1. U.S. GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION
“Building Small Business Capacity
for the 21st Century”
Maureen Cruz

2. Understanding and Entering the
GSA’s Multiple Award
Schedules System

3. OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS UTILIZATION
As GSA’s small business advocate,
we engage in strategies to create
and identify procurement
opportunities for small businesses
seeking to do business with the
federal government.

4. GSA’S TWO BUSINESS LINES
Federal Acquisition Public Buildings
Service Service

5. Federal Acquisition Service
Telecommunications Services
and Equipment
Information Technology
Solutions Products

6. PUBLIC BUILDINGS SERVICE
• Facility Maintenance and Management
Services
• Construction Services
• Janitorial Services
• Real Estate Services

7. FIRST STEPS TO START DOING BUSINESS
WITH GSA
In order to do business with GSA and other Federal agencies,
it is mandatory that you have:
Dun and Bradstreet Number (D&B) - Also known as a DUNS Number -
www.dnb/com
Register your company with the Central Contracting Registration (CCR) -
www.ccr.gov
On line Representation and Certification (ORCA)-
www.bpn.gov/orca
Past Performance Rating –
www.openratings.com

12. Multiple Award Schedule (MAS)
Under the MAS (also referred to as GSA Schedules and
Federal Supply Schedules) Program, GSA establishes
long-term governmentwide contracts with commercial
firms to provide access to over 11 million commercial
supplies and services that can be ordered directly from
GSA Schedule contractors or through the GSA
Advantage!® online shopping and ordering system.

13. FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE
CONTRACTS
Schedules contracts are:
 Five year contracts, with three five-year
option for approved vendors to provide
products/services to any Federal agency
 Chosen as the “preferred source of supply”
by DOD and most civilian agencies

14. FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULES
CONTRACTS ARE…...
 “License to hunt” for opportunities in the
federal government
 Synonymous with a “GSA number” or
“getting on GSA list”
 Over 80% of Schedule contract holders are
small business owners

15. WHERE DO I FIND THE APPROPRIATE
SCHEDULES SOLICITATION?
 FedBizOpps
www.fbo.gov
 Central Contractor Registration (CCR)
www.ccr.gov
 GSA Subcontracting Directory
www.gsa.gov/subdirectory
GSA Forecast of Contracting Opportunities
www.gsa.gov/smbusforecast

16. SUCCESSFUL SCHEDULES OFFER
CHECKLIST
 GSA Standard Form 1449 (cover sheet)
 Administrative Proposal
 Technical Proposal
 Price Proposal
 Open Ratings Past Performance evaluation (formerly
Dun and Bradstreet)
 Commercial Sales Practice Format
 Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA)
 Original and one copy of each proposal

17. ADMINISTRATIVE PROPOSAL
 GSA SF 1449 with designated blocks completed
 Submit an original and one copy of each proposal
 Electronic transmissions are accepted by some
Acquisition Centers
 All “fill-in” information completed
 Identify Special Item Numbers (SINS)
 Two copies of your dated commercial
pricelist (printed, computer generated
and copies of internal pricelists)
 Online Representations and Certifications completed
(ORCA)

18. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL
 Understanding of Requirements
 Description of the services offered per SIN
 Professional Staff
 Resumes of professional staff to be assigned work resulting
from the contract.
 Education credentials and demonstrated successful
experience required
 Corporate Experience
 Descriptions of work performed within the past two years
 Customer agency or firm name, name of person whom work
was performed, and telephone number for verification, if
necessary
 Submit an original and one copy

19. PRICE PROPOSAL
 Two copies of company’s commercial pricelist/catalog
indicating what products/services are offered
 Cost information should show how offeror arrived at
proposed prices
 Include Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) of .75% in price
proposal
 Prices submitted should be most favored commercial
customer prices
 Government Price, Commercial Price, Government Discount
 Submit an original and one copy

20. COMPONENTS OF A COMPLETE
OFFER
 Prepare Admin., Technical, and Price Proposals (an
original and copy of each)
 Commercial sales practice format
 Open Ratings Past Performance completed
 Additional data such as but not limited to:
- letter of supply from manufacturer
- any supporting documentation in pricing proposal
 Representations and certifications completed
 Send to Acquisition Center address in Block 9 of GSA
SF 1449

21. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
PROCESS
 GSA contracting officer will be assigned to
review your offer
 The CO will send a deficiency letter if
additional information is needed
 Pricing negotiations in person or by
telephone

22. CONTRACT NEGOTIATION
PROCESS
 CO will ask for a written final proposal
revision to confirm the terms and conditions
agreed upon.
 Upon award of contract, the CO will return a
copy of the contract to you along with one
copy of the catalog/pricelist.
 CO will send vendor start-up kit for
GSA advantage!

23. GSA ADVANTAGE!
 On-line shopping network that Federal
agencies access to buy products/services
from FSS Schedule Contract Holders
 Vendors can browse by entering a zip code
to view pricing of firms already on Schedule

24. REVIEW OF THE PROCESS…
 YOU: Obtain and Complete Solicitation
 YOU: Start Past Performance Review
 YOU: Submit Completed Offer
 GSA: Evaluate/Review Offer
 GSA/YOU: Negotiate Offer
 GSA: Reject or Accept Offers
 GSA: Issue mailing list to accepted offers
 YOU: If Rejected, request debriefing within 3 days
 YOU: If Awarded, Distribute GSA Pricelist
 YOU: Load information to GSA Advantage
 YOU: Market your New GSA Contract Number

25. EASY STEPS TO CONTRACT AWARD
GSA’s
Your Part Process
 Obtain Solicitation  Evaluate/Review Offer
 www.gsa.gov/elibrary or
www.fbo.gov  Negotiate Discount, Terms and
Conditions
 Start Past Performance Review
 Recommend Award or Rejection
 Open Ratings
(727-329-1184) - If rejected, you have 3 days to
 Complete Solicitation request a debriefing
 See SF 1449 Blocks 7a and  Issue Mailing List for Marketing
b for questions, be sure to  Administer requested
sign 30a and b before modifications/changes to your
submitting contract
 Submit/Mail  This includes exercising your
 See SF 1449 Block #9 for option years (5-year contract
correct address with three 5-year options)

26. How Federal Agencies Order
from Schedules
 Under $3,000 (micro-purchase threshold)
- Order from any schedule contractor
 Over $3,000
- prepare a statement of work
- Look at 3 price lists or “GSA advantage!™”
- Evaluate and make a “best value” selection
 Orders over the maximum order threshold
- Review additional price lists
- Seek price reductions from contractors

27. Blanket Purchase
Agreements
 BPAs provisions included in schedule
contract solicitations.
 Permit schedule users and contractors
to set up “accounts” to fill reoccurring requirements.
 Accounts establish terms, period of time, frequency
of ordering, discounts, delivery locations, etc.

28. Two or more GSA contract holders working together to fulfill
an agencies needs…
Reoccurring Requirements…
Total Solutions for Schedule Partners…

29. MORE BENEFITS…
Reduced Cost
Increased
Visibility

30. WHO CAN BUY FROM SCHEDULE
CONTRACTORS?
 Executive & Other Federal Agencies
 Mixed-Ownership Government
Corporation (FDIC, Federal Home
Loan Banks, etc.)
 The District of Columbia
 Cost Reimbursable Government
Contractors authorized in writing by
a Federal agency (48 CFR 51.1)
 State and Local Government for
Information Technology ONLY
(Cooperative Purchasing)

31. List of SDVOSB Contractors holding GSA
Schedule Contracts
Top 5 NAICS for SDVOSB Federal
Supply Schedule Contractors
541611-ADMINISTRATIVE
MANAGEMENT AND GENERAL
26 MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
37 SERVICES
137 541519-OTHER COMPUTER RELATED
SERVICES
68
541511-Custom Computer Programming
Services
541330-ENGINEERING SERVICES
129
541513-Computer Facilities Management
Services
December 7, 2011

