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.

The General Services Administration (GSA) has been making several changes to their Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program whether it’s the GSA MAS Consolidation which consisted of condensing all 24 legacy Schedules into one Schedule, or streamlining online tools to make the procurement process easier. One of the most recent updates is GSA’s work on migrating the Federal Procurement Data System (FDPS)-Next Generation (NG) Report Function to beta.SAM.gov.

First, congratulations on your GSA award—your GSA Schedule contract will prove to be a valuable contracting vehicle for your organization over the next twenty years. We know you went through a lengthy process to receive your GSA Schedule contract, but unfortunately, the work doesn’t stop there. Now that you have received an award, you’re probably asking yourself how to start selling.