What is GSA Information Technology Category (Schedule 70)
Information Technology is one of the 12 new Large Categories within the new consolidated MAS. This category has 7 subcategories of IT products and services that federal agencies can buy through GSA MAS. Information Technology (IT) category substitutes for legacy GSA Schedule 70.
Since literally every federal, local or state agency needs something from this category, the IT Schedule is overwhelmed with offers, and from year to year keeps reporting the largest sales among all other GSA Schedules. For instance, in 2019, before MAS Consolidation, over $15 billion in sales were reported under GSA Schedule 70. This amount is enormous! No wonder, a GSA Schedule 70 contract is the most coveted prize for hundreds of vendors.
However, the degree of competition is high, too. Where other categories typically have several hundreds of contractors, the GSA IT category has more than 5000! Yes, the competition in this GSA category is fierce. But so is the prize: $3 million per GSA Schedule 70 contractor in 2019, on average.
Importantly, IT products are demanded everywhere. Think of any agency: the Army, the Department of Homeland Security, Veteran Affairs, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Treasury. All of them (and even more that were omitted here) regularly procure goods, supplies, and services in the IT category of the GSA Schedule.
What’s more, just like the legacy GSA 70 Schedule was, the new Information Technology Large Category allows acquisition under the Cooperative Purchasing Program. Also, IT Schedule contracts are IDIQ contracts. This means that once a company is awarded, it can provide indefinite quantities of products or services to federal agencies as long as its IT Schedule contract is active.
What SINs does the Information Technology category cover?
Overall, there are 7 subcategories within the Information Technology Large Category, some with their own subcategories. Here is the list of SINs under the GSA IT Schedule, as of 2020.
Electronic Commerce
54151ECOM | Electronic Commerce and Subscription Services. This subcategory includes value added network services, e-mail services, Internet access services, electronic subscription services, data transmission services, and emerging electronic commerce technologies. |
IT Hardware
33411 | Purchasing of new electronic equipment. Includes but is not limited to desktop, laptop, tablet computers, servers, storage equipment, audio and video (AV) equipment, printers and Multi-Function Device (MFD) equipment, radio navigation equipment/antennas, optical/imaging systems, and associated peripherals. |
532420L | Leasing of new electronic equipment. |
811212 | Maintenance of Equipment, Repair Services and/or Repair/Spare Parts. |
SIN 33411 | also contains multiple subcategories identifying specific equipment: printers, computer monitors, backup power, digital cameras, laptops, projectors etc. |
IT Services
54151HACS | Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS). This subcategory encompasses IT services related to providing security of IT infrastructure. For instance: information assurance, virus detection, network management, situational awareness and incident response, secure web hosting, and backup, security services. |
54151HEAL | Health Information Technology Services. Includes a wide range of Health IT services to include connected health, electronic health records, health information exchanges, health analytics, personal health information management, innovative Health IT solutions, health informatics, emerging Health IT research, and other Health IT services. |
54151S | Information Technology Professional Services. IT Professional Services and/or labor categories for database planning and design; systems analysis, integration, and design; programming, conversion and implementation support; network services, data/records management, and testing. |
IT Software
511210 | Software Licenses. This SIN covers software licenses and maintenance. |
54151 | Software Maintenance Services. This category encompasses software maintenance services, including creating, designing, implementing, and/or integrating customized changes to software that solve one or more problems, and is not included with the price of the software. |
IT Solutions
518210C | Cloud and Cloud-Related IT Professional Services. The category includes commercially available cloud computing services such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS), as well as emerging cloud services. |
541370GEO | Earth Observation Solutions. This subcategory provides geospatial earth observation technologies, products, and services including, but not limited to: ground, satellite and aerial based sensor data and imagery; worldwide digital transmission, internet, data, and video services and products through various networks, platforms, and applications. |
541519CDM | Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Tools. Includes Department of Homeland Security (DHS) approved hardware and software products. |
541519ICAM | Identity, Credentialing and Access Management (ICAM) – Managed service offerings for electronic credentials (assurance levels IAL, AAL, and FAL), identity and access management, authentication, and identity and access management professional services. |
541519PIV | Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 Product and Service Components. This category encompasses PIV related solutions: PIV enrollment and registration services, PIV systems infrastructure, PIV card management and production services, PIV card finalization services etc. |
541519PKI | Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Shared Service Providers (PKI SSP) Program. PKI SSPs shall provide reliable, authenticated, policy-compliant service offerings, to support Federally issued Personal Identity Verification (PIV), Personal Identity Verification Interoperable (PIV-I), and associated certificates, and cryptographic key service offerings. |
561422 | Automated Contact Center Solutions (ACCS). Any offers (products, services, equipment) designed to establish and maintain contact center capabilities for an agency are encompassed in this SIN. Examples are: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Chat Bots, Robotic Process Automation, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Voice/Speech Recognition, Text-to-Speech, Voicemail, Callback, etc. |
IT Training
611420 | Information Technology Training. Includes training on hardware, software, cloud, and other applicable systems. |
Telecommunications
517312 | Wireless Mobility Solutions. This category includes all types of wireless mobility solutions including but not limited to: Wireless Carrier Services, Telecommunication Resellers, Mobility infrastructure, Mobility-as-a-Service, Enterprise Mobility Management, Mobile Backend-as-a-Service, Telecom Expense Management, Mobile Application Vetting, Mobile Threat Protection, Mobile Identity Management, Internet of Things (IoT), and Other/Mobile Services. |
517410 | Commercial Satellite Communications Solutions (COMSATCOM). Includes products and services aimed to provide, manage or control satellite communications solutions. |
HOW TO GET A GSA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SCHEDULE (70)
Until 2020, GSA IT 70 Schedule was a Schedule with the largest reported sales among all other GSA Schedules. Since the consolidation of the GSA Multiple Award Schedule, the Information Technology Category picks up the baton. With more than $15 billion in annual sales, the GSA IT category is among the most coveted GSA Schedules. So, how can a vendor become a GSA contractor?
Here is a brief description of the most general steps every vendor should take to win a GSA Information Technology contract.
- Prepare your business. Before you can apply for government contracts, you should make sure your business matches GSA’s rules and regulations. Your business must be legitimate, registered, have a Tax ID and a D.U.N.S. number. You must also register your business at SAM.gov, in order to be able to submit your application for a GSA IT Schedule. Another more important step is training. Before the GSA allows you to become a contractor, it requires you to complete a training course called “The Pathway to Success”.
- Prepare documents. Applying for a Schedule requires you to submit over 30 documents to GSA. The document package must include financial statements for the past two years, organizational documents, price lists, price narrative that grounds your price list, compliance documents, technical specifications etc. In addition, there are a number of forms to fill out. Every document in the package must be arranged in a very specific way, so reading the solicitation carefully is a must. The document package is then submitted via the eOffer platform.
- Negotiation. Your submission is reviewed for some time. On average this may take a few weeks or even months, because the government will carefully check every document you have sent, and the statement you have made. Then, a contracting officer may have questions regarding your submission or might request additional documents or clarifications. That is why the prime factor of a successful award is a perfect document package. After the document package is accepted and reviewed, the negotiation phase begins. Terms, conditions, and discounts of the contract are negotiated. After that, you are awarded with a GSA IT Schedule contract.
- Post award. Even though you can now offer your IT products and services to federal buyers, you should understand that the award merely opens the door. Now it is your turn to turn this opportunity to your advantage. Self-education, government marketing, competition analysis – there’s so much to do. If you feel overwhelmed, don’t worry. There are professionals around that are glad to help. Price Reporter has been helping vendors to win and maintain government contracts including GSA Schedule 70 IT for years. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.