Whether you call the Multiple Award Schedules program the “GSA Schedules”, “FSS” or “MAS Program”, the fact is that it belongs to contractors nearly as much as it belongs to GSA and the VA. Neither GSA nor the VA can service government customers via the Schedules program without the participation of quality companies. Your company has made a substantial investment in this program and, perhaps like many other firms, it is at the heart of your federal market strategy. You aren’t just bringing your services and products to the program, you’re bringing the quality and brand name recognition that comes along with them. This definitely helps bring customers to this specific contract vehicle. While GSA is doing a lot of things right these days with the Schedules program, if your firm isn’t happy about how your contract is being managed or has an issue with a specific regulation, you have every right to speak up. Associations are one way to make your voice heard, but don’t discount your ability to make change individually, either. It’s a big government and someone will listen to what you have to say. You’re firm is not a second class citizen and your presence on the Schedules program benefits GSA and the VA just as much as it benefits you and the end customer. Take action to change things if you’re not happy with how your program is being run.
New reader J. Timberlake of New York City writes, “My company spent a lot of money getting a GSA Schedule contract, but we’re not getting any business! Now, someone tells us we have to advertise and market ourselves. Isn’t the government just supposed to buy from our Schedule contract?” Sorry, J, but to keep your sales in sync with expectations, yes, all Schedule Read more
If your contract compliance program isn’t up to date, the government could make tater salad – or worse – of your company’s contract profits. Making sure that you, A. have a compliance program and, B. that it is up to date, really are the very best preventative medicines you can buy. While “pre-existing conditions” are o.k. with the ACA, that’s not so with contract problems. Call Allen Federal. We have extensive experience in working with companies to ensure they can comply, and sell, through their Schedule contracts. Contact Allen Federal today at info@allenfederal.com to see how we can make your company ready for the coming federal buying season.
Is it possible to use commercial e-commerce platforms for commercial item buys of any size and still meet government acquisition rules? That is the fundamental question facing GSA and OMB as they move forward to try and do just that in response to a Congressional mandate. The early signs, frankly, are not encouraging, and it may well be up to contractors to maintain integrity in commercial item procurement.
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Federal News Radio recently reported on a GSA plan for the agency to use technology to automate administrative contracting actions to speed up the contract management process. Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, could ease workflow issues by making “cut and paste” mods easier and faster. It is also 100% likely to increase errors that already exist from manual cutting and pasting, mistakes that have already cost contractors millions. Cut and paste errors are rife within the Schedules program. Merely automating the process without providing necessary training or oversight will substantially increase a contractor’s risk of non-compliance. Think your Basis of Award is state and local government? Surprise, the “cut and paste” mod changed it to “all customers”. Didn’t catch that? Too bad. The GSA IG and the Department of Justice will insist that your new Basis of Award is “all customers” if you didn’t catch the error. That’ll be an eight figure settlement, please. Allen Federal knows of several more instances that have already cost contractors millions in legal fees on cut and paste errors that would make your hair stand on end. Contractors MUST read ALL modifications BEFORE signing them. As for GSA, while we’re all for reducing burdens on the acquisition workforce, automating a process that is already error-prone is not the way to do it.