What is the General Services Administration (GSA)?
What are Multiple Award Schedules (MAS)?
Who is a good candidate for Schedules contracting?
Why should I consider becoming a GSA MAS contractor?
What is 'best value'?
Can I sell to the federal government without a GSA MAS contract?
What products and services can go on a GSA Schedule contract?
How long will it take to get my GSA MAS contract number?
What is the duration of my Schedules contract?
Who can purchase from my GSA MAS contract?
Are there minimum sales requirements?
Can I cancel my GSA MAS contract?
Does my GSA Schedules contract affect my commercial business?
Can I sell to state and local governments through my GSA MAS contract?
What is the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF)?
What is the False Claims Act (FCA)?
What is the Trade Agreements Act?
As a Schedules contractor, must I accept an order from a buyer?
What is a Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA)?
What is a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)?
What is the General Services Administration (GSA)?
GSA is a self-funded Federal agency responsible for obtaining and administering most federal government procurements. GSA is essentially a procurement agency, although other government agencies do not have to use it exclusively to procure goods and services. GSA can be found online at www.gsa.gov. It is charged with procurement responsibilities, federal property management, and federal fleet management. GSA also handles travel for federal employees as well as the purchase cards federal employees use to buy good and services. Its procurement duties include utilizing and managing a variety of contract activities, including administering the huge government-wide contracts for IT or telecommunications as well as the Multiple Award Schedule contracts.
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What are Multiple Award Schedules (MAS)?
MAS contracts are an acquisition solution developed by GSA for providing commercial off-the-shelf products and services to the federal government at pre-negotiated prices. They are a group of long-term, government-wide contracts with commercial entities covering almost every good or service sold commercially.
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Who is a good candidate for Schedules contracting?
Schedules contracting is available to any size business so long as that business can meet the eligibility requirements. Such requirements are different for each contract, but some, like sound financials, past performance history, good responses on the customer surveys, commercial pricing that has been offered to the public, and the ability to offer discounted GSA pricing, are a few that appear in every Schedules Solicitation.
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Why should I consider becoming a GSA MAS contractor?
Having a GSA contract enables your company to sell to any federal agency in the same way you sell to commercial customers. The prices on your GSA contract are considered fair and reasonable or best value, which eliminates the need for a federal agency to go through formal competitive bidding procedures. This speeds the purchase cycle and allows customers to purchase your products without the need for sole source justifications.
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What is 'best value'?
GSA is known as the negotiating arm of the government because in its procurement duties its primary purpose is to be the premier procurement source for the Federal government by meeting agency needs for products and services and doing so at best-value prices. It fulfills this purpose by negotiating price terms and other concessions on behalf of the Federal government and thereby secures what is known as best pricing, which is not necessarily the lowest price. Best pricing means the best deal possible for government buyers. Sometimes it is the lowest price, but other times it might be the best product at a higher price but with better delivery terms or a better warranty.
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Can I sell to the federal government without a GSA MAS contract?
Yes. You do not have to be a GSA Schedules contractor to sell to the federal government.
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What products and services can go on a GSA Schedule contract?
To get an idea of what products and services are eligible for Schedules contracting see the list of Schedules contracts by clicking here or do a key word search on GSA's online shopping and ordering site GSA Advantage.
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How long will it take to get my GSA MAS contract number?
How long it takes to obtain a Schedules contract depends on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the particular Solicitation under which you submit, whether you are eligible for MAS Express, whether you are offering products or services or both, how large your price list is, how technically sound your offer is, and GSA contracting officer workloads. GSA has 90-120 days to review an offer and make an award once the offer is submitted to it. A GSA Schedules contract can therefore take typically anywhere from a few months to a year or more to obtain.
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What is the duration of my Schedules contract?
Schedules contracts are for a base term of 5 years with three additional 5-year option periods, making the total duration as a Schedules contractor potentially 20 years.
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Who can purchase from my GSA MAS contract?
A variety of entities can purchase from you using your GSA pricing. Click here for a list of eligible entities. 
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Are there minimum sales requirements?
Yes. GSA requires that a Schedules contractor have $25,000 in sales in the first two years as a contractor and $25,000 annually thereafter.
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Can I cancel my GSA MAS contract?
Yes. Either party (contractor or GSA) can cancel the contract with 30 days written notice. GSA may also cancel your contract for failure to meet minimum sales requirements.
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Does my GSA Schedules contract affect my commercial business?
Yes. Because of GSA's Most Favored Customer pricing method, you will have to monitor what you do commercially in terms of pricing and concessions and how it affects your GSA Schedule pricing.
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Can I sell to state and local governments through my GSA MAS contract?
Yes, on a limited basis. If you are an IT contractor, you can sell to state and local governments through cooperative purchasing, provided the state is a cooperative purchasing state. You may also sell to state and local governments for drug enforcement goods and services as well for disaster recovery.
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What is the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF)?
The IFF is a fee collected by GSA Schedules contractors and remitted to GSA on a quarterly basis. It is .75% of your GSA sales for the quarter.
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What is the False Claims Act (FCA)?
The FCA is a federal (states also have False Claims statutes) whistleblower statute that allows a private individual as well as the government if it so chooses to pursue legal action against those who defraud the government. GSA Schedules contractors are subject to this statute.
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What is the Trade Agreements Act?
The Trade Agreements Act is a federal statute that disallows products from certain countries to be sold to the US government. Your GSA Schedules products must be Trade Agreements compliant.
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As a Schedules contractor, must I accept an order from a buyer?
For orders above the minimum order specified in each Schedule contract up to the maximum order threshold GSA Schedule contractors are obligated to accept orders placed by activities within the executive branch of the federal government. Schedule contractors are not obligated, but are encouraged, to accept orders from agencies and activities outside the executive branch.
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What is a Contractor Team Arrangement (CTA)?
A CTA is an arrangement in which two or more GSA Schedule contractors join together to provide a total solution to meet a customer's needs.
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What is a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)?
A Schedules BPA is an agreement established by a customer with a GSA Schedule contractor to fill repetitive needs for supplies or services.
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