The General Services Administration, which was established in 1949, is the government agency that provides services, supplies and offices to other federal agencies. If you are hoping to bid on fed contracts, the GSA can be an excellent resource, as they constantly are in need of vendors and suppliers. Here’s a quick look at the GSA, and a bit about how we can help you get started with government contracting.
1. Many Services Are Needed
Often, people mistakenly believe that fed contracts typically only relate to construction or perhaps cleanup efforts after a natural disaster, but there’s something out there for just about every type of business. Perhaps the GSA might need office supplies or IT consulting or janitorial services for itself or for another agency, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
If you go to the GSA website, you can find out more about GSA Schedules. A schedule is basically a government contract with a commercial business. These might be called Federal Supply Schedules or Multiple Award Schedules. There are nine categories of GSA schedules, and within those categories, you find subcategories known as Special Item Numbers (SINs).
For example, under the Office Management category, you’ll find 10 schedules, including Schedule 75, which encompasses Office Products/Supplies and Services and New Products. If you can provide any of the supplies or services listed under this schedule, this might be a good match for your fed contract. Some of the supplies listed under this section include paper, office furnishings, toner cartridges, calculators, shredders, writing instruments and more. Some of the services include providing an on-site office supply store for the GSA or perhaps imprinting services.
But this is just one example, other categories include Facilities & Construction, Human Capital, Industrial Products & Services, Information Technology, Medical, Professional Services (including tasks such as advertising and language services), Security & Protection, and, lastly, Travel, Transportation & Logistics Services. Before you decide to bid on fed contracts, it can be wise to peruse these categories to see if you offer the needed services or supplies.
2. GSA Offers Help For Small Businesses
If you head to GSA.gov, you’ll find that there is an entire section devoted to resources for small businesses. Once you’ve completed your System for Award Management (SAM) registration and have determined that you do have a service or product that GSA needs, you can start the process of applying for these GSA fed contracts. However, GSA highly recommends that you start out as a subcontractor and work with a prime contractor that already has experience with government contractor, we also recommend this plan.
Of course, this is just one resource for small businesses. We also recommend that you utilize the resources of the Small Business Administration (SBA). The website for this government agency provides tons of helpful information for small businesses, and you can go here to learn more about set-aside codes. The government sets aside a specific percentage of annual government contracts for different types of small businesses. For example, a portion of government contacts are “set-aside” for veteran-owned small businesses. If you qualify as a small business and qualify for one of the set-aside codes, it can be easier to bid on government contracts successfully.
3. You Can Purchase From GSA
While you might be interested in what you can do for GSA, it’s also wise to consider what GSA can do for you. The GSA’s main purpose is to provide services and supplies to other government agencies; however, they often sell off surplus federal property to the public, and this can be a way to find some good deals.
If you head to GSAAuctions.gov, you’ll find a wide variety of items that are available to bid on. There usually are many vehicles up for auctions, as the GSA supplies cars, trucks and vans to government agencies, and often will have a surplus. But we also often see items such as office furniture, medical equipment, computer equipment and, if you need an affordable helicopter, ambulance or perhaps an antique silver tea set, GSA may be the place to go.
Of course, in order to be eligible to bid on fed contracts, you’ll need to complete your SAM registration. SAM registration is free, but it is an intensive process, often frustrating, that can take 15 to 20 hours (or more) to complete. If you wish to bypass this frustration, the team at Federal Contractor Registry can help. We are a third-party SAM registration service, and while we do charge a fee, we can save you tons of time and make it easier to get started with government contract. Too often, companies don’t take advantage of the many fed contracts available simply because the SAM registration process is too daunting, and that’s a shame, because there are some amazing opportunities available. If you have become frustrated with the SAM registration process, feel free to give us a call at any time and we’ll complete the process as quickly as possible, and you’ll soon be ready to bid on government contracts.