GSA’s Vendor Support Center, http://vsc.gsa.gov, provides a variety of free information for Federal Supply Schedule contractors. The Schedule Sales Query feature, at http://ssq.gsa.gov, provides access to statistical reports that allow you to check on how your competitors are doing. But it takes some heavy-duty clicking to get there.

Here is a guide provided by Carol Turpin of Proposal Solutions Inc.:

From the SSQ page, click on the “Create Report” link at the top left corner. This takes you to http://ssq.gsa.gov/entry.cfm. You can enter the requested survey information or opt out of it. Click on “Proceed” on the left side near the bottom.

You’re now at the report listing site, http://ssq.gsa.gov/ReportSelection.cfm. There are 11 standard types of reports you can generate. Report #7 allows you to specify the contract number and fiscal year for the report. Report # 9 provides sales information by company name and fiscal year. And Report #10 is a compilation of all vendors that have contracts for a specified schedule.

These reports are updated quarterly and provide five years worth of historical data. They can be created in text or Excel format. The information is based on the mandatory quarterly sales reports filed on Form 72A by all schedule contractors.

It is public information, so while you can see what your competitors are doing, they can return the favor.