GSA Focus Blog
Federal Contracting Answers: Straight Talk
May 9, 2012A Company can greatly increase government sales opportunities by tapping into the General Services Administration (GSA). By getting onto a GSA schedule, a company can minimize competition and save time. For example, GSA Schedules 84 & 70 let state and … Continue reading
Contractor Rotation and Evaluation Rules
May 8, 2012A study showed in 2011, 29,800 companies took the plunge and decided to do work with the federal government for the first time. These companies were awarded $10.9 Billion in contracts that year or $365,772 in revenue per firm. A … Continue reading
GSA Spending Spree: Editorial
April 16, 2012Josh Ladick – President of GSA Focus, Inc.: For decades the GSA has served the federal government and tax payers alike. The value that the General Services Administration brings to federal acquisition practices is unparalleled, and as a whole this agency is among the … Continue reading
Scandal Prompts Statement from New GSA Chief
General Services Administration chief Dan Tangherlini reprimanded organizers of a Las Vegas training conference in a video on Tuesday, calling their 2010 spending spree “completely unacceptable.” He said “there were violations of travel rules, acquisition rules and good conduct. Those … Continue reading
The GSA is Still Going Green
April 12, 2012In 2011, the GSA eliminated most green-labels, the 12 remaining include Energy-Star (Products) and Bio-Preferred (Chemicals). GSA is conscientiously researching the best Eco-labeling options for specific product offerings. These green certifications will be applied to specific SIN’s, and the GSA … Continue reading
UPC Code Requirements for GSA Contract Products
February 9, 2012Please sign this petition to the White House: http://wh.gov/04H The Reality of the Situation In the past, the General Services Administration (GSA) has received many complaints from contract holders that they do not show in the list of competitors when similar … Continue reading
Free GSA Webinar – “Marketing to the Federal Government”
February 6, 2012There are some great resources that the GSA put out regarding to successfully marketing to the government, with your GSA Contract as a bridge to federal customers. Albeit, many of these are basic, and more-or-less an introduction to federal contracting, however … Continue reading
Resources when completing your CCR
January 25, 2012According to the FAR 4.11, prospective vendors must be registered in CCR prior to the award of a contract; basic agreement, basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchase agreement. According to FAR 52.204-7, to register in CCR, a firm must have a Data … Continue reading
2011 in Review
More federal buyers turn to GSA Contract holders every year because they prefer their pre-approved and pre-negotiated status. 2011 was the busiest year I have seen yet, where the offer review period just about doubled due to the high number … Continue reading
Are you an Effective Time Manager?
January 12, 2012We are constantly striving to improve the effectiveness and the speed of our GSA Contract services. In order to be great at preparing GSA Schedules for my clients, I must be an effective time manager. Recently, I came across a … Continue reading
List of GSA Offer Documents
January 10, 2012I just added this comprehensive list of documents to the page for out GSA Contract: Full Service Plan, but it is also a great list to offer up as a blogpost. Below you will see the DNA of a generic … Continue reading
Tips for Federal Contracting Success
December 20, 2011Contracting Mechanism: GSA Contract is Usually the Easiest Establishing a contracting mechanism breaks down so many barriers for federal buyers. Their job becomes much easier when working with a GSA Contractor because there is much less paperwork. It is all … Continue reading
Business Tools for Government Contractors: Evernote
December 12, 2011I know this is a website about GSA Contracts and Federal Marketing, but I figure if you are reading this you are a Government Contractor and always looking for productivity tools. I have been using Evernote for a few years now, but … Continue reading
Using a GSA Consultant: Random Thoughts
September 23, 2011Most of my customers have researched acquiring a GSA Contract themselves, and some have even tried unsuccessfully several times. Any GSA Contract consultant worth their salt will go out of their way to make sure you understand the major terms … Continue reading
Obama Assures Quicker Payments to Small Federal Contractors
September 20, 2011“If you’re a small-business owner who has a contract with the federal government, we’re going to make sure you get paid a lot faster than you do right now,” Obama said in his address to a joint session of Congress … Continue reading
Contractors Assistance Visit
What to expect when going through a Contractor Assistance Visit (CAV)? What happens if the GSA Report card has bad marks? These questions are answered in detail on the following page of our website: http://www.gsascheduleservices.com/customer-center/contractor-assistance-visit
Price Escalation and your GSA Contract
September 1, 2011There are two options when you need to raise prices on your GSA Contract, and this decision must be made when you are acquiring your GSA Contract. Here is the GSA’s text on the subject, directly from the 03FAC Solicitation … Continue reading
Keeping up with the GSA
August 11, 2011Things change so quickly nowadays in federal acquisition, and the General Services Administration (GSA) is no exception. But, is it important for contractors to keep informed on federal topics? And how do contractors keep up on the GSA’s most up-to-date news? … Continue reading
Webinar: Government Contracting Business Development Best Practices
My friends over at FedBidSpeed are offering a Free Webinar titled “Government Contracting Business Development Best Practices.” Register Now DETAILS: Bidspeed is the only complete opportunity, capture, acquisition, and business development system specifically designed to help you find, manage, and win government … Continue reading
GSA Sustainable Solutions
July 25, 2011On June 28, 2011, The GSA National Capital Region Federal Acquisition Service held the annual Customer Summit for Sustainable Solutions in Washington DC, open to all federal buyers. GSA Contract holders were not invited to the event, of course. However, there … Continue reading
How Much Does a GSA Contract Cost?
