One of the most common questions we get on a day to day basis has to be: "how soon will we have our Schedule in place?" The party line from GSA is that it takes a Contracting Officer, on average, 120 days to review, clarify, negotiate, and award a GSA contract. However, for many GSA Schedules and contractors, this is not always the case. What distinguishes a proposal that undergoes an "extended" review versus one that follows the traditional timeframe? It has everything to do with submitting a proposal that is fully responsive to a schedule solicitation, right? ....Well, not necessarily.

What is a Small business and how important are they to the US economy? Overshadowed every day by big business and constant media, Small businesses rarely get their share of attention and credit. Did you know Small businesses employ half of US workers and represent 99.7% of all employer firms? Yes, 99.7%! According to Office of Advocacy, there were 27.5 million Small businesses in the United States in 2009. Can you think of a more influential group?

For any of you out there pursuing the new COMSATCOM SIN's (132-54 &132-55) under Schedule 70, you may have noticed a pretty lengthy requirement called the 'Information Assurance Compliance Checklist'. Its 49 pages to be exact. At first glance, the form can seem pretty daunting and difficult to fill out. I've recently spent quite a bit of time on the phone with GSA in an attempt to figure out EXACTLY what they're looking for and it's pretty clear that they're still working through the requirements of the form, trying to determine precisely how they want to see the information requested.

GSA, the federal agency in charge of establishing per diem rates for federal travel, has released the reimbursement rates for fiscal year 2011, effective October 1st. Per Diem is essentially an allowance for daily expenses that are reset each fiscal year beginning on October 1. The federal per diem rate can be raised or lowered by a Per Diem Committee that surveys local meals and lodging rates. This committee uses local industry standards to ensure that taxpayer dollars aren't being misspent.

A public opinion poll that came out last week revealed that most Americans hold members of the armed service in higher regard than any other profession or line of work. I myself am not a member of the military but my stepbrother is a service disabled veteran. He served three tours in Iraq, quickly making his was from Private to Staff Sergeant. On his third tour his armored vehicle was hit by an IED, which eventually ended his military career – but certainly not his business career. He has since rehabilitated and has considered creating a business venture with other vets from Iraq. Given the current climate of public opinion, there is a strong appeal to sell to veteran owned small businesses that have helped defend our country, particularly those operating in the federal market. Did Executive Order 13360 work? (Part 1)

Once you have an awarded GSA Schedule Contract, it is important to keep records and ensure compliance with the terms of your contract. Twice during your five year GSA contract term, you'll have a Contractor Assistant Visit (CAV). Some people think of the CAV as an audit, but the purpose is really to make introductions, assess your performance, check records, and identify any problem areas. If there are any serious concerns that exist after the CAV, your Contracting Officer will give you the opportunity to correct these issues.