The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Contract is the most widely used government contract. Last fiscal year, GSA MAS sales topped $40 billion. If you have experience in the government market and offer products or services that fall within the GSA MAS categories, your company may benefit from getting a GSA MAS Contract.
If your company is considering getting a GSA contract, here are six reasons to move forward and include a GSA MAS Contract in your govcon strategy:
1. One Contract Serves All
To be clear, holding a GSA MAS Contract does not mean you will never need to obtain another government contract. What it does mean is that you can use your GSA MAS Contract to sell to any federal government buyer, and in some cases, buyers at the state and local level.
2. Reduced Pool of Competition
When an agency issues a bid under the GSA MAS Contract, your pool of competition is reduced in comparison to an open market opportunity. Depending on your industry, the level of competition within the GSA MAS Program will vary. In general, competition is highest among the IT and professional services categories. However, even that can vary at the Special Item Number (SIN) level. For example, while roughly 4,800 companies provide IT services under the GSA MAS Contract, less than 550 companies provide cybersecurity services under the GSA Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) SIN.
3. Increased Visibility
Government buyers, whether federal, state, or local, can go to the GSA eLibrary website at any time to search companies that hold a GSA MAS Contract. They can look up specific companies or search for all companies that provide products or services under a specific category.
Buyers can also use GSA Advantage, an online shopping site for GSA-approved items, to search for companies that offer a specific product or service. If your company offers products, government buyers can purchase those products directly through GSA Advantage.
While GSA platforms provide additional visibility and exposure, you should not rely on them to draw in buyers and direct sales. Do your research and have a sales strategy in place prior to pursuing a GSA MAS Contract.
4. Increased Opportunities
While a GSA MAS Contract is not a requirement to do business with the federal government, it is a preferred contract vehicle for some agencies and even a requirement for some opportunities. Holding a GSA MAS Contract helps you qualify for more opportunities and allows you to access GSA eBuy, an online Request for Quote platform. Limited competition and better product visibility combine with eBuy to expand your potential pool of government contracting opportunities.
5. Shorter Sales Cycle
A different set of rules apply to federal purchases through the GSA MAS Contract. These specialized ordering procedures are designed to streamline the procurement process for federal buyers, which translates to a shorter sales cycle for GSA Contract holders.
The GSA MAS ordering process varies based on different factors, including the dollar value of the opportunity and if the buyer is a purchase card holder or a Contracting Officer. Depending upon the circumstances, a federal agency may be allowed to place an order through your GSA Contract after simply reviewing three other companies on eLibrary.
6. Supports Category Management
While this is a less widely known fact, purchases through your GSA MAS Contract help your buyers meet their Category Management goals. What does that mean? To put it simply, there is a government wide initiative to increase Spend Under Management (SUM), which is spending through contracts that have been vetted to meet Category Management principles of efficiency.
You can inform your Category Management savvy buyers, that your GSA MAS Contract qualifies as Spend Under Management. More specifically, all GSA MAS Contracts are considered at least a Tier 2 Solution, and in some cases, a Best-in-Class solution.
Is a GSA MAS Contract Right for Your Company?
While there are benefits to holding a GSA MAS Contract, is it right for your company? Take our 8 Question Assessment to find out if your company is eligible and ready to pursue a GSA MAS Contract.
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