How to Get on GSA Schedule

What Is the GSA MAS?

The GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), formerly known as the Federal Supply Schedule or GSA Schedule, is the largest government-wide contract vehicle in the federal procurement system. Administered by the General Services Administration, the MAS program provides federal, state, and local government agencies with a simplified process for acquiring commercial products and services at pre-negotiated prices.

In 2019, GSA consolidated over 20 separate schedule contracts into a single MAS vehicle. Today, the MAS covers nearly every category of commercial products and services the government buys -- IT equipment, software, consulting, facilities maintenance, scientific research, and more.

A GSA Schedule contract gives your business a pre-approved vehicle through which federal agencies can buy your products or services without running a full competitive procurement. Agencies trust GSA Schedule pricing because GSA contracting officers have already vetted and negotiated it. The result: government buyers can purchase from you with far less friction.

The MAS contract has a 20-year term, consisting of an initial 5-year base period and three 5-year option periods. This long-term structure provides stability and reduces the need for repeated recompetition.

Eligibility Requirements

GSA has specific requirements that businesses must meet before applying for a MAS contract:

• Active SAM.gov registration. Your business must be registered in the System for Award Management with current and accurate information. See our SAM.gov registration guide for details.
• Financial stability. GSA reviews your financial statements to ensure your company is financially viable. You must provide balance sheets and income statements, typically for the two most recent fiscal years. A Dun & Bradstreet report is also reviewed.
• Past performance. You need to demonstrate a track record of successfully providing the products or services you intend to offer on the schedule. GSA typically requires a minimum of two years of corporate experience and at least two past performance references.
• Commercial pricing. The products or services you offer must be commercially available, meaning you sell them to non-government customers. GSA negotiates pricing based on your commercial sales data, so you need an established pricing history.
• Adequate accounting system. For services offered on a time-and-materials (T&M) or labor-hour basis, your accounting system must be capable of tracking costs by contract and task order.
• Technical qualifications. Depending on the Special Item Numbers (SINs) you are applying for, you may need to demonstrate specific technical certifications, clearances, or qualifications.

SIN Categories

The MAS is organized by Special Item Numbers (SINs), which categorize the products and services available under the contract. When applying, you select the SINs that align with what your business offers. Major SIN categories include:

• IT (Large Category). Covers IT professional services, software, cloud computing (SIN 518210C), IT security, telecommunications, and IT hardware. This is the most heavily used category on the MAS.
• Professional Services. Management consulting, engineering, environmental, financial, logistics, and marketing/communications services.
• Facilities. Facilities maintenance, janitorial, pest control, fire protection, furniture, and building management services.
• Industrial Products & Services. Tools, hardware, industrial machinery, safety equipment, and related services.
• Office & Scientific. Office supplies, lab equipment, scientific instruments, and photographic equipment.
• Security & Protection. Security guard services, alarms, surveillance equipment, and law enforcement supplies.
• Transportation & Logistics. Vehicle leasing, fleet management, shipping, and packaging services.
• Human Capital. Training, staffing, organizational development, and HR consulting.

Choosing the right SINs is critical. Apply only for SINs where you have genuine capabilities and past performance. Adding SINs you cannot support weakens your proposal and slows the evaluation process.

Application Process & eOffer

The GSA Schedule application is submitted through eOffer, GSA's online proposal submission system. The process typically takes four to six months from initial submission to contract award, though timelines vary based on GSA workload and the completeness of your submission.

The major steps in the application process are:

1. Pathway selection. GSA offers two pathways: the Federal Supply Schedule (FFS) pathway for companies new to GSA, and the Springboard pathway specifically for small businesses pursuing their first GSA contract. Springboard has simplified requirements for qualifying businesses.
2. Document preparation. Gather the required documents including your commercial price list, Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) format or CSP-1, financial statements, past performance references, technical proposal, digital certificate for eOffer, and any SIN-specific documentation.
3. eOffer registration. Create an account on the eOffer/eMod system. You will need a digital certificate from a GSA-approved Certificate Authority to sign and submit your offer.
4. Proposal submission. Complete all sections of the eOffer template, upload supporting documents, and submit your proposal electronically.
5. GSA review and negotiations. A GSA contracting officer reviews your proposal and may request clarifications, additional documentation, or revisions. Expect at least one round of questions. The contracting officer will also negotiate your pricing.
6. Final proposal revision (FPR). After negotiations, you submit a final version of your offer incorporating all agreed-upon changes and pricing.
7. Award. Once GSA is satisfied with your final proposal, the contract is awarded and your products/services are listed on GSA Advantage (the online shopping platform).

