Government Contracting Blog

For small businesses looking to break into government contracting, teaming up with an experienced business through a Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) can be a great strategy. In addition to the widely used MPP run by the Small Business Administration (SBA), contractors can participate in Mentor-Protégé Programs at specific federal agencies, such as the Department of Defense (DoD) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

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.

After your GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract is awarded, you may be wondering how to connect with potential customers. Through a GSA Schedule contract, your customer base includes federal government agencies, state and local governments, educational institutions, and other eligible entities. If you are new to government contracts, it can be overwhelming to analyze opportunities, understand the various solicitation types, and compete against experienced contractors.

For companies looking to sell products and services to the federal government, obtaining a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract is one of the most popular routes. This contracting vehicle is managed by the General Services Administration (GSA) and streamlines procurement across the entire federal government for up to 20 years per contract award.

While the federal government goes to great lengths to protect sensitive information from cyberattacks and unwanted leaks, you may be surprised to know that most government information is public – if you’re willing to ask for it. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), you can request records or information from participating government agencies that may be useful to you. For example, as a government contractor, you can request lists of valuable industry contacts from an event or webinar you attended, or lists of bidders on government contracts. In this blog, we’ll talk about what a FOIA request is, how you can use it to your advantage as a government contractor, and the process for submitting one.

We’re in the homestretch—federal government Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 ends in just 10 days. While many of you are probably a little weary from responding to the influx of orders and contracting opportunities, the possibility of gaining new customers and revenue is also exciting. The transition from the end of one year to another is a great opportunity to see what lies ahead and how you can prepare. So, here are some of the current and upcoming Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) updates heading into FY2025.