System for Award Management (SAM) registration and renewal is one of the first steps in the GSA Schedule acquisition process, and is an important part of managing your contract each year. However, since there have been major updates to SAM recently including an update in the entity validation process, there have been a lot of delays causing frustration among contractors. Entity Validation may be just one step in this process, but it’s not one to be underestimated. In order to avoid any hiccups, it's important to make sure you understand the recent changes and have some tips to make the SAM registration and renewal process go smoothly.

Getting a GSA Schedule can be very rewarding, but where do you start? Before your company makes the decision to go through the process of acquiring a GSA Schedule contract, we highly recommend that you take the time to review all of the necessary qualification requirements to make sure it’s right for your company. This is done through a careful review of the MAS Solicitation document, which provides guidance for both prospective and existing contractors for obtaining and maintaining a GSA MAS contract. Within these instructions you will find the specifics on the types of documents you’ll be composing, forms that you’ll be signing, as well as the necessary steps to take to submit the offer to GSA. The solicitation not only provides guidance, but it also provides regulations you need to be mindful of as you go through the process.

A GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) provides prospective contractors with unique access government buyers that they wouldn’t have otherwise. A GSA Schedule holder can offer products and services to government agencies such as the Department of Defense, executive and federal agencies, state and local agencies under certain conditions, and countless others. However, the greatest benefit of a GSA Schedule may be the ease that it allows contractors to have when negotiating terms, conditions, and price with potential buyers.

The GSA Schedule is meant to be a living document that changes and grows with your business. Contractors can modify everything from administrative points of contact to product and service pricing, descriptions, and more. Contractors can submit modifications to:

You know what your products and services are, you have an idea where and how you want to market them, but who are your target customers? As public sector consultants, we’re asked this question a lot because a wide array of agencies purchase through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program and the answer isn't always clear. The GSA MAS program was created for government agencies to have access to around 11 million different products and services at a volume discount, but it’s not open to just any organization. So who can you sell to with a GSA Schedule contract?

Every business has its own standard Commercial Sales Practices that ensure the company remains competitive and successful within the marketplace. However, many businesses do not track them in a way that easily translates to GSA’s requirements. Having a strong record of your Commercial Sales Practices is a vital part of obtaining and maintaining a GSA Schedule. For companies considering entering the federal marketplace through the GSA Schedules Program, it's smart to learn the Commercial Sales Practice disclosure requirements from the early stages. In this blog, we'll highlight what you need to know from the beginning of the GSA Schedule offer process to after award.