If you are an Information Technology (IT) firm entering into the federal government marketplace, you will be introduced to a whole new world of terms that you were previously unfamiliar with. After taking advantage of some open market contracting opportunities, you may be encouraged by one of your Contracting Officers to get on a GWAC.

The GSA Schedule acquisition process is difficult enough as it is—you don’t want to worry about whether you’re doing all this work just to get rejected by GSA. While the process involves a lot of documentation, preparation, and negotiation, it’s not an unreachable goal to get your GSA Schedule awarded. However, rejection happens. Some of our clients have come to us after trying to get a GSA Schedule on their own and they were rejected and had to start over. So, we put together 5 reasons your GSA Schedule proposal could be rejected and how to avoid them.

As a businessperson, you are probably always looking for new ways to unleash the untapped potential of your company. This can involve offering new solutions, entering new markets, and researching your competitors to gain an advantage. Many of the same business development tactics can translate over to the government sphere. As a commercial company, you can sell your products and services to the government, provided you meet all the requirements. However, you cannot simply start filling orders for government agencies—you typically need to become a government contractor first. As you have probably witnessed throughout your life, government processes are heavily regulated, and that includes procurement.

One of the most important things businesses need to figure out when trying to get a GSA Schedule contract is what they are trying to sell in the government marketplace. The Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program caters to an array of products and services, so having that initial specificity is integral to the process. Certain identifiers, such as Special Item Numbers (SINs), are used in the MAS solicitation. But what is a SIN and why is it important in GSA Schedule contracting? Throughout the course of this post, we will be covering what a SIN is, why it’s important, and how to determine what your SIN could be.

A GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract offers commercial companies a whole new pool of prospective customers. Obtaining a GSA Schedule can be a bit of a process, but those who are able to get a contract are awarded with ample business opportunities. If you are looking into getting a GSA Schedule, you probably have a lot of questions. You may not even know exactly what a GSA Schedule is, but that's OK, you have to start somewhere. As consultants well versed in government contracting, we know that the process can be confusing and there’s a huge learning curve with all the government acronyms and lingo. So, we gathered a list of key questions to help you navigate the process of getting a GSA Schedule contract.

If you are close to the end of your GSA Schedule contract’s option period or the end of your 20-year contract period, you may have heard the terms “streamlined acquisition” or “option extension.” But which action do you need to take?