32. Sample List of SDVOSBs that were Awarded GSA Contracts
in FY10

33. MATRIX OF ISSUES/PROPOSED SOLUTIONS
How To Identify a SDVOSB
The following forms identify a SDVOSB:
 DD 214 - Discharge Papers and Separation
Documents
 Adjudication Letter for VA identifying the Veteran
as a service-disable veteran
 Supporting documentation to prove the service-
disabled veteran is the owner of the business
(IAW SBA Rules)

34. VetBiz Registry
(http://www.vip.vetbiz.gov/general_user/search/default.asp)
A “CVE Verified” company
is one that has been verified
as a SDVOSB by The
Center for Veterans
Enterprise (CVE). The CVE
conducts its verifications by
requesting and reviewing a
SDVOSB’s documentation.
If required, the CVE may
conduct an on-site
inspection of the company.
A search can be narrowed
by criteria such as
SDVOSBs only, NAICS
code and keywords.
GSA does not require that a SDVOSB be CVE Verified in order
for it to compete or be awarded GSA procurements.

35. MARKETING STRATEGIES AND
HINTS FOR LOCATING FEDERAL
CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES

36. Post Award Marketing
Market Your GSA Contract. It is
important to remember that your
work is not finished once you
obtain a contract with our agency.
You are now, as a GSA contractor,
a preferred source to our federal
agencies. However, you are still
responsible for letting customers
know you are a GSA contract
holder and what your capabilities
are.

37. MARKETING GSA’S CUSTOMER
AGENCIES
 Obtain from GSA contracting officer or point of
contact a listing of current customer agencies or
those who expressed an interest in the schedule
 Monitor FedBizOpps website
 Obtain information/guidance from Small Business
Offices in the agencies you wish to market
 Review Forecast of Contracting Opportunities

38. HINTS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
IN THE 21ST CENTURY
 Make sure your business has more than one
contracting vehicle in place
 GSA Multiple Award Schedules Contract
 8(a) Certified Business
 Certified Small Disadvantaged Business
 Government-wide Agency Contracts
(GWAC)
 Woman-owned business
 HUBZone Certified
 Blanket Purchase Agreements

39. HINTS FOR SUCCESS
(CONT’D)
 Business cards should indicate what your company does and
it should reflect your new GSA Affiliation
 Distribute GSA approved price list
 Load contract to GSA Advantage!
 Links between your website and GSA Advantage!
 Accept the Government Purchase Card
 Attend GSA Small Business Outreach events, workshop,
seminars, etc.
 Network, network, network

40. HINTS FOR SUCCESS (CONT’D)
 Advertise in the Federal Supply Service magazine
MarkeTips:
- Advertising space is FREE (for now!)
- Magazine distributed to all Schedules
customer agencies
- Published bi-monthly on the first day
of the month of Jan, March, May, July
September, and November
- Each Acquisition Center sets deadlines
for ad materials

41. MENTOR-PROTÉGÉ PROGRAM
 The GSA’s Mentor-Protégé programs focus is to promote the
business development of small businesses and enhance their
capability to compete more successfully for federal government
contracts and gain access to economic opportunity. The program
encourages private-sector relationship and expands GSA’s efforts to
identify and respond to the developmental needs of the small
business community. The working arrangement between both
parties will promote economic and technological growth, promote
and foster the establishment of long-term business relationships
and increase the number of small businesses which receive GSA
and other federal agency and commercial contracts.

42. SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS
 GSA’s broad reach over the acquisition, management, and disposal of
Federal assets provides a unique opportunity to influence the environmental
performance of the entire Government. GSA has the expertise and a history
of leadership in green government, and has demonstrated its capability to
deliver significant improvements in its own environmental performance.
Most importantly, GSA recognizes that it has a responsibility to increase the
sustainability of the Federal government by reducing the environmental
impact of its buildings, products, and services, as well as its processes and
activities. GSA’s mission statement recognizes the convergence of
opportunity, capability and responsibility in a new commitment to achieve a
Zero Environmental Footprint.

43. GSA’s Small Business Utilization Center
Region 5
General Services Administration
Office of Small Business Utilization
230 S. Dearborn Room 3280
Chicago, IL 60604
1-888-353-5383