A Federal Supply Schedule is a contract issued by the General Services Administration (GSA). This publication includes all the necessary information to fulfill orders and deliveries with Schedule contractors.
Federal GSA Schedules are the primary medium used for contracts of the federal government and, in some cases, local and state. Some state and local buyers involve educational institutions, hospitals, and tribal governments. The coverage is usually long-term and government-wide and settled with commercial suppliers.
Here’s everything that you need to know about the Federal Supply Schedule:
About GSA Schedule
GSA Schedules permits contractors to supply federal agencies with a wide array of products and services. Federal GSA aims to shorten the sales process to ease the burden of federal buyers. On top of that, they can ensure transparency and product quality with government-focused vendors.
Buying from suppliers with GSA Schedules saves a substantial amount of time for federal agencies. They can find suppliers within arm’s reach with millions of products and services cataloged in GSA platforms. Additionally, they tend to earn more savings because the federal supply schedule price list gets offered at negotiable ceiling prices.
Having a GSA Schedule opens new doors for a new realm of opportunities. Compared to commercial sellers, GSA contract holders can set pre-negotiated terms and conditions to expedite the acquisition process. These contracts let them focus on making a sale instead of settling a wholesale price, delivery conditions, and more. Federal agencies can purchase directly from you with the assurance that your products and services are top-notch. After all, GSA, the agency that helps government-wide institutions purchase from approved suppliers, granted you a contract to make the sale.
What the GSA Schedule Offers
The following outlines the Schedule that GSA offers:
Regulatory Compliance
The main advantage of receiving the most sought-after GSA approval comes around during the acquisition process. This part of the process is when contracting officials evaluate your proposal’s terms to ensure that your offering is fair and reasonable. According to the FAR Subpart 9.1., the vetting process gets determined by contractors that express the following:
● Contractors must have adequate financial resources to fulfill the tasks and demands of their Schedule.
● Contractors should be able to meet all the delivery and order requirements.
● Contractors should possess a satisfactory performance assessment result.
● Contractors should possess a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics.
● Contractors must provide amenable corporate facilities, resources, machinery, and skills to perform the work.
● Contractors must be eligible to be awarded by the contract under federal laws.
It takes a long process before you can taste the victory of a federal supply schedule. Although overwhelming, you can never encounter an issue as long as you comply with Federal Acquisitions regulations. Nonetheless, exerting time, effort, and budget can reap long-term benefits for your business.
Fair and Reasonable Pricing
The approval process administered by GSA Contracting Officers includes an in-depth deliberation of the potential contractor’s pricing. The government can only award a Federal Supply Schedule contract to a business if the goods and services they offer are “fair and reasonable.” The correctness of the price compares directly to the prices offered to their commercial customers. Authorities look at the suggested retail prices to measure fairness. Additionally, GSA officials can also look at the competitor contractor’s pricing and pricing from other sources.
Here are the requirements to complete the pricing review:
● Complete Price Proposal Template
● Pricing support for offered pricing
● A mechanism for future potential pricing adjustments
● Proof that the price is fair and reasonable*
*GSA Contracting Officers determine the fairness of pricing through their standards. If your goods did not meet their policies, they would negotiate to make the final determination of a more “reasonable” price.
Fast Order Placement
With fair and reasonable prices from GSA, streamlining the placement of orders is easy. Federal government agencies can place orders faster in comparison to the commercial market. A fast order placement helps these agencies acquire products and services directly from suppliers with no hassle.
The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 8.4 expressed the quick ordering procedures for different Schedules. This ordering allows agencies to concentrate on unique goods and services and streamline their purchase. For instance, ordering electronic devices and machinery is more accessible because ordering guidelines and information are detailed to help buyers accomplish their supplies accordingly.
Full Product and Broad Service Offerings
Federal GSA Schedules provide a complete catalog of products and broad service offerings. With these contracts, government vendors can provide sufficient coverage and solutions to expedite delivery.
GSA makes sure to update its contractor offerings in real-time consistently. It is to ensure that the government has convenient access to various industries promptly. Different Schedules can sustain their services with a continuous open solicitation. This offering lets GSA Contracting Officers onboard new contractors without over saturating particular Schedules.
Moreover, the Federal Supply Schedule provides its contractors with opportunities to offer worldwide coverage. Here is the scope of their geographic coverage:
● Domestic: Delivers to 48 contiguous states including Washington, DC, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico; and the U.S. territories
● Worldwide: Delivers locally and internationally
● Overseas only: Delivery is limited to overseas locations
How Much Does it Cost to Get a GSA contract?
Businesses can follow different methods to get a GSA contract. Startups and small enterprises should process the application by themselves. If you are looking to avoid GSA consultants’ additional costs, it is possible to accomplish the contract independently. It might save you extra expenses, but it takes so much work to go through such a tedious process. It is arguably more stressful and can even cost you more. This higher price point is even more likely if you start the process without extensive research. Most businesses don’t have prior knowledge of GSA contracts more often than not, so they will likely get rejected.
The approximate costs of acquiring full services from GSA consultants can go around $4,000 and $15,000. The GSA contract specialist would be the one to guide you throughout the process. All you need to do is to prepare the essential documents, requirements, and proposals. They will be the ones to submit the entire document on your behalf. Working with a GSA consultant eliminates the stress, additional workload, and extra time spent in preparation. On top of that, it minimizes your doubts on whether you completed the requirements or not.
In conclusion, acquiring Federal Supply Schedules enhances the value of your business. Opening your business to a government channel opens several opportunities to increase your revenue and gain new customers. Although the approval process is complex and lengthy, getting a GSA contract is your bridge to winning sales from federal agencies.
