As a prospective or current GSA contractor, you might have seen the term COTS. What does it mean and why is it an important piece of government contracting? If a government agency wants to buy Commercially available Off the Shelf (COTS) items quickly, efficiently, and at the best value, they often turn to the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. In this article, we will define COTS, cover how they fit into the MAS program, and discuss regulations on COTS from the Buy America Act (BAA).

It’s a new calendar year, and although the federal government Fiscal Year 2023 is already in full swing, it’s not too late to start evaluating trends that are predicted for the next several months. A lot of companies see the turn from one year to another as a time to take a deep dive into their commercial finances, strategies, and goals. So why not take a closer look at government contracting trends so you can build a plan for success in the federal marketplace as well? In this blog, we’ll outline 5 trends we expect to see throughout 2023.

As a GSA contractor, you may have spent have spent endless hours in Schedule Input Program (SIP) in an attempt to upload your latest catalog update to GSA. However, after receiving feedback and hearing current contractors’ frustrations with the program, GSA has decided to sunset SIP and introduce the Common Catalog Platform (CCP). The goal of this platform will be to streamline and improve catalog management for both contractors and Contracting Officers. In this blog, we have detailed some aspects of how contractors will be able to utilize the CCP when updating their catalog for GSA, what the Product File is, and how contractors will be provided a Compliance and Pricing report.

While GSA Multiple Award Schedules (MAS) provide contractors with ample opportunities to provide products and services to an array of government buyers, there can also be times a contractor may not able to solely satisfy a buyer’s needs with their offerings. Thankfully, there’s an answer for GSA contractors who want to combine their expertise to create one total solution. In these situations, contractors can enter a GSA Schedule Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA).

If your family is as competitive as mine when playing games, you may have to bring out the rule book. The rule book outlines a set of instructions and is the ultimate authority on what rules must be followed for success. Well, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the General Services Acquisition Manual (GSAM) and Acquisition Regulation (GSAR), and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), are like the rule books that GSA contractors must reference when it comes to their GSA Schedule. Many of our clients ask us how to make sense of it all because it can be overwhelming. In this blog, we are going to outline the FAR, DFARS, GSAM/GSAR, and explain what they are, how you can understand them, and a few important clauses to follow.

After a break from what seemed like a deluge of Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation Refreshes, GSA has announced MAS Refresh #15. On January 18, 2023, GSA plans to release Solicitation 47QSMD20R0001 - Refresh # 15 and subsequent Mass Modification (Mass Mod). Once the Mass Mod is released, contractors will have 90 days to review and accept this modification.