SIP—it’s only three letters, but it can be a dense and frustrating program for GSA Schedule contractors. SIP, which stands for Schedule Input Program, is a software program created by the General Services Administration (GSA) for contractors to upload their contract information to GSA eLibrary and GSA Advantage! platforms. GSA contractors have to upload their catalogs and price lists to reflect the MAS Consolidation by March 31, 2021, so it's important you know how to use SIP.

[This article was last updated on November 10, 2020] Just as GSA contractors thought the updates were slowing down in frequency, the General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) issued the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation 47QSMD20R0001 - Refresh # 5 on November 9, 2020.

Navigating the world of GSA with all its laws, regulations, and “government speak” is no small feat. Not only do you have to meet certain requirements and make sure you are abiding by certain laws, but you also have to learn a whole new language full of acronyms and abbreviations. How do you make sense of it all? That’s where consultants come in.

Whether you’re a new GSA Schedule contractor or you have been selling to the government for years, Contractor Assessments (CAs) can be stressful if you’re not prepared. Even if you are on top of your contract maintenance, it can be intimidating to have an official checking up on your company and handing you a detailed report card about your performance. How do you know what to expect? Now you have a guide to help you make sense of the process.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the General Services Acquisition Manual (GSAM) are the primary bodies of regulation used by GSA in the federal marketplace. Knowing the basics of these regulations is important to understanding the requirements of being a successfully compliant GSA Schedule contractor. During the course of contracting, if you find a reference to a FAR or GSAM clause that starts with an acronym you are unfamiliar with, you should check out Acquisition.gov and you will likely be able to find it. But trying to learn and remember all the clauses for GSA contractors is nearly impossible— no one has the time to muddle through all the fine print.

Every government contractor’s main objective is simple – win. But how? How does a compliant, well-qualified company successfully win a contract in such a competitive marketplace? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as straightforward as some would like it to be. However, one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle is clear, and that's pricing.