A GSA contract works like a license that allows you to sell to the government; having obtained a contract will open your business up to all federal purchasing. It allows companies to sell on all government online portals, including GSA Advantage and respond to Bids, RFQs, as well as solicit all Federal Agencies directly. This means more business and more sales for your company.
Under the GSA schedule program, a wide variety of businesses from almost every industry are able to trade with the government. Some of the more popular fields are among the IT products and services, office and industrial supplies, business management services, engineering services, environmental products and services, as well as many others. Overall there are sixty-two categories of commercial products and services that vendors may apply for, under a GSA contract.
Holding a GSA contract will open the door to a huge, multibillion Dollar market for US Federal Government procurement. Having Price Reporter assist you in the process will save you time and energy, while enabling you to make more money, while spending less of it in the process.
You can think of GSA Schedule contracts as a license to sell to the federal government directly. The GSA Schedule is a $45 billion government expenditure , and each approved vendor is allocated a slice of the pie. There is a niche of government contracts for every kind of business; GSA splits its Schedule into twelve Large Categories, from IT and Office Management to Scientific Solutions and Security & Protection. If you’d like to learn more about getting a GSA Schedule, then keep reading.
Naturally, the federal government only wants to procure the best products and services from the best qualified vendors, so your business will be subject to a careful review beforehand. The GSA requires that you:
There are 5 stages to get a GSA Schedule, and Price Reporter will assist you at every step of GSA contract preparation, and beyond.
Bidding for GSA Schedule contracts is no easy process. However, there are some strategies that will make it simpler to maximize GSA Schedule sales.
The US Government is committed to supporting small disadvantaged businesses, and awards at least 10% of contracts to them. A firm is considered to be ‘small disadvantaged’ either if it is more than 51% owned or controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged people (among them women, veterans or service-disabled owners), or if it is considered ‘small’ according to the SBA’s size standards (determined by the NAICS code of your business activity).
Small disadvantaged businesses can benefit from the following programs:
To get on the GSA Schedule is no easy process. But if it’s right for you, then it can certainly offer lucrative opportunities and benefits such as:
Getting a GSA Schedule contract will open the door to a multibillion-dollar marketplace for US Federal Government procurement. Price Reporter will assist you every step of the way, enabling you to make more money while spending less of it in the process. Utilizing our full range of custom marketing intelligence solutions, we provide the insight you need to navigate today’s complex government marketplace. And our numbers say it all: we have 15 years of relevant experience under our belt, have helped 700 successful businesses, managed over 1000 GSA contracts, and processed over one million GSA orders through our Order Management System. Contact us today for a free consultation.
While a GSA Schedule contract is not the only way to sell to the government, it is certainly one of the fastest and small business-friendly options. It is a sure way to facilitate sales on the federal market, and secure terms and conditions for the entire period of the contract’s validity.
Hence, a GSA Schedule contract is advisable for
Here are a few reasons to get a GSA contract.
Yes, getting onto a GSA Schedule is not an easy task, especially if you are very new to the entire government contracting theme. Overall, the process of obtaining a GSA Schedule consists of several obligatory stages, each having lots of difficulties, nuances and pitfalls.
Here are the main stages of the GSA contracting process.
While there is nothing that could prevent you from filing all the documents required to secure a GSA contract yourself, it is recommended that you delegate this to a GSA consultant, such as Price Reporter. Here is how our specialists can help you get onto the GSA Schedule.
Have questions? Don’t hesitate to give us a call – 201.567.6646
Even though the number of challenges on your way towards a GSA Schedule contract is huge, the resulting benefits will repay by far. This is a longsome road for sure, but you are not alone. There are a lot of trusted GSA consulting agencies who will be willing to help you out. Price Reporter has been helping small and medium sized businesses to acquire GSA contracts over the past 16 years.We know this market and the federal contracting like the back of our hands. And we will gladly provide our services to streamline the process of application, negotiation and post-award management of the contract.
With Price Reporter you can get on a GSA Schedule without losing your primary business focus. We offer turn-key solutions that include every service you need to successfully enter the new world of government sales and lucrative GSA contracts. Welcome!
Founded in 2006, Price Reporter is comprised of a team of experts with many years of experience, doing business with GSA.
Price Reporter's mission is to serve client's unique needs to effectively establish, grow and maximize their GSA business.
Price Reporter's experts utilize a full-range of custom marketing intelligence solutions, providing the insight needed to navigate today's complex Government marketplace.
