In order to obtain a GSA Schedule contract, you will need to make your business eligible by fulfilling the requirements of the GSA set by the government of the United States.
The government has developed certain types of contracts for the businesses of the United States to give them support and prosper in the federal market. The government agencies prefer buying from GSA-certified companies because they give assurance and guarantee on the products and services that they are selling. With the GSA Schedule contracts, the government is also able to purchase products and services at reasonable rates.
Federal contractors are able to sell to government agencies in an easier way. There are various kinds of advantages that GSA-certified federal contractors can get. However, before getting all the benefits you will need to go through the process of the GSA Schedule application.
In this blog, we are going to let you know about the GSA Schedule application so that you can obtain GSA Schedule contracts from government agencies.
Understand the concept of the procedure to obtain GSA Schedule contracts
The procedure of obtaining a GSA Schedule contract is more than completing just a few GSA Schedule application forms and attaching some documents. The process entails:
A comprehensive review of GSA Solicitation documents.
Determining a comprehensive GSA pricing strategy.
Disclosing sales practices as required by law.
Preparing and submitting a GSA proposal.
Going through the due diligence of GSA and the negotiation process.
Misconception about GSA Schedule application
Some people think that there is no such thing as a GSA Schedule application but that’s not true. We have already said that the procedure of obtaining a GSA Schedule contract is more than completing the GSA Schedule application forms. You cannot expect to obtain a GSA Schedule contract just by going completing the procedure. You need to respond to a comprehensive GSA solicitation that is appropriate and suitable to your business.
The contract officers of GSA use the information to ensure that company of the applicants are qualified enough to obtain GSA Schedule contracts and do business in the federal market.
Understand the procedure
We have divided the procedure into four stages:
The first stage – in this stage applicants prepare and submit the required documents and proposal to the General Service Administration (GSA).
The second stage – In this stage, GSA review and clarification is involved.
The third stage – In this stage government agencies go through the process of GSA contract negotiation with the companies of the applicants to come to a point.
The fourth stage – The companies get rewarded with GSA contracts.
Let’s understand each stage precisely.
First stage
The first stage involves the submission of documents and proposals. Based upon solicitation you will have to prepare and submit the required documents to the GSA. You will need to follow all the policies and standards of the GSA to increase the chances of approval. Make sure to read the solicitation and understand the required documents carefully. Understand the different types of standards and formats of the General Service Administration (GSA).
Second stage
The second stage is all about GSA review and clarifications. Your application will be assigned to a contracting officer of GSA after you submit all the required documents. Within the next four months, your GSA Schedule application and proposal will be reviewed. If your GSA Schedule application gets declined or rejected by the GSA due to lack of information or any invalid information you may need to re-submit your GSA Schedule application. For clarification and minor issues, the contracting officer will reach out to you so make sure you respond to it. You may need to make necessary changes to your GSA Schedule application.
Third stage
This stage is about negotiating with the representative of the GSA to come to a single point that is fair for both the government agencies and the federal contractors. During the revision of the proposal implement changes to get to the last stage of the procedure.
Fourth stage
This is the last stage of the procedure where federal contractors or we can say qualified companies get awarded GSA Schedule contracts. In the contract itself, the terms and conditions are mentioned.
Conclusion
So now you know everything about the procedure to obtain a GSA Schedule contract. Go through the process of the GSA Schedule application without making any mistakes. After obtaining the GSA certification your business will be benefitted for sure.
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