Our training and facilitation firm has a good track record with commercial clients and a few state-level contracts for professional development. We're looking to expand into federal contracting, and everyone keeps mentioning a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract as the way to go. I've looked at the GSA website, and it talks about submitting an offer, but it's not clear what that process actually entails or how long it realistically takes. I've heard stories about it taking forever, and others about it being quick. Also, once you're on a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract, what are the ongoing obligations? What kind of reporting is involved, are there fees, and what about modifications? We're a small business, and I need to understand the commitment before we dive in. For our services, the most relevant NAICS code is 611430, Professional and Management Development Training. What's the actual offer process like, from start to finish, and what are the true costs and time commitments to maintain a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract once you have one?
How do I get on a GSA Schedule, how long does it take, and what does it cost to maintain?
Ask a question- Getting a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract involves preparing a comprehensive offer package, and the timeline can vary significantly.
- The process starts with identifying the correct MAS solicitation for your services, which for NAICS 611430 would be the Professional Services Schedule.
- You then gather all required documentation, including fin
2 answers
Getting a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract involves preparing a comprehensive offer package, and the timeline can vary significantly. The process starts with identifying the correct MAS solicitation for your services, which for NAICS 611430 would be the Professional Services Schedule. You then gather all required documentation, including financial statements, past performance references, and a detailed pricing proposal. You will also need to be registered in SAM.gov. Once submitted, GSA contracting officers review the offer for compliance with the solicitation requirements and negotiate pricing. This back-and-forth can take several months to over a year, depending on the complexity of your offer and GSA's workload. My firm's initial offer took about ten months from submission to award. The MAS is continuously open, so new offers can be submitted at any time.
Priya, once you have your GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract, you will need to report sales quarterly through the GSA Sales Reporting Portal and pay the Industrial Funding Fee (IFF), which is 0.75% of all sales. You also need to keep your SAM.gov registration active by renewing it every 365 days. Modifications to your schedule, such as adding new services or updating pricing, are submitted through the eMod system, and these can take several weeks to process depending on the complexity and GSA workload. Grace is correct that the offer process is detailed and time-consuming.