U.S.-based businesses have many government contracting options to explore across various domains, including federal, state, local, and tribal. Of course, the Federal Government represents the largest of these domains, given that it’s the world’s largest procurer of goods and services. Furthermore, there are numerous agencies within the Federal Government to contract with, one of the largest being the General Services Administration, or GSA.
What is the GSA?
The GSA is a federal agency that facilitates government-wide contracting. Essentially, they centralize the contracting requirements and deliverables for many federal government agencies. GSA accomplishes this via the Public Building Service (PBS) and the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). The Public Building Service is often referred to as the landlord of the government. All federal real estate assets are managed through the PBS. On the other hand, the FAS facilitates the acquisition of goods and services.
What are GSA Schedules?
GSA Schedules are long-term contracts under the GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. A GSA Schedule contract is a time-bound agreement between the federal government and a contractor or an association of vendors.
The objective of the GSA Schedule program is to simplify acquisition processes to ensure that each designated federal department or agency gets requisite goods and services delivered as per the preset terms. The program provides certainty for the federal government and all its departments that essential goods and services are always available. It’s also designed to ensure acquisitions are executed at fair and reasonable prices.
