GSA qualifications

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GSA ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS

Learn whether you are eligible to sell on GSA.

On this, page you can quickly see if your company qualifies for a GSA contract, or in other words if it is “GSA eligible”. We’ll talk about GSA qualifications further down the page, and here is a tool that we offer; it allows us to evaluate your readiness for obtaining a GSA contract and to estimate your potential with GSA. Please answer the questions about your company to see if you qualify for a GSA contract.
All you have to do is provide us with the basic information about your company, industry, and products. Then, we will tell if you satisfy GSA purchasing requirements.

If you merely need to know your chances of doing well on GSA, and if your business is eligible to sell to the government, please contact us using the form below. We will be happy to help.

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What are GSA eligible organizations?

Organizations that would conform to GSA requirements are sometimes called GSA eligible. It really pays off to be one of those GSA eligible organizations. Here is why:

Only qualifying businesses can sell to the government

The government is quite picky when it comes to the selection of vendors that they choose to purchase products and services from. This is for a reason: GSA wants the best for federal agencies, so the typical qualification routine is very scrutinous and time-consuming. To be found eligible to sell on GSA, a company needs to meet certain requirements, some of which are easy to match, and others are quite complicated.

Why cannot everyone sell to the government?

First, as said above, the government wants the best: the best products, the best services, and, of course, the best prices. GSA simply cannot and does not want to deal with minor firms, untrustworthy companies and so on. Second, strict regulations and qualification rules help prevent machinations and fraud on both sides.

Who qualifies to sell to GSA?

GSA wants to have business with solid, trusted companies that already have a name on the open market, and do not carry debts or other financial burdens. Only companies that offer competitive prices can qualify for federal grants and schedules. Also, there are several specific requirements a business must meet in order to be eligible for a GSA Schedule.

 GSA ELIGIBILITY

1. Your company is properly registered

GSA only works with officially registered organizations. This means your company must have a DUNS number, NAICS codes, and enrolled at the System for Award Management (SAM).

2. Your company has been on the market for at least 24 months.

GSA does not work with startups or newbie firms. Not only must your company have been started no less than two years ago, but it also has to show profits in the last two consecutive years.

3. Size of the company

Various size companies can qualify and contrary to a common misbelief that says the size of your company does not matter that much, the GSA sets aside a number of government contracts specifically for small businesses.

4. You have a minimum revenue of $100,000/year

Your company has produced at least 100K annual sales for the past two years. Some specific schedules may require higher revenues.

5. Your company stands firmly on the ground

Financial stability is a key factor in the assessment of your company credentials for potential GSA enrollment. Not only must your business display positive figures, but you also must not be in debt, have too many loans or have assets frozen by a judicial decree.

6. Your company is not affiliated with GSA or federal agencies

It is illegal for procurement officers to award a Schedule to a company that is somehow related to the officer herself, GSA or the federal agency that issued the solicitation.

7. Your products TAA compliant

Every part, detail or unit of your products must be in compliance with the Trade Agreements Act. A product is TAA compliant if half or more of its manufacturing cost comes either from the US or designated countries, or if the product has undergone substantial transformation in the US or designated countries. TAA compliance is discussed here.

8. You have good references from past clients

One part of determination of eligibility is the Past Performance Evaluation report produced by Open Ratings. The report involves gathering of references and testimonials from clients of the company submitting a GSA application. The Open Ratings agency sends a questionnaire to your previous clients and analyzes the references received. The main point of this research is to make sure the company that would be offering its services to the government has a positive reputation on the market and has a solid record of fulfilling its obligations.

A quick way to see whether your Past Performance score would be adequate, is to ask your existing customers to answer the questionnaire beforehand, and then see if you should improve on anything negative that your client might mention. Price Reporter will be glad to assist you with PPE references, among other things.

And if you merely need to know you have chances with GSA, and if your business is eligible for selling to GSA, please contact us using the form below. We will be happy to help.

Many small business owners who are willing to start their cooperation with the government ask themselves whether they would qualify. After all, small business is a small business, and the GSA Schedule seems and sounds like something really complex and demanding, which it certainly is.

So, if you too are wondering if you qualify for GSA Schedules, please know that you are on the right track. It is very wise to make a deeper research of the entire government contracting sphere, before rushing into it. Indeed, even if you have heard dozens of success stories, that does not necessarily mean that your own affair with the government will be a success too. We recommend taking your time, and investigate the requirements to contractors and the processes behind the GSA contracting system.

Here are the main things to consider in order to learn whether or not your firm qualifies for a GSA Schedule:

