The General Services Administration (GSA) is the acquisition arm of the federal government. They play the most important role in connecting the private sector with federal agencies to fulfill their product and service needs. Many people refer to what is known as a ‘GSA Schedule’, which is actually shorthand for the Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) and Multiple Award Schedules (MAS). These are larger, consistent, long-term government-wide contracts. These types of GSA Schedules connect government buyers to approved businesses in order to source compliant products and services at fair and reasonable prices. This process streamlines the acquisition process and speeds it administrative duties on both sides.
Many government agencies are only allowed to purchase goods and services through the pre-approved GSA Schedule Contracts, meaning those entities with a GSA Schedule gain exclusive access to a broad range of contract opportunities. Almost all agencies must refer to the GSA Schedule database before awarding contracts or posting contracts up for public bid. It is a good idea to inquire with a professional on whether or not your entity should pursue such avenue for your product or service. Look and see what agencies are making what purchases and from whom.
A GSA Schedule Contract makes it easier for government buyers to quickly complete a purchase. They simply go online and purchase the product/service directly through the GSA Advantage System with just one click. Some other benefits include
GSA Certification approval requires any business that submits an offer meet several different qualifications and guidelines. We have included a short list below of a few mandatory requirements. There may be additional documents and information required depending on the actual schedule you are applying for. The primary requirements for all businesses are:
Small Business designation GSA Certification:
To access GSA Schedule Contracts, all a business needs to do is to get successfully certified. Organizations will first need to complete a detailed registration and reporting process with the General Services Administration (GSA) branch of the federal government. During this process is where the difference between schedule approvals, delays and denials often comes down to the tiniest of errors and omissions (90% first submission return rate when completed by oneself).
The GSA certification process requires organizations to spend nearly 100 hours completing paperwork, performing research, submitting documentation, writing letters, etc. The entire process can take over a year depending on the applicant’s resources, knowledge and experience level in this area. Once an entity is approved, they are always happy they went through with it.
GSA Schedules can last up to 20 years. The entity must have at least $25,000 in sales in the first 2 years and then $25,000 in sales each period after to maintain your schedule. You will also get a 5 year review to make sure you are aware of any compliance issues that may have occured.
Challenges of GSA Self Certification:
Work with USBRI to simplify the whole GSA Schedule Certification process. We should start off with a short phone conversation to gather some general information as to whether or not this avenue would be a good fit for your product/service or whether another federal vehicle would be a better fit. You may also complete the questionnaire located at the bottom of this page or call our Help Desk at 1-888-646-9998 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm EST).
After speaking with you about what to expect during the certification process, we will then step in and start discovering which GSA Schedules will perform best for your business, to determining your most effective pricing strategies, and crafting your business proposals and negotiation points with the GSA, we’ll be by your side for every part of the certification process to ensure everything goes smoothly and quickly.
Benefits of Partnering with USBRI:
If you would like to get started on your GSA Certification, reach out to our Help Desk at 1-888-646-9998 (M-F 9am-5pm EST) or submit the form below to be contacted.
Request More InfoAnswer a few questions about your business and we can provide you with a complimentary Federal Market Assessment to see what agencies are purchasing your goods/services, who the competition is, look at Direct Award Contracts in your industry (below $250K) and provide you a with a basic roadmap of the best avenue and vehicles for your company to focus on to successfully sell goods/services to the government.
After submitting this form, a CRS (Certified Registration Specialist) will reach out within 24 hours for a 15 minute informational conversation where you can ask as many questions as you like. If considering government contracting at all, or have attempted to do so without such guidance or advice; do not skip this important step as it truly makes a difference of knowing where, what and how to focus on what's most important for your success when offering goods/services to the government. This short conversation will speed up your learning curve and set you up and prepare you for success. Utilize credible resources that are available to you.
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