What is the GSA IT Schedule?

As we all became acutely aware over the past two years, IT rules our world. Without it, our children cannot learn, businesses cannot operate, and governments cannot function. To procure optimum Information Technology products and services for the U.S. Government, from the best vendors and at most optimal prices, the GSA developed category F Information Technology Schedule. It is one of the twelve GSA MAS Large Categories of products and services and was known as IT Schedule 70 or IT70, prior to GSA consolidation. IT Schedule is the contact point between government agencies and commercial IT businesses, and the channel through which billions of dollars in federal spending flow.

Winning a GSA Schedule promises businesses like yours a world of opportunities: decades-long relationships with federal agencies, high-volume contracts, access to exclusive government marketing tools, and much more. The GSA only awards Schedules to those businesses that it believes will excel in supplying the U.S. Government, and so the competition is fierce. What are the 5 ways to stand out from your competitors in the government marketplace?

How do you qualify for GSA and how hard is it to get a GSA contract? 
In general, most vendors that have been fairly stable and successful within their niche in the open market, have got the necessary criteria that it takes to be an effective partaker on the federal arena.

Recently most of GSA contractors received an email titled “Place your Product Photos onto GSA Advantage!”, which meant to bring light to the issue GSA is having with vendors that are not listing products photos, in particular.

Where would the U.S. Government be without its offices? Behind the scenes of every branch of the government is an endless supply chain of office products and services, without which, the bureaucracy of the country could not function. From books, pens and toner cartridges to administrative support, legal services and document production, everything related to the government office is provided through the Office Management Large Category – one of the GSA Schedule’s 12 Large Categories. 

If the pandemic has shown us anything, it’s the importance of supporting the disadvantaged groups in our society. It has been well documented that small businesses owned by women or minorities were disproportionately affected during COVID-19, despite being at the heart of our communities, essential to job creation and economic vitality. Ensuring that these businesses survive involves fundamental support at the government level.

Winning a 5-year GSA contract as a supplier to the U.S. Government is a big responsibility. The GSA Schedule acquisition process involves a stringent application, but the evaluation of your company doesn’t end once your contract has been awarded. To ensure that contractors are fulfilling their obligations year after year, the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) was established.

The pandemic has fast-tracked our world’s transition into the digital space. Although greater connectivity has solved many problems, it opens up others – primarily cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is of paramount importance for the U.S. Government and to help protect its information network GSA created the Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services Special Item Number (HACS SIN).