To put it most simply, it makes transactions exponentially easier and less risky for federal buyers. I have gone into detail the ways a GSA Schedule makes it easier for a federal buyer to purchase from a small business supplier. The list shows how a GSA Schedule has a marked advantage in all six areas purchasing agents care about.
Category |
Advantage of a GSA Schedule |
Risk Reduction |
-Reduced schedule risk (speed of Multiple Award Schedules |
Savings |
-Time Savings because Enterprise Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) can be done in 3-6 months -Money Savings because of the cost for each day’s delay |
Flexibility |
-Ability to use On and Off Ramps (Ability to add/cancel new vendors to BPAs) |
Efficiency |
-Building with the use of an already established contract -Contractors already have shown they are determined and responsible -Contractors have met all required clearances |
Value |
-Contractors have received Training and Support throughout the process (both classroom and online) |
Control |
-Flexibility in ad agency-specific clauses and provisions |
This compilation of advantages the GSA Schedule System brings to small business are why the average firm with a GSA Schedule generates well over $1MM per year in federal sales just from their schedule.
Results
Small Businesses selling on the GSA Schedule System account for 37.2% of federal procurement or $13.6B in annual sales. These 12,000 firms therefore average over $1MM each in federal contracts. This compares favorably to the 23.8% of all federal contracting dollars small business have federal government-wide.
If your firm would like to determine the potential federal market size of your product or service, and/or are interested in exploring the future business development potential of a GSA Schedule (alone or coupled with an 8(a) Certification), I always recommend contacting an industry expert such as Advance GSA. They can be reached at (303)810-4580 and do not charge for an initial consultation.
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