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Learn how our GSA experts will help you start selling to the Federal Government
Watch VideoDuring a free consultation with our GSA experts, you will learn if your company meets the GSA contractor requirements. In order to qualify for a GSA Contract, businesses must be in operation for at least two years, have a strong track record, meet specific financial criteria, and other qualifications. Using our GSA marketing intelligence tools, our experts will evaluate the Federal Government's demand for your products and services.
Price Reporter will register you with Dun & Bradstreet and SAM.GOV. Doing so will enable you to conduct business transactions with government agencies. We will help you obtain thorough Past Performance Assessments which will prove that you are a reputable vendor to the GSA. Through our collaborations with you, we will compile all of the required documentation including your product catalog, company financials, and marketing materials, and submit the completed package for Government review.
Prior to awarding a Schedule, the GSA always negotiates to obtain the best prices, quantity discounts and terms from its vendors. Once a GSA contract is awarded, you will have to comply with all of the terms, rates and prices that are stipulated in the document even if they are not as desirable as you had hoped. We will lead the negotiation process on your behalf to help you attain the most profitable and favorable terms and conditions possible for your GSA contract.
Once your GSA Contract Schedule is awarded, we will publish your entire catalog on GSA Advantage, an electronic government procurement portal, which will make your products and services immediately available to Government buyers for purchase. When submitting your catalog, you should provide as much information as possible about your products including but not limited to clear descriptions of the items and their usage, specifications, pricing, shipping details, part numbers, and high quality images. Our team of GSA professionals will edit and update your catalog with as much relevant content as possible so that it can be published on GSA Advantage.
After the contract award, our team of GSA experts will work with you to maximize your GSA sales. Using our GSA Marketing Intelligence tools, we will research and identify the top vendors that are your biggest competitors. We will help you devise a strong marketing strategy, optimize pricing so that you can be more competitive, and help you to expand your catalog by adding products that the GSA buys the most. In addition, we will update your catalog, ensure that it remains compliant, and manage your relationship with the GSA.
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.
More testimonialsIf everything goes perfectly, it can take 6 months 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.
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 two consecutive years. Your financial situation should be stayable. Some contracts require specific skills and experience, especially in technical and service-related contracts.
Step-by-Step: Getting on the GSA List:
There is no law that requires a contractor to hold a GSA Schedule in order to conduct business with the federal government. … As a result, companies that conduct significant business with the federal government ultimately find it necessary to obtain a Schedule Contract. Acquisitions through GSA Schedules are issued using full and open competition. Prices have already been deemed fair and reasonable, and Contracts are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, reducing evaluation cycles. Purchases can be made directly from a contractor’s GSA Schedule Contract, eliminating time-consuming responses to complex RFP’s and lengthy negotiations.
Many small businesses come to Procurement Technical Assistance Centers interested in GSA Supply Schedule contracts. But the first question must always be – is a federal supply schedule right for your company? In many cases, the answer is no. Making that determination up front can save a tremendous amount of time, energy, and perhaps money, as some small business owners pay thousands of dollars to private firms to help them “get on a GSA Schedule,” only to be unsuccessful or find it a poor fit.
Your local PTAC Procurement Specialist can help you assess your company relative to GSA purchasing practices in terms of both overall readiness and pricing structure. Together you can determine the appropriate Schedule for you to consider and discuss the many other resources available on the GSA website, including their Readiness Assessment and Pathway to Success, which can all provide critical insight into the appropriateness of pursuing a Schedule contract.
He or she can also teach you how to use GSA’s online sales query tool to see how much of your product or service is being purchased by GSA. It may be that current purchases far exceed your capacity to produce, or it may be that there are hardly any purchases at all. Either situation might be an argument against pursuing a Schedule contract.
Pricing is another important consideration. GSA wants your very lowest price, lower than that which you offer to your very best customer. The pressure to award to the lowest possible price providers has only grown in recent years, making GSA contracting more difficult for small firms. (See “The Cost of FSSI and the Prices Paid Portal”). A GSA Schedule contract at a price you can’t sustain could put your company out of business.
Your PTAC Counselor can help you sift through all of this information and these considerations to reach the decision that is right for your business. Then if you determine that a GSA Schedule contract IS right for your company, they can help you take the next steps in applying. Many PTACs offer classes such as “Understanding the GSA Schedule Process,” but all will also work with you one-on-one to answer your questions and help you find the information you need. Once you’ve been awarded a Schedule contract, they can help you develop a marketing strategy to maximize your sales opportunities.