In essence, a GSA schedule is a pre-approved price list for use by any federal buyer.

Pre-approved (pre-negotiated) pricing is the key. In making a buy, GSA schedules allow:

* Unprecedented speed and minimal paperwork.

* Limited competition (this is what makes it fast).

* Avoidance of a public bid (averaging 270 days and at least one large tree's worth of paper work).

These benefits are all outlined within the rules and buying is about following the rules. Price and competition is important in federal purchasing but so is purchasing speed, efficiency, and product/service value.

GSA buys are transacted silently without much scrutiny by non-participating vendors. This cuts down on costly and time consuming vendor protests and makes buying easier and more pleasurable from the buyer's viewpoint. That is if buying could be considered pleasurable in any way.

Buyers can stay out of trouble, reduce their workload, and make federal end users happy. What more could a buyer want? You guessed it; a similar mechanism for their own agency to collect an industrial funding fee. (Vendors pay GSA 0.75% of GSA schedule sales for administering the schedule program.)

---------- ** Become a GSA Approved Vendor ** ----------

There are a number of ways to approach GSA proposal preparation; below we have listed the options available from Fedmarket.com

GSA Full Service Proposals - We prepare everything for you, professional services provided for companies interested in obtaining a GSA schedule contract. We handle the entire process, from GSA proposal preparation through contract negotiation and post-submission tasks. Call 1-301.652.9507 for a quote.

GSA Proposal Preparation - A cost sensitive alternative to full service GSA proposal preparation. We prepare the proposal document for you using corporate data you provide to us, and return a electronic copy of the completed proposal for you to submit and negotiate.

GSA Schedule eLab - Develop your GSA Proposal in 3 days at our eLab. We provide you with a Request for Information (RFI) prior to your arrival at our eLab. You gather the data, and with the help of our GSA staff, complete you proposal offering over the course of the three day eLab. Participants gain hands-on experience with the workings of GSA schedules. This experience is invaluable for: negotiating with GSA concerning prices and terms and conditions and managing and administering schedules, the Industrial Funding Fee, and selling using schedules.

Electronic GSA Wizard - GSA Wizard is a proprietary software product, developed by Fedmarket.com, which assists individuals and companies in preparing GSA schedule proposals. The product was designed specifically for companies to prepare proposals on their own with minimal consulting assistance and without experience in federal contracting. A GSA Wizard systematically walks the customer through GSA's solicitation and, through detailed instructions, templates, and illustrated examples, assists the customer in responding to the requests for information found in the GSA solicitation.