GSA Schedules: "The Way" to Grow in the Federal Market

Over $30 billion dollars of federal contracts are awarded annually through small business friendly GSA schedules. GSA schedules are a favored mechanism for federal buyers to contract awards to avoid the delays and piles of paperwork required for a public competition.

Fedmarket is offering a complimentary 10 installment primer on GSA Schedules and why they are such crucial "seed contracts" for small businesses to win federal contracts. As the titles suggest, the 10 installments in the series tell readers why they should seek a GSA schedule.

1. Federal Buyers Use GSA Schedules Extensively to Make Quick and Easy Buys
2. Companies do not Need Federal Experience to Be Awarded a GSA Schedule Contract
3. GSA Schedule Companies Can Makes Bids Quickly with Limited Competition
4. GSA Schedules Promote Awarding Contracts to Small Businesses
5. How to Apply for a GSA Schedule
6. How to Sell with a GSA Schedule
7. Small Service Businesses Need a MAC to Grow
8. How GSA Schedules are Used to Award Service Contracts
9. How GSA Schedules are Used to Award Product Contracts
10. A Prime Opportunity: Reselling Products Through GSA Schedules

1. Federal Buyers Use GSA Schedules Extensively to Make Quick and Easy Buys

Federal contracting is rapidly moving to the use of Multiple Award Contracts (MAC) (pre-qualification of capabilities and prices) to make quick and easy purchases. GSA schedules are the biggest and most widely used of all MACs. MAC purchases are "under the radar" and can be made in days or weeks while publicly advertised purchases can require many months of red tape delays before a contract is awarded.

GSA schedule are used by federal buyer to purchase over $30 billion of products and series annually. GSA schedules are 20 year, government-wide contracts that pre-qualify companies to deliver services and products when the need for the services or product arises. A company's capabilities and prices are pre-qualified so buyer can purchase quickly with a minimum of paperwork. Competition for an order when the need arises is among the GSA schedule contract holders only; usually just three companies. Pre-qualification of capabilities and prices cuts competition and increases the chances of winning an order significantly.

GSA schedules are used extensively for quick purchases because they are government wide and can be used by any of the 25,000 plus contracting officers to buy services and products. Further GSA schedules can be used to buy almost any commercial service or product.

The military base or federal facility near you probably uses GSA schedules to buy what you sell. Visit the base and ask the contracting officials if they use GSA schedules.

GSA schedules were authorized by Congress specifically to bring commercial companies into the federal market; especially small businesses. Obtaining a GSA schedule contract is relatively easy because a company can submit a proposal to obtain a GSA schedule award at any time. (Opportunities to submit proposals for other MACS close after a set period of 45 - 60 days).

Visit Fedmarket