  • Do you have enough time? Even the initial steps to apply for a GSA Schedule are very time consuming. And managing your current GSA contract requires close attention and investing a lot of time and effort into it. Every day, literally. Does your team have members who can dedicate themselves to managing a GSA Schedule? Can you assign someone to gather the required documents and certificates, and to put up everything together as Federal Acquisition Regulations prescribe? Note that applying for a Schedule is not ordinary filling out a form or two. There are dozens of pages of required information you must provide, as well as and preliminarily gather such data. You have to communicate with GSA officers. You have to compose and submit your pricelists and product catalogs. And then, when you are awarded, the really hard part begins. You have to manage your contract. Are you ready for that?
  • Can you offer competitive prices? The government is a special kind of client. It requires one to offer their best prices. The wise thing to do is to monitor the federal market to see what the average prices are in your niche. Can you offer such prices? If yes, would it still be profitable for you? What will you do if competitors lower their prices? Can you afford to compete? Also, can you reasonably justify your prices to the government? What do you normally charge in the open market for your services and products? You must substantiate your pricelist and directly show the value for the government that it gets for the price. In our experience, pricing strategy is one of the most contradictory and complex things in federal contracting.
  • Do you have enough experience? Aside from the requirement to stay in business for at least two years before you can apply for a GSA Schedule, you should also prove that you are competent and reliable enough to do business with the government. How does the GSA check this? Through the mechanism of the Past Performance Evaluation and by assessing your previously finished projects and analyzing documents that confirm the quality of your products or services. 

In addition, the following requirements are vital:

  • Financial stability
  • At least two years in business
  • Minimum sales requirement
  • TAA compliance
  • Labor rates
  • etc.

By conducting prior research, you can learn exactly what kind of preparations you will need. Or, you can consult with professional GSA agents such as Price Reporter. We have been helping businesses to ensure they qualify for a GSA Schedule contract for many years. Forewarned means forearmed. And forewarning comes from the in-depth knowledge of the government contracting. With proper knowledge (either your own, or those of the GSA expert) you can greatly improve your chances of successful government business. 

Contact our GSA Expert
Call 201.567.6646 or provide your details for a free consultation:

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    Testimonials

    Price Reporter recently helped us with our 3rd GSA contract, the 2nd they did with us. It was the fastest we've ever been through the process with GSA. Each step was easy because the ground work was done before we were asked to do anything. Our pricing verification phase went smooth and quickly and both our contracts were accepted without rejection, with minimal negotiations with contracting.

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    Frequently Asked Questions
    What are GSA requirements?

    GSA contracts require a company to be in business for at least two years and show an annual revenue of at least $100,000 per year, for at least two consecutive years. Your financial situation should be stayable. Some contracts require specific skills and experience, especially in technical and service contracts.

    What does it mean to be GSA approved?

    GSA Approval is a status used to describe organizations that have been approved to sell to the United States Government through the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). GSA approval is a non-industry specific status for organizations that manufacture products or provide services that the U.S. Government uses. To become eligible to bid on a GSA schedule, organizations must complete a number of steps including but not limited to obtaining a DUNS number, registering in SAM (System for Award Management) and providing previous customer contact information as a means for the GSA to perform a past performance evaluation.

    Who can purchase through GSA?

    To view the official GSA Order detailing entities eligible to purchase through the GSA Schedules Program, click here.

    • Establishments in the Legislative or Judicial Branch.
    • Executive Agencies.
    • Executive Departments.
    • Wholly Owned Government Corporations.
    • Independent Establishments in the Executive Branch
    • The Senate.
    • The House of Representatives
    How long does it take to get GSA certified?

    In general, it takes about three to four months for an IT Schedule while the Furniture and Security Schedules can take up to a year. If you need consulting and guidance on getting a GSA schedule. The General Services Administration (GSA) is a government bureau that is entrusted with managing government structures, buildings and real estate. This agency provides product and service acquisition support and development of policies, protocol and regulations. GSA schedule contracts were refined to aid federal workers in purchasing and acquiring products and services easily without having to put out an RFP and obtain quotes before choosing a vendor. The contract contains the delivery terms, warranty agreements and the pre-negotiated prices.

    Do You Qualify for a GSA Schedule?

    Businesses of all sizes often run into a problem when they try to add a GSA Schedule to their company, but suddenly hit a wall when they realize they aren’t qualified. The success that others have seen through government contracting is enough to get anyone interested in pursuing their own contract, yet there are quite a few steps to ensure that you qualify for a GSA Schedule.
    The most important thing you can do to start out on the right foot is research. While hearing things through word of mouth about government contracting is good, make sure you’re fully aware of the process, requirements, and workflow before you attempt to apply.

    There are several common reasons why businesses find out they don’t qualify for GSA Schedules, and it can be more than just a pre-qualifying factor. Besides the way your business is structured, how the government contracting process works can often lead businesses to change their minds.

    The main thing to consider is time. How much time are you willing to dedicate to a GSA Schedule? Do you have team members who have the flexibility to work on this kind of project? GSA Schedule applications aren’t a simple contact information form — an average application contains 30 pages of requested information about your business. On average it can take businesses 70 hours to complete an application without expert help. It’s a tedious process, and mistakes can lead to swift rejection from the GSA. You’ll also have to make time to answer any questions the GSA has after your application has been reviewed, and then negotiate the terms before you can list your products or services on GSA Advantage!. The work doesn’t end there either, managing your contract after you win your award is a continuous process.

    The next thing you’ll want to account for is money. Are you able to offer competitive prices on your products and services? Knowing how to price what you’re selling is half the battle. Only 40% of GSA Contract holders actually make money, but making sure your prices are competitive with others will help you stand out and win bids.

    If you’re able to make time and are prepared for the costs, you can look at the business-specific steps for qualifying for GSA Schedules. Your business needs to be:

    1. Stable financially
    2. At least two years old
    3. Providing commercially available products
    4. Compliant with the Trade Agreement Act
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