What You Need to Know About GSA Schedule Contracts and How to Join

You will wonder how to get on GSA schedule contracts at some time throughout your career in government contracting. While not every ship that pursues this siren song will crash on the rocks, those who don't comprehend government-wide contracts face a significant danger of wrecking their ships. This siren song has drawn many businesses.

In actuality, GSA Schedule contracts have the potential to be extremely significant and profitable for your government contracting company. The drawbacks, however, are numerous, and if you don't carefully consider each one, you might discover that despite your best efforts, you probably won't get much of a return on your investment.

This is the reason we created this manual. This article's goal is to assist you in determining whether obtaining a GSA schedule contract is the best course of action for you because the result might surprise you.

Let's begin with the fundamentals!

How do GSA Schedules work?

To cut down on duplicate contracts across the federal government, GSA Schedules can be thought of as a catalog for government procurement. The procurement process for frequently purchased items and services, such as cleaning supplies and IT services, is sped up by these catalogs. Companies that are given space on these catalogs have the chance to offer their listed goods and services to federal agencies as well as some state agencies at pre-negotiated prices (on a schedule-by-schedule basis). The contracting expert might purchase from your company without going through the time-consuming government solicitation process by purchasing from you according to a schedule.

How Do Businesses Join the GSA Schedule?

You must submit a proposal following all the GSA's solicitation requirements to be placed on a contract or schedule with the government. However, GSA schedule contract proposals have no due date, so you can submit them at any time, unlike other proposals that have a deadline.

Review all the requirements in the GSA's multiple award schedule solicitations on beta.SAM.gov before deciding which of the 12 service categories you want to pursue. You ought to be able to understand this solicitation package and make your compliance matrix and proposal strategy if you have a lot of experience submitting bids for federal contracts. You must make sure to read and adhere to all the terms and conditions while also providing details about your prior performances, quality assurances, and a general overview of your company.

What does the GSA Schedule Contracts?

The GSA provides goods and services to government agencies, as was previously stated. It accomplishes this through the unique contractual mechanism known as the GSA Schedule. A GSA Schedule is technically a fair agreement between the government and a private company. The specifics of GSA contracting, however, differ greatly from those found in the commercial sector. For this reason, a lot of business owners who are hoping to land a GSA contract rely on the help of GSA contract consultants.

What Goods and Services Can Be Purchased Through GSA Schedule Contracts?

There are 12 categories of product and service contracts that were last updated in FY2020. These range from furniture to transportation and medical products, among other things. The complete list of categories is provided below, with each category expanding into subcategories as indicated for product details. For instance, the Office Management Category can be broadened to include audiovisual items as well as mail management. Finding the category that best fits your product or service out of these 12 options will need some imagination. Once you've identified a category that fits your needs, you can confidently devote the necessary time and energy to obtaining a position on the corresponding GSA Schedule.

Should My Company Think About a GSA Schedule?

It might be appropriate for you if you offer an item or service that is already listed in the GSA Schedules. As long as you achieve the annual requirements for minimum revenue and keep up a good performance on the contract, you can use the schedule for its whole performance period once you register.

Just bear in mind that GSA schedule contracts include several awardees, unlike standalone contracts, so you will still compete with other businesses that provide the same or similar products and services as you do. That is why various award schedules are sometimes referred to as "hunting licenses" in the government contracting sector. Although earning one is fantastic, it does not ensure financial success. You still need to plan your offerings, engage with buyers, find target agencies, and advertise your company.

While it's possible to strike it fortunate occasionally and have proactive government contracting specialists contact schedule holders directly for contracts, this doesn't happen frequently and is usually only done concerning businesses that qualify for set-aside contracts.

If the GSA Schedules don't include what you're looking for, you might have luck using the VA Federal Supply Schedule, which is primarily focused on medical supplies. This is especially true if your firm is run by veterans or service-disabled veterans, as the VA is required by law to award GSA schedule contracts to members of this community.

GSA schedule contracts can be a profitable way for your company to work with the government if you have the necessary resources and expertise. We wish you luck on your trip if you identify a strong product-market fit in one of the 12 service categories and are prepared to put in the effort and dedication necessary to secure a spot on the multiple award schedule.