What is a GSA Schedule or a GSA Contract?

Posted by Irv on April 18th, 2006

GSA Schedules

A GSA schedule is an unfunded, long-term contract that lists the prices the federal government has agreed to pay for a product or service provider’s commercial goods and services. There are 62 categories of products and services from which GSA buys; those are known as “Schedules”. The Schedules apply to GSA’s three business lines:

Public Buildings Service:

Lease
Construction
Building Services
Security Services

Federal Technology Service:

Telecommunications Services and Equipment
Network Services
Information Technology Solutions

Federal Supply Service:

Office Equipment and Supplies
Paper Products
Scientific Equipment
Paints and Chemicals
Automated Data Processing Equipment and Services (Software, Training and Integration)
Motor Vehicles (cars, trucks, buses, ambulances, etc.)
Furniture (office and household)
Hand Tools and Appliances
Office Furnishings
Services (EEO, Travel and Transportation, Organizational Management, Federal Management, Financial Management, Temporary Clerical Support, Conference Planning, Temporary Professional Support, Health Care Cost Recovery, Asset Management)

A GSA contract can be renewed for three five-year periods, resulting in a 20-year total contract if all the renewal options are executed. While a GSA Schedule is an official federal contract, it is not funded, so if you win a GSA contract it does not mean that you will automatically have products or services to deliver immediately. Funding occurs only when an order is signed by a federal agency.

How Do I get on a GSA Schedule?

If you are interested in becoming a GSA schedule contractor, you must first submit an offer in response to the GSA Schedule solicitation that applies to you.

Visit the GSA’s webpage for “Getting on Schedule” to find out detailed information. This page lists multiple ways for you to identify the GSA solicitation that matches your supplies or services.

How are GSA Contracts Funded?

GSA contracts are funded by the Federal Government. Orders are placed with the GSA Schedule coordinator; the goods or services are made directly available to the client. Although the GSA schedules are related to the Federal Government through funding, the GSA Schedules program reflects commercial buying practices more than any other federal procurement processes.

What Other Types of Contractual Schedules are There?

Multiple Award Schedules (MAS)
MAS schedules apply to awarded companies who supply comparable commercial supplies and services at varying prices. Instead of sticking to strict guidelines like in the GSA contracts, MAS contracts provide clients with more variety and flexibility, with the ability to select the best value for the services they need at the lowest overall cost alternative – such as special features, pricing, administrative costs, etc. Orders placed result in the lowest cost alternative to meet the needs of the government, according the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
Single Award Schedules (SAS)
SAS schedules apply to contracts with one supplier for a specific product, bound to a stated price and delivered to a specific geographic area defined in the schedule.
Currently, GSA has one Single Award Schedule. The JWOD Schedule contains a variety of products manufactured by people who are blind or have other severe disabilities. The JWOD Schedule is awarded to the National Industries for the Blind under the Javits-Wagner-O’Day (JWOD) Act.

More Information from Government Contracting Best Practices
Make sure you’re finding all the federal government opportunities available for bid, learn why you should expand your government business opportunities beyond GSA contracts, and find the federal government acquisiton resources to help you do it.