One detailed and effective submission to the U.S. General Services Administration for a GSA Schedule contract means you are pre-qualified to sell to any U.S. government entity.
The GSA Schedules Program with the U.S. government is similar to the Master Standing Offer arrangement with the Canadian government. By virtue of Canada having signed the NAFTA agreement, Canadian firms can obtain a GSA Schedule contract award.
- Don’t put yourself at a disadvantage If
your market is government, you are putting yourself at a disadvantage by not having a procurement vehicle U.S. government buyers can use to buy your product – can you really afford not to have a GSA Schedule if you are selling to government markets in the U.S. ?
- The GSA Schedules program is popular U.S. government procurement officers use it because it allows them to buy goods and services easily. They don’t have to worry about tendering and all the delays, costs and pitfalls of going to full and open competition. By using the GSA Schedule, procurement officers need only to look at a few other “equivalent” products, make their decision, then buy – usually within a few days or weeks.
- The GSA “seal of approval” As a GSA Schedule qualified supplier, you are qualified to sell to the U.S. government. Without this, you will likely have a more difficult time selling your product directly to this market. U.S. Government procurement officers tend to buy on best value, not lowest price, so your value proposition in meeting their missions and goals is important.
- Fast payment options Many products and services bought off the GSA Schedule are paid using government purchase cards – Visa or MasterCard – thus, you may be able to get paid before shipment happens.
What to expect
In Phase I – the submission
Your GSA Schedules submission team is familiar with thereferences to the FARs (Federal Acquisition Rules and Regulations) and will work with you through the complex U.S. government contracting language. They can help identify which of the requirements stipulated in the solicitation
for a GSA Schedule award are not applicable to you as a Canadian firm. Your CCC project manager will request all the information required to build an effective submission so be prepared to work closely through the initial fact-gathering stage.
Our strategic partners, the Washington Management Group (WMG) in D.C., evaluate the draft submission for one GSA category to best position your offer. They advise on pricing issues, competition and provide a customized report on which U.S. federal agencies buy your type of product or service.
CCC will work with you to prepare the final version of the submission that you will deliver directly to GSA under your signature.
Preparing the submission to GSA can take several weeks or months depending on the complexity of the offer. The GSA then evaluates the submission, a process that can take several months to complete.
In Phase II – Post-award marketing
Once you have your GSA Schedule contract award, your annual fee to CCC covers your membership in the Coalition for Government Procurement—a non-profit group based in Washington D.C. The Coalition provides networking opportunities for its 350 members, all of which are GSA Schedule holders.
Together these members account for approximately 70 percent of the dollar volume of GSA Schedule contracts. GSA encourages teaming among GSA Schedule holders, so your membership in the Coalition is an effective vehicle for exploring teaming options.
The Coalition also offers seminars to keep its members up to date on various topics related to selling to the U.S. government.
What we need from you
You will be asked to sign a service agreement for $18,500 plus GST for the submission phase of the service. A variety of payment options are available. Comparatively speaking, many DC firms will charge between US$20,000 and US$50,000 for a GSA submission. You must be a Canadian company to qualify for this
exclusive package rate.
We’ll need information on your company, the product or service you are selling, and specific information on your pricing models.
Should you be approved by GSA, a second service agreement with CCC will be established—at a fee of $2,500 annually for a period of five years. This agreement ensures you get the marketing and networking support you need to succeed in this market.
Questions? Contact Bruce Fox at (613) 995-5171.
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