Installment 51: Mastering the GSA Schedules Program
*** SELLING TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ***
Welcome to our new "back to basics" series called "SELLING TO
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT." In some cases we touch on issues already
addressed in our popular series "DOING BUSINESS WITH GOVERNMENT," but
with new angles and insights.
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Join Us in Atlanta, GA May 4th for Winning Government Business, a
Fedmarket.com one-day seminar event.
The seminar is based on our popular email installment series, "Doing
Business with Government", and is conducted by Eileen Kent, procurement
and contracting expert. Ms. Kent will expand upon the information
contained in the installment series and will bring her own experiences
in the field.
"Winning Government Business" provides you with the knowledge and advice
you need to demystify the government sales process.
Gain understanding and synthesize the vast amount of information available
on entering the U.S. government sales markets.
For details http://www.fedmarket.com/productTour/seminar/index.php
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Installment 51: Mastering the Foreign Language Known as the GSA Schedules
Program
Small businesses new to federal contracting almost always find General
Services Administration (GSA) schedules mysterious and confusing. Some are
perplexed by the nebulous concept of entering into a contract with the federal
government before a need for your products or services exists. Many
prospective contractors complain that they cannot locate the GSA website.
Those who successfully locate the website often encounter difficulties finding
the list of products and services covered by GSA schedules. Others complain
about the challenges of identifying the Request for Proposal ("RFP") that
applies to your company's products or services. Those persistent few able
to navigate through these difficulties then encounter the applicable RFP
that seems to be written in a foreign language.
Wading through the RFP
The GSA schedule RFP's are definitely not reader friendly. You will find that
the RFP contains strange, unfamiliar terms and is written in what we call
"government speak." Most RFP's exceed one hundred pages in length and are
printed in small font. A list of some of the RFP's more important sections
follows:
* Standard, boilerplate federal contract clauses (with some far more
important than others).
* The RFP's certifications and representations section requiring the
prospective contractor (also known as the "Offeror")to certify that
certain statements are accurate and true.
* The provisions pertaining to the proposal's preparation (which are
often far too short and more often confusing).
* The section pertaining to how the Offeror's proposal will be evaluated
(again, usually far too brief).
* Those provisions pertaining to the post-award process and the
expectations of the contractor once an award is granted.
For those businesses still eager to get started with a federal sales program,
you may begin by following the steps below:
1. Go to the GSA web site, http://www.gsa.gov.
2. Find the list of the GSA schedules at
http://www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov/ElibMain/ElibHome.
Then click on "Federal Supply Schedule Listing" at the top of the page.
3. Once you have identified the GSA schedule that applies to your product or
service, click on the appropriate link to Requests for Proposals at
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=8133&contentType=GSA_BASIC.
Then click on the solicitation for the schedule covering your product or service.
/-------------------------advertisement---------------------------
Join Us in Atlanta, GA May 4th for Winning Government Business, a
Fedmarket.com one-day seminar event.
The seminar is based on our popular email installment series, "Doing
Business with Government", and is conducted by Eileen Kent, procurement
and contracting expert. Ms. Kent will expand upon the information
contained in the installment series and will bring her own experiences
in the field.
"Winning Government Business" provides you with the knowledge and advice
you need to demystify the government sales process.
Gain understanding and synthesize the vast amount of information available
on entering the U.S. government sales markets.
For details http://www.fedmarket.com/productTour/seminar/index.php
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Thanks for reading and, as always, best of luck in your business.
Feel free to contact me with thoughts or suggestions. If you need help
with product sales, call or write as follows: (888) 661-4094 x8,
sales@fedmarket.com.
Regards,
Richard White, President
Fedmarket.com
rwhite@fedmarket.com
(208) 726-5553 X18
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