About 10% of all federal government purchases are contracted through the GSA multiple-award schedule process. This includes all kinds of products and services that are commonly bought and sold in the commercial market. You need to know if your company’s products and/or services are covered by a GSA schedule in order to succeed in the federal market.

What Products/Services are Covered?

      The General Services Administration (GSA) has operated the Federal Supply Schedule program for decades. Originally it was for products and related installation/maintenance services, but now all kinds of services are included in the program. IT hardware, software and services are a major part of the GSA schedule program, along with management and professional services, engineering, facilities maintenance and management and staffing.

      To see a list of schedules, what they cover, and which companies have contracts, go to the GSA eLibrary website at www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov. Various search tools will help you focus in on your category.

      Each of the 39 available schedules focuses on contracts for a category of products and/or services. There is a “standing” solicitation for offers for most schedules, meaning you can decide to submit an offer at any time, not just during a specific “open” period. Once you determine which schedule is appropriate for what you sell, there is a direct link to the solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities website (FBO.gov). The solicitation explains the proposal process, what items are covered by that solicitation, what you need to submit, and how offers are evaluated.

Who’s the Competition?

      The eLibrary includes a complete directory of the 19,000+ contractors, but you will only be concerned about your competition. The companies with awards are individually listed within the eLibrary section on each Special Item Number (SIN).

      A SIN is a subcategory, described in a one-paragraph explanation of the products/services it covers. Figure out what SINs apply to your business, and go to each subcategory to find out whether your competitors or suppliers already have GSA schedule contracts.

There is a “standing” solicitation for offers for most GSA Schedules, meaning you can decide to submit an offer at any time, not just during a specific “open” period.

      For each contractor, you can learn the contact information of the company’s GSA point of contact, the contract dates, the full range of SINs covered in their contract, their claimed socio-economic status, contract terms and conditions, and links to the contractor’s catalog and price list. This is valuable in any bid pricing situation, whether the award will be made through GSA’s eBuy process or through another contract vehicle.

What’s eBuy?

      Individual requirements being acquired through the GSA schedule process are not usually posted to FBO.gov. The Schedule solicitation process is deemed to be rigorous in vetting an awardee’s financial responsibility, price competitiveness and ability to be responsive, and therefore the GSA contracts are considered to be “competitively” awarded.

      Subsequent to the contract award, requests for quotations are issued through GSA’s eBuy portal by any agency’s contracting officer to define quantity and delivery terms for delivery orders. Requests for Quotes through eBuy are only seen by those companies that have contracts awarded with that particular SIN. You would not see these opportunities until after the delivery orders are reported to the Federal Procurement Data System.

My Supplier is on Schedule

      If you are a wholesaler or dealer selling “commercial off-the-shelf” (COTS) products, you need to find out (1) if your suppliers already have GSA schedule contracts for those products, and (2) if that supplier reserves federal sales to itself or whether it allows you to become a “participating dealer.” Most wholesalers or dealers cannot be price-competitive on their own in the face of a direct contract with the supplier, but many suppliers don’t want to cut their dealers out of the government market, so they establish local dealers as participating in the contracts already established at the supplier level.

      This enables you to sell to and service government buyers while avoiding the process of establishing and maintaining your own schedule contract. Find out now how to work closely with your suppliers; each one might be different. You will probably be somewhat constrained in terms of pricing and margin, but this can be a very lucrative environment.

Next Steps

      To get a better handle on this important program, start out at www.gsa.gov/schedules, where you’ll find general information and links to several useful e-learning tools. The MAS Desk Reference is posted on the site and provides valuable background and explanations of the entire program.

      Avoid the scam artists. There are a number of high-pressure sales organizations promising you five-year contracts with sales rolling in the door. Their fees are hefty and oftentimes due before any work is done. Be aware that getting a GSA contract is only the beginning, and no sales will roll in the door without a lot of focused marketing and sales efforts. Find a reputable consultant who is knowledgeable and willing to provide you a complete explanation of the GSA process before the engagement begins.

Tom Johnson is Publisher of Set-Aside Alert, the only news and information resource focused on the small business federal contractor market. Contact him with your thoughts, comments and questions at tjohnson@setasidealert.com.