At a time where our economy is dealing with inflation, supply chain issues, and global conflict, you may be wondering how to navigate this rocky and unpredictable market. The commercial market has seen dramatic shifts over the past few years, with certain industries booming and others falling flat. However, one marketplace has remained fairly steady throughout all the fluctuation--the public sector.
As one of the biggest buyers in the world, the federal marketplace is always bustling, even during times of economic uncertainty.
So where does the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program fit into all of this? The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the U.S. government that helps other government agencies procure commercial products and services at a discounted rate through the GSA MAS program. As a commercial company, you can sell your solutions to several government agencies using a GSA MAS contract.
At Winvale, we have seen firsthand how beneficial this program can be for our clients. So, we put together a list of reasons you should consider acquiring a GSA Schedule contract.
A GSA Schedule contract is your ticket ticket into the government marketplace. Over 11 million products and services are supplied to federal agencies and other eligible entities through the GSA MAS Schedule, granting you access to a wide-range of customers.
From the Department of Defense, to the United Nations, to the U.S. Department of Education, there are several customers to sell to. You could also be eligible to sell to state and local governments as well as public education institutions under certain programs such as Cooperative Purchasing and Disaster Purchasing.
Additionally, you will be selling to a stable marketplace. GSA is one of the few self-funded agencies in the U.S. government, sustained by the Industrial Funding Fee from GSA Schedule contractors, and the government has a lot of purchasing power during crises and even during government shutdowns, so it’s a safe market to enter.
The GSA MAS program is often the preferred contracting vehicle for government agencies. Not only are many government agencies required to use the GSA MAS program and other Governmentwide Acquisition Vehicles (GWACs) before they turn to the open market, but they also know they are getting the best price when purchasing through a GSA Schedule contract.
Throughout the GSA Schedule application process, GSA vets all contractors, ensuring their prices are the best value, and that each contractor has previous experience selling their products and services. Government buyers often choose to use the GSA Schedule for its shorter lead times, lower costs, and the assurance that GSA Schedule contractors are complying with environmental, socioeconomic, and other important regulations.
This contract is beneficial for both government buyers and GSA contractors because they can avoid going through a lengthy and taxing procurement cycle because the pricing and the contract period are already pre-negotiated.
Since the GSA Schedule acquisition process is thorough and each contractor must meet a set of requirements to sell to the government, you’ll be selling from a smaller pool of contractors. You’ll also have more exposure to government agencies through GSA’s procurement platforms like GSA eBuy and GSA Advantage!. which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
GSA Schedule contractors can also find Request for Proposals (RFPs), Request for Quotes (RFQs), and Requests for Information (RFIs) on SAM.gov.
The federal government works to prioritize small business participation in government contracts. If you are considered a small business in the federal government, you will have several opportunities and resources available to you from both GSA and the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Most federal agencies have small business goals, and are required to set-aside contracts for small businesses, meaning you won't be competing against large firms such as Accenture or Lockheed Martin for business. Some set-asides are for small businesses in general, and others are narrowed down to include socio-economic programs which we've listed below.
The SBA has named several socio-economic contracting assistance programs that are eligible for additional support and set-asides:
GSA Schedule contractors can utilize several tools from GSA to help them effectively sell to the government. Through GSA, you have access to exclusive procurement platforms where government buyers search for products and services and post contract opportunities.
To give you an idea of what kinds of tools GSA provides to contractors, we’ll outline a few below.
We like to say GSA Advantage! is the Amazon for the federal government. GSA Schedule contractors can advertise their products including product photos, description, and price, and government agencies can easily search and purchase off the site. Just like Amazon, it’s a busy site—more than one million customers visit a week.
GSA eBuy is a crucial online procurement tool for government agencies. On GSA eBuy, you can find Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Requests for Quotes (RFQs) posted by government agencies based on your specific Special Item Numbers (SINS). You only see opportunities that are relevant to your SIN(s) so you won't have to weed through hundreds of opportunities a day.
Government buyers often prefer to post opportunities on GSA eBuy which is only available to GSA Schedule contractors, because it meets all requirements for fair competition and substantially limits the numbers of responses they’ll have to sift through. Sometimes a government buyer will request your response on an opportunity as well.
The System for Award Management, or SAM.gov, is official website for people who make, receive, and manage federal awards. On SAM, you can run contract reports, learn about upcoming contract opportunities, and search wage determinations. SAM is also where you register to do business with the government, so you must renew your registration annually to keep your record active. While SAM isn't a GSA-specific site, you'll find it very useful for conducting market research and searching for upcoming opportunities.
Although the GSA MAS program has a lot of benefits, the acquisition process can be time-consuming, and it takes a considerable amount of resources to maintain compliance after your contract is awarded. Since your GSA Schedule contract is meant to grow with your business, you’ll need to consistently update it through contract modifications when pricing changes, if you want to add/delete products, and for any other administration changes.
If you want to learn more about the process and requirements of getting a GSA Schedule, check out our blogs:
If you have more questions about the GSA Schedule acquisition process and requirements, or you need help getting a GSA Schedule contract, reach out to one of our consulting experts today! Our consultants are here to answer all your questions.