Pricing & Commercial Sales Practices

Pricing is the most scrutinized element of a GSA Schedule application. GSA's objective is to obtain “Most Favored Customer” (MFC) pricing — meaning your GSA prices should be equal to or better than the best prices you offer to your most-favored commercial customers for comparable quantities and terms.

The Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) disclosure is a critical document where you describe your pricing structure, discount policies, and the prices you charge different categories of customers. GSA uses this information to negotiate your Schedule prices. Key considerations include:

• Price consistency. Your GSA pricing must be consistent with your commercial pricing. If you offer a 20% discount to your best commercial customers, GSA will expect at least a comparable discount.
• Basis of award customer. You designate a “basis of award” customer or customer category whose pricing serves as the benchmark for your GSA rates. Choose this carefully, as it establishes the floor for negotiations.
• Price reductions clause. The Price Reductions Clause (PRC) in your GSA contract requires you to maintain the relationship between your GSA prices and your commercial prices. If you reduce prices to your basis of award customer, you must offer a corresponding reduction to GSA.
• Economic price adjustments. The contract includes mechanisms for periodic price increases based on market conditions, typically tied to the Bureau of Labor Statistics indices or an annual escalation cap.

GSA pricing trips up most first-time applicants. Working with a consultant who has been through the process can help you avoid mistakes that delay or derail your application.

Industrial Funding Fee (IFF)

GSA funds the MAS program through the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF), a fee assessed on all sales made through your Schedule contract. The current IFF rate is 0.75% of total reported sales.

As a Schedule contractor, you are responsible for reporting your GSA sales quarterly through the 72A reporting system and remitting the IFF payment. Reports are due within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter. Failure to report or pay the IFF on time can result in contract cancellation.

The IFF should be factored into your pricing strategy. Most contractors build the 0.75% fee into their Schedule prices so that it does not reduce their margins. This is an accepted practice and GSA expects it.

Contract Modifications

After your GSA Schedule contract is awarded, you will need to modify it over time to add new products or services, update pricing, change administrative details, or add SINs. Modifications are submitted through the eMod system, which is the post-award companion to eOffer.

Common modification types include:

• Economic Price Adjustment (EPA). Request price increases based on market conditions or index changes. EPAs are typically limited to once per year.
• Add SIN. Expand your contract to cover additional product or service categories. Adding SINs requires supporting documentation similar to the original application for those categories.
• Add/delete products or services. Update your catalog to reflect new offerings or remove discontinued items.
• Administrative changes. Update your company name, address, points of contact, or other administrative information.
• Option exercise. Extend your contract into the next option period before the current period expires.

Maximizing Your GSA Schedule

Holding a GSA Schedule is only the first step. Many companies win a Schedule contract and then wait for orders that never come. A GSA Schedule is a sales tool, not a passive listing. To generate real revenue from it:

• Market actively to agencies. GSA does not market on your behalf. You must identify target agencies, connect with contracting officers and program managers, and promote your Schedule offerings. Search for opportunities through GSA contract listings on Drexault.
• Optimize your GSA Advantage listing. Ensure your products and services are accurately described with competitive pricing on GSA Advantage. Many government buyers search GSA Advantage directly when they have a purchase need.
• Pursue BPAs. Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) are streamlined ordering agreements that agencies establish with specific Schedule contractors for recurring needs. BPAs can provide predictable, long-term revenue.
• Pursue state and local sales. GSA Schedule contracts are available to state and local governments through the Cooperative Purchasing program (for IT and security products) and the Disaster Purchasing program. This expands your addressable market beyond federal agencies.
• Maintain compliance. File IFF reports on time, keep your catalog current, respond to contract audit requests promptly, and complete the annual Contractor Assessment Reporting requirements. Non-compliance can result in contract cancellation and loss of your GSA vehicle.
• Combine with other vehicles. Your GSA Schedule can complement other contract vehicles like IDIQ contracts and agency-specific BPAs. Having multiple vehicles gives agencies more ways to do business with you.