Government Contracting Blog

As a GSA Schedule contractor, you are part of a bustling government marketplace that includes federal as well as state and local buyers. While you are a part of a very popular and unique contracting vehicle, competition still exists. How do you stand out from your competitors? Now that we are a year into the Trump Administration, priorities, budgets, and consequently buyer habits, have changed. In this blog, we’ll discuss 8 strategies you can use to set your business apart.

GSA has long envisioned the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) as the one-stop-shop for all your federal procurement needs to make, receive, and manage federal awards. This vision is hopefully soon to become a reality as GSA’s Integrated Award Environment (IAE) continues to modernize and consolidate their federal awards systems. The goal is for GSA Schedule contractors to use one modernized site for most of their contracting needs rather than to navigate several archaic sites. In this blog, we’ll review what recent changes GSA has made to SAM.gov and what the upcoming forecast looks like for system consolidation.

Managing a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract requires consistent attention and care. Whether you’ve just been awarded a Schedule or have held one for years, you know that ongoing contract management comes with real responsibility. The question is: how can contractors maintain compliance and ensure they’re getting the most value out of their GSA Schedule? Staying compliant means keeping up with Mass Modifications, submitting contract changes at your Contracting Officer's or Specialist's request, and accurately reporting sales when due. In the sections ahead, we’ll walk you through some essential tips for success when doing business with your GSA Schedule, beginning with the fundamentals of MAS contract management

Now that OASIS+ Phase II is out, professional services contractors are getting ready to hit the ground running with their proposals. But what many companies may not take the time to do before they get too far in the process, is to make sure they meet the proposal requirements. Unlike the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program, OASIS+ has a definitive proposal scoring method using credits. Any qualifying proposal will receive an award with their respective contract, but they must meet the credit minimum and match all the requirements. In this blog, we’ll outline the basics of the OASIS+ Phase II scorecard, and what requirements you need to meet before you begin your proposal.

Both the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program and the OASIS+ contract vehicle have been getting a lot of attention in the professional services sphere of the government. The procurement arm of GSA is predicted to quadruple in size with the recent Executive Orders (EOs) expanding the MAS Program, and the OASIS+ contract vehicle has recently released Phase II adding 5 additional domains. With both professional services vehicles set for success, you may be wondering if it’s necessary to get on both these vehicles, or where the opportunities will end up. Some contractors may also be wondering if OASIS+ will eventually merge with MAS and if it’s worth the proposal effort.

If you have a GSA Schedule or have worked with the federal government in any capacity, you have undoubtedly heard the term “NAICS Code” referenced before. But what exactly is a NAICS Code? And what is its relevance to GSA Schedules? We at Winvale get a lot of questions regarding NAICS Codes from our clients, so let’s break down the basics of NAICS Codes.