The short answer is, no. The purpose of GSA eBuy is for U.S. federal government agencies and military services worldwide to have an online procurement site to find solutions at the best value and price. In order for government buyers to be guaranteed this value, they need to purchase pre-vetted products and services from GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts.

The federal government is known for the mountains of red tape it can take to do business with. Fortunately for GSA Schedule contractors, several barriers have been removed over the years. However, there are still many compliance risks you need to be aware of. 

With over 11 million commercial products and services sold to government buyers, it’s clear the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program is a great business opportunity for companies. What’s not so obvious though, is the other ways to sell through a GSA Schedule without acquiring your own contract. One of the ways to do this is partnering with an authorized GSA reseller.

When establishing a GSA Schedule contract, it is important to note the federal government intends to obtain equal or better pricing than the offeror’s Most Favored Customer (MFC). The reason is GSA has determined the prices under the GSA Schedule to be "Fair and Reasonable." During GSA contract negotiations, if the proposed prices are not deemed “Fair and Reasonable,” the offer can be either denied or negotiated further to meet the standards of the GSA. So, who determines "Fair and Reasonable" pricing? Let’s discuss the highlights so that your offer can be successful during the contract review process.

At a time when we are dealing with the uncertainty of the pandemic, consumer habits have changed and in some industries, commercial spending has dramatically decreased. This is alarming to many companies because the future is rocky and unpredictable. However, there are some marketplaces that are remaining steady throughout this global crisis.  U.S. federal government spending has risen significantly in the past few years. The federal government has spent over $1.6 trillion in response to COVID-19, totaling $9.9 trillion in overall spending for Fiscal Year 2020. As one of the biggest buyers in the world, the federal marketplace is always bustling—even during times of economic uncertainty.

Prior to the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Consolidation, contractors looking to sell to the federal government would prepare offers under one of the 24 individual GSA Schedules organized by industry. In order to simplify and modernize the federal procurement process, the General Services Administration (GSA) recently made changes to how it organizes the Schedules through which federal agencies buy goods and services from contractors. Instead of 24 individual Schedules, there is now a single Multiple Award Schedule that houses 12 Large Categories.