5 Steps To Obtain Your GSA Schedule Contract Hassle-Free
The General Services Administration or simply GSA is a federal agency that oversees the purchase and management of equipment, vehicles and supplies as needed from time to time by the federal government of the United States of America. In order to make these purchases swift and hassle-free, the GSA has launched MASP (Multiple Awards Schedule Program). This program initiates the purchase of federal supplies from registered small businesses as well as from some large corporations. The GSA Schedule Contract (part of MASP) as it is called, enables federal agencies to quickly buy and stock their inventory from listed suppliers without having to post advertisements for the same or wait for elaborate bidding and authentication processes.
If you’re the owner of a small business and looking to establish a foothold amid the tough competition in the market, there is good news for you! You can get your GSA Schedule Contract for your company and ensure to have fixed federal customers all year round. Here are 5 steps to get your GSA contract hassle-free.
1. Make sure to verify that your company meets all the eligibility criteria required to apply for the GSA schedule contract. As per the latest rules put down by the General Services Administration, your company should be at least 2 years old, that is, you must be operating your business for a minimum of two years and your company should have a stable financial health.
2. If you’re a manufacturer, make sure that your manufactured products are all commercially viable and can be purchased easily from the market. More so, your products must conform to the Trade Agreement’s Act of USA.
3. Make it a point to register for one of the several free workshops that are organized by the GSA authorities to help participating companies understand their particular role as one of the GSA schedule contract suppliers. Conversely you can learn all about these online by registering with GSA’s online vendor support center.
4. Make sure to draft your GSA schedule contract application after you have successfully completed the workshops conducted by GSA (as mentioned above). Remember that the application process itself is a lengthy one. So be patient and consult a GSA consultant if needed.
5. Always respond to GSA’s solicitation. For example if your company is offering a discount pricing as a volume purchase offer, make sure to communicate this information to the GSA. The General Services Administration favors suppliers providing offers on bulk purchase.
Now that you know about how to prepare and apply for obtaining your GSA Schedule Contract, don’t wait any longer. Start from the word ‘go’ and put your small business on the road map of success with GSA.