come with the digital age. As result, GSA created a HACS (Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services) SIN which is dedicated to preventing leaks and cyberattacks. Before an entity can obtain a HACS SIN, they must show that they are qualified to provide thorough and extensive cybersecurity. A main part of the qualification for the HACS SIN is determined by an Assessment Evaluation and Standardization (AES) High Value Asset (HVA) assessment. Let’s dive into the HVA assessment and what it entails.

It’s that time again—GSA released the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation 47QSMD20R0001 Refresh #7 on August 31, 2021. With Q4 of the federal government Fiscal Year in full swing, it’s important for contractors to stay updated on all the changes to their GSA Schedule contracts. So, what does the Solicitation Refresh mean for contractors and what action needs to be taken?