Whether you are a current or prospective GSA Schedule contractor, it is vital you remain aware of any upcoming changes to the federal procurement process. A source for many important changes is the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Marketplace Strategy, which aims to refine and improve the federal marketplace by reducing barriers and improving access for federal buyers and sellers.

If you’re at all familiar with federal government websites, you know they often look archaic and aren’t always the easiest to navigate. However, in the past few years, certain government agencies have been working to update their websites so they streamline functions and have a better user experience. The General Services Administration (GSA) has begun to modernize not only the performance of their sites but the look as well. GSA eBuy was revamped last year, and now beta.SAM.gov is getting a refresh.

Putting together a GSA Schedule proposal is a lot of work—we don’t sugar coat that. A lot of our clients have come to us having attempted a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) proposal by themselves, and after going through all the work of putting together documents and submitting them to the eOffer system, they receive a rejection notice. This means that they have to start back at the beginning of the process, which can be extremely frustrating after putting in time and effort into the proposal. Let’s dive into some tips into your next steps if your GSA Schedule proposal is rejected.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is constantly creating programs and platforms to help make the acquisition process more efficient. From procurement platforms like GSA Advantage! and GSA eBuy, to catalog management initiatives like the upcoming Verified Products Portal (VPP), GSA has myriad resources out there to help GSA contractors succeed in the federal marketplace. One of these resources is the Assisted Services Information System (ASSIST).

Cybersecurity concerns can reach high levels of national security especially if they pertain to the federal government. Past data breaches like the recent SolarWinds hack have proven it’s important for the federal government to set cybersecurity standards for government contractors. One critical aspect of government networks is cloud services. In Fiscal Year 2020, federal agencies spent over $6 billion on cloud computing, making it an important part of federal procurement. All Cloud Service Providers selling to the federal government must meet proven security standards established through FedRAMP.

Managing your GSA Schedule can be an arduous task. As a contractor, you are required to stay on top of constantly changing regulations, to understand and navigate difficult restrictions, and most importantly, to find and win procurement opportunities so you can meet your contract’s minimum sales requirement.