Here are additional considerations to review when deciding whether to go “In-House” or use a GSA Contract Specialist:

Time – Consider the revenue your company is missing out on by not using a GSA Contract expert and acquiring your contract as soon as possible. The sooner you acquire a GSA Contract, the sooner you are able to tap into the federal revenue stream.

The Delicate Nature of Pricelists – you or your “in-house employee” will not know how to properly analyze the multifaceted price point strategy involved in acquiring your GSA Contract. Hitting the price points that make you money, but keep you competitive in the federal market is a vital part of the process. Without the necessary experience and strategy applied in your price list preparation, you may lose thousands of dollars over the first few years of federal contracting. We make sure your GSA Contract pricing benefits your company, and will equip you for negotiations.

Liability – Attempting to submit your GSA Contract to the Federal Government while not understanding all of the legal aspects involved can be quite irresponsible and dangerous. Without consulting an experienced Contract Specialist, you effectively leave your company susceptible to some scary consequences. With the amount of legislation in place, and it’s constantly changing nature, you limit your risk and liability by hiring a GSA Contract specialist.

Contract Upkeep and Employee Turnover- Once your contract is acquired, it must be maintained. GSA Contract upkeep is best handled by an expert, as it is usually extremely frustrating and troublesome for a greenhorn. If your “in-house” contract is delegated to an employee, you must consider the employee’s normal job duties and the fact that the employee will most likely leave your company eventually.

Price Reporter specializes in GSA Consulting Services ONLY. Whether you are looking to get a GSA Schedule Contract, or modify your existing one, we can help.

The GSA Schedule Program is a gateway into the federal market. The average GSA Contract holder wins around $2.3 million each year through the program. Here some are other advantages:

1. Gain access to exclusive opportunities
2. Market to Agency Buyers through the GSA
3. Streamline the Acquisition process
4. Enjoy a smaller pool of competition
5. Validate your Company to Fed buyers

Price Reporter is the full-service GSA Contract solution for small businesses. Our comprehensive, full-service approach is paired with an affordable price to offer the very best option to get your GSA Schedule.

Price Reporter has more than 12 years of experience empowering contractors with over 2,500 awards and over $20 billion in contract value. We help contractors by developing winning proposals and training their teams by fitting our processes to the needs of their contracts, their businesses, and their people.

The answer depends on who creates the proposal. Most businesses do not have personnel with the experience to successfully perform this process without significant error and delay. If you submit a proposal that does not meet the formatting or information requirements of the GSA, the GSA will ask that you rebuild the proposal and resubmit it. Under these circumstances, the process could take a year or more and cost a small business tens of thousands of dollars. If you hire a company such as Price Reporter to work this process, plan on about two months for proposal creation followed by around three months of GSA review, negotiation and other steps.

GSA Schedule consultants are there to help you navigate the complex world of federal contracting. A GSA Schedule consultant not only understands the nuances of the GSA Schedule program, but government contracting in general. They are knowledgeable about specific requirements, best practices for obtaining and maintaining a schedule contract, remaining compliant throughout its term, and utilizing the contract to its fullest.

GSA Schedule consultants are able to gauge and assess your company’s chances for success in the federal marketplace. Consultants will help you determine the best product and service categories to pursue and analyze your commercial practices in order to translate them into the GSA specific format.

A GSA Schedule consultant’s expertise does not stop at the proposal stage. By taking a hands-on approach with each company they are working with and each different contract, consultants experience situations that may not be routine.

Instead of working through stressful situations and complex requests from GSA contracting officers. Consider the use of a GSA Schedule consultant who has likely encountered these types of situations in the past.

It is advisable to hire GSA consultants with experience in obtaining and maintaining new schedules for clients. They can provide valuable insight into GSA policies and can guide you when it comes to increasing your chances of approval. Although you can acquire a GSA contract by yourself, knowledgeable consultants will be able to assist you with any necessary templates, explain all requirements, and review all of the information and documentation that you provide prior to submitting your offer for GSA’s review. Hiring a GSA consultant can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary frustration, while expediting the process of getting your business into the government marketplace.

Getting a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contract can be referred to in several ways. The terminology can sometimes lead to the misconception that it involves a quick registration or application form. Becoming an approved GSA vendor, obtaining a GSA contract number, and securing GSA business all require going through a formal proposal process to receive a GSA Schedule Contract award.

If everything goes perfectly, it can take 6 -9 months on average, from the moment you apply for your GSA contract to the moment of the contract award. The time frame depends on the accuracy of your submitted package, category of your products / services, experience of your staff, and on your GSA Contracting Officer. It is normal for a GSA Contracting Officer to spend at least 30 days to review each offer and to ask for clarification prior to approving your offer.