Timeliness and accuracy in delivering your products to customers are critical aspects of your performance as a contractor. If you order an Amazon package and it doesn’t get show up on your porch by the delivery date, you’ll probably be frustrated especially if you were counting on it. Your government customers feel the same way when they are expecting an order placed against your GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS).

The largest and most complex part of most GSA Schedule proposals is the pricing section. In this section, offerors must outline their proposed pricing in great detail, including rates, product or service descriptions, discounting policies, and more. One area of the pricing section that often trips contractors up is providing pricing support. GSA requires offerors to substantiate their proposed pricing, but the requirements can be confusing, especially for those proposing services. In this blog, we’ll break down exactly what the requirements and options for GSA pricing support are.

The General Service Administration’s (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is a contracting vehicle that connects a wide array of commercial goods and services with the federal government. Many businesses pursue the MAS program to expand their sales into the federal marketplace. These contracts are designed to service multiple buyers across the federal government and last up to two decades. Accordingly, GSA sets rigorous standards for businesses applying for a Schedule.

Companies interested in pursuing a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract should review and understand the many requirements needed to submit an offer. The proposal process can be broken down into three main sections: administrative, technical, and pricing. Within the administrative section, GSA assesses a company’s organizational structure, compliancy with SAM.gov registration, and financial statements, among other attributes. While the administrative section may seem like an easier section to complete, prospective offerors should not take this section lightly, as companies’ proposals can be rejected for insufficient or negative financial information.

The GSA Schedule acquisition process can be difficult and lengthy - you have prepared and submitted your Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) offer, gone through negotiations and clarifications, and finally received your award. Now that you have a GSA Schedule, your top priority is to generate sales by marketing your products and services and finding government customers. However, you must also be sure to maintain your contract’s terms and conditions.

To answer your question right away, no, you don’t have to hire a consultant. GSA doesn't require you to have help, but the real question is—will you need it? This is a question that many contractors do not consider initially, and may end up needing assistance last minute. If you have several years of experience selling to the government and have a team dedicated to government acquisition and sales, you probably won’t need to hire someone. However, many of our clients are small businesses who may not have the bandwidth or resources to handle GSA Schedule acquisition and maintenance. Your GSA Schedule contract can last up 20 years, and within that timeframe it requires a lot of special attention, beyond the initial process of getting your contract awarded.