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 federal 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, federal government processes are heavily regulated, and that includes procurement.

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?

Just like with commercial transactions, pricing is an important part of your GSA Schedule contract. Government agencies often prefer to purchase from GSA Schedules because they know they are getting their products and services at the best value and prices. This means that GSA contractors have to follow specific pricing rules and requirements, like reporting your Commercial Sales Practices.

The new SAM.gov is here—on May 24, 2021, beta.SAM.gov and SAM.gov merged and became one website. The System for Award Management, or SAM, is now the official site for people who make, receive, and manage federal awards. Earlier this year, GSA launched a new design for beta.SAM, which was planned to ease contractors into the new SAM.gov interface. There were several changes to the look and feel of the site, but the functionality remained the same. Now, both the design and the functionality has changed.

More updates are coming for GSA contractors—on May 17, 2021, GSA released the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation 47QSMD20R0001 - Refresh # 6. This Solicitation will be accompanied by a Mass Modification (Mass Mod) for all GSA Schedule contractors. Action is required on this Mass Mod, so it’s important you understand what these upcoming changes mean to you as a contractor. Here's what you need to know: