The most anticipated time of year for contractors is here— the federal government’s Q4. From July 1 to September 30, federal agencies rush to spend up the remainder of their budget causing a spending spree and a significant increase in opportunities. While this is a great time of year to secure government business, if your team isn’t prepared for the uptick in solicitations, it can be difficult to keep up. Here are 3 challenges contractors face during Q4 and how you can avoid them:
Increased competition: More solicitations also means more competition. You can gain an advantage over your competitors by doing your homework on each solicitation, differentiating your offerings, and boosting your online presence.
Tight deadlines: Some agencies will give as little as a few days to respond to their opportunity during Q4. This can really put a strain on your resources. To curb this, we suggest you know where to find opportunities the day they’re released, find ways to streamline the response process, and build a dedicated proposal team.
Meeting compliance requirements: Solicitations include several requirements and it’s important your business can consistently meet them throughout the contract. You should conduct regular compliance audits and ensure your employees have proper training and education to meet the contract’s demands.
Couldn't make it to last month's webinar? Watch it here on demand. In this deep-dive webinar, learn about how to draft a winning federal proposal. Whether you are fairly new to proposals or a seasoned bidder, this webinar will provide actionable tips on proposal responses and how to get into the psychology of the mysterious proposal evaluator.
Do you offer professional services or human capital programs and solutions? This webinar will provide contractors with a better understanding on various aspects of GSA's professional services and include best practices for vendors.
The GSA Office of Small Business Utilization (OSBU) is hosting a webinar for all small businesses looking for additional information and guidance on GSA.
Are you looking to expand your customer base? In this webinar, learn how you can get your cloud/software business on the GSA Schedule to support various agency needs. Cloud computing and software acquisition is a major topic for government agencies, and GSA wants to give small businesses the chance to learn how to become one of our Best-in-Class vendors to support various agency needs.
Is your small business looking to expand into the public sector but you don't know where to start? A lot of businesses are unsure where they fit into the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program or are unaware of the opportunities available to them. You may be wondering if you even qualify as a small business in the eyes of the government, or how you can take advantage of the set-aside programs.
We invite you to join our upcoming webinar, where we will offer guidance to help you navigate the MAS Program as a small business. We'll cover:
Understanding the definition of "small business" in government
Overview of small business set-asides
Determining a small business using NAICS Codes
How to check your size standards (SBA tool, 5 year receipts rule, employee numbers, etc.)
In order to upgrade the federal contracting certifications system, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has recently announced they will be pausing initial certification applications starting August 1, 2024. The new system is expected to be available in early September. New applicants are encouraged to wait until the upgrade is finished to apply for certification. If you are facing a proposal deadline that will be impacted by this closure, you can contact certifications@sba.gov for help. Most firms who are certified now will NOT be impacted by this pause, but if you need to renew at this this time you will receive guidance from your certification program. You can learn more about the upgrade here.
Updates to the TDR Program
GSA recently held a webinar with updates to the Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) pilot program. Let’s recap what you may have missed:
Right now, TDR is open to about 65 Special Item Numbers (SINs). GSA plans to expand the program to additional SINs in four groups: non-configurable products, highly configurable products, SCA/SCLS services, and professional services.
GSA added four additional (optional) reporting fields on June 30th. They are: Order Date, Ship Date, Zip Code Shipped to, and Federal Customer.
On June 30th, GSA updated the Sales Reporting Portal (SRP) template to reflect the four new fields. Using this new template is mandatory whether you report on the four new fields or not.
To learn more about TDR and recent changes to the program, check out our blog.
QUICK TIP
New Advantage and Global Supply Delivery Scorecards
On June 20, 2024, the Supplier Accountability Office began combining the Advantage Order Status and the GSA Global Supply (GGS) Scorecard emails into one scorecard message. Contractors will now receive one Scorecard email each month that indicates whether they are passing the required metrics. If you are failing a certain metric, you are required to submit a response including the reasons for the failing metric and a remediation strategy. Scorecard emails will be sent the third Friday of each month and will include all applicable order lines from the previous full month.
In addition to the monthly scorecard emails, the Supplier Accountability Office will also be sending out weekly GGS "No Order Left Behind" and "Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Take Advantage of Order Status" lists for all open orders. The purpose of these emails is to help contractors self-monitor order lines to ensure they are being closed with a valid status in accordance with contract requirements. These messages do not require a response, but should be used to eliminate late open orders.
EMERGING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
Pre-solicitation - Call for OT Solutions Foreign Technology Assessment Support (FTAS) Program
Army Futures Command (AFC) International is seeking Prototype Project solutions related to the Foreign Technology Assessment Support (FTAS) Program. The FTAS program serves as a catalyst for the Army Futures Command to assess potentially game-changing technologies discovered in friendly foreign nations which may meet future Army needs. Prototype Project solutions related to FTAS will provide information useful in making early assessments of a technology's potential contributions to the Army's S&T strategy. The applicable NAICS code for this Pre-solicitation is 541715 - Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology). Responses are due no later than September 30, 2024 at 4:00pm EDT, and more information can be found at https://sam.gov/opp/3cc43631bd5242b9bac1bcb3fb32d1eb/view.
Request for Information - Interstate Rail Compact (IRC) Legal Services
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is procuring legal services to develop a complex Interstate Rail Compact Training Manual (IRC) in which FRA has a Federal interest. This includes development of a comprehensive manual (IRC Handbook) containing an overview of legal requirements, best practices, and other resources for establishing a new IRC or amending an existing IRC. The project also involves providing support for the agency review of the IRC Handbook, which may include review by U.S. DOT and other agencies if required by U.S. DOT, as well as public review and comment through publishing the draft document on the Federal Register. Additionally, the Contractor will next develop a series of webinars to inform stakeholders about the process of forming and establishing an IRC. The applicable NAICS code for this Sources Sought is 611430, Professional and Management Development Training. Responses are due no later than October 31, 2024 at 5:00pm EDT, and more information can be found at https://sam.gov/opp/871a84f1648749ecb8d2ae69c645fb19/view.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is the most common reason companies lose their GSA Schedule?
A: Companies lose their GSA schedule for a number of reasons, from contract inactivity to subpar contractor performance, but the most common reason is non-compliance. Non-compliance with GSA terms and conditions, whether it's regarding pricing, reporting, or other contractual obligations, can quickly land you in hot water. Each GSA Schedule contract comes with specific requirements, including the Trade Agreements Act (TAA), the Price Reductions Clause, and sales reporting. Missing a step or failing to adhere to these conditions can lead to penalties or even cancellation.
Q: How do I proactively manage my GSA Schedule to avoid cancellation?
A: A key measure you can take to avoid cancellation of your GSA Schedule is to maintain contract compliance. It’s imperative that you keep up-to-date with GSA regulations and ensure that your business practices align with them. To do this, we suggest you regularly review and update your pricing through contract modifications, reporting, and other contractual requirements to stay compliant. Conduct internal audits to ensure adherence to terms like the Price Reductions Clause and Trade Agreements Act (TAA). Investing in compliance training for your team can help ensure everyone understands and follows the necessary guidelines.
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