July 19, 2011Today we released a new group of articles addressing the question: How much does a GSA Contract cost? There are so many options when it comes to getting a GSA Contract, but they all can be categorized into 3 basic groups … Continue reading
GSA Focus, Inc. Newsletter – Q2/2011
July 13, 2011Follow GSA Focus on FacebookFriend us and keep up to date on GSA Contract topics such as GSA news, Federal Marketing, and more. Click here to connect with GSA Focus on Facebook.>> Follow Us (Follow link, then click the “Like” … Continue reading
What is my NAICS Code?
July 11, 2011Many federal contractors struggle with the endless and confusing acronyms used in the day-to-day of government business. One of the most important acronyms used in federal contracting is the North American Industry Classification System, or NAICS Codes. These codes are used to … Continue reading
A Guide to Winning Federal Contracts
Why create a guide for my customers on how to win federal business when the SBA created one in 2008 that is still mostly relevant today? Before or after getting a GSA Contract, it is important to learn the way … Continue reading
GSA Schedules: A Comprehensive List
July 7, 2011If you are researching which GSA Schedule your company fits into. We have developed an information center on our website which will be very helpful; the List of all GSA Schedules, complete with detailed descriptions. Not suprisingly, there are some … Continue reading
New White Paper: GSA Acquisition Process
July 6, 2011I just posted a new White Paper to the GSA Focus website: In this White Paper, I created a flow chart that outlines the process of acquiring a GSA Contract. From Research & Planning to Submission to Award to Post-award, … Continue reading
GSA Sales Statistics
July 5, 2011The second quarter of 2011 has just come to a close, and I was curious where the GSA sales are at in comparison to past years. Of course, the Q2 sales are still being collected (and I plan on updating … Continue reading
Drowning in Acronyms and Government Codes
June 22, 2011This chart may help you sort out some of the major codes used within CCR. Please also see below for specific questions often asked about some of the codes. For obscure Acronyms, here are some great resources: GovSpeak – A … Continue reading
What is a GSA Contract?
June 21, 2011Many are still new to the federal market, and may be asking why is there no good place to learn the basics about a GSA Contract. Well, if you don’t know what a GSA Contract is, then this is the … Continue reading
How to research GSA Contract Holders
June 16, 2011Have you ever seen a company prospering in the federal market, and wondered how they do it? Below you can learn how to use the public information posted about GSA Contract holders on the GSA websites. I use these methods daily to … Continue reading
Government Contracts: An Introduction
May 13, 2011Acquisition: The federal approach to acquisition begins with an agency’s development of a need. An agency will develop a strategy for the acquisition based on program management activities and determination of the contract type that will best suit the need. … Continue reading
The public sector wants to help the private sector’s next great companies
May 10, 2011The White House Startup America Roundtable recently made a stop in Boulder, Colorado. Over 150 members of the Boulder area business community met with White House officials yesterday to discuss entrepreneurialism and related federal regulations as part of the Obama administration’s Startup America … Continue reading
How Will a Government Shutdown Effect Contractors?
April 7, 2011Many federal employees are definitely effected by a government shutdown, in the form of furloughs. But, how will a government shutdown effect Contractors? The last government shutdown is frequently pointed to as an example, but federal contracting has become much more utilized … Continue reading
Which Countries are Trade Agreement Act Compliant End Products?
April 6, 2011We are frequently asked which countries end-products are Trade Agreement Act (TAA) compliant. This is a very complicated regulation, and careful consideration should always be given to this. If you are unsure of compliance issues with your products with … Continue reading
Woman Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program
April 5, 2011On October 7, 2010, the U.S. Small Business Administration published a final rule effective February 4, 2011, aimed at expanding federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small businesses (WOSBs). The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to … Continue reading
Recovery Act Participation
April 1, 2011Regarding Recovery Act Purchases, most companies agree to participate without considering if Recovery Act dollars are spent by their primary areas of the federal market. Most companies probably participate for no other reason than “Why Not?” There are resources out … Continue reading
Writing Technical Proposals
March 31, 2011Many service-based GSA Schedules require three outlined sections be written for the submission. These sections [1. Administrative, 2. Technical Proposal, and 3. Pricing Proposal], are among the most time consuming part of the process, because there are many questions to … Continue reading
Who can purchase from a GSA Contract
March 18, 2011One of the important questions to ask when you are looking to get your GSA Contract, or market an existing one, is: Who can buy my products or services through a GSA Contract? The answer to this question will reveal … Continue reading
Federal Marketing – Business Development
March 3, 2011Many customers have asked us in the past if we can help with marketing to the government. And we can now say that we offer some very helpful associate services to our customers. GSA Focus has teamed with Government Strategy Advisors, … Continue reading
GSA News – Much is changing
The GSA world is changing so fast. Here are just a few of the major changes taking place: Green Products – In November of 2010, a Green-Only clause was applied to a pair of SIN’s in GSA Schedule 73. In talking to … Continue reading
Pricing and your GSA Contract
February 15, 2011When you are acquiring a GSA Contract, it is arguable that the pricing section is the most important because it has the most impact on your bottom line. A question I am commonly asked is “Do I have to give the government … Continue reading
GSA is Going Green, and Quickly
February 11, 2011There are several new areas in the GSA website sprouting up talking about how the government is going green. This was even a predominant topic in Obamas recent state of the union address. But how will all of these changes … Continue reading
Message from the President
December 30, 2010Greetings. In 2010, we have seen monumental growth in government spending. Let’s jump in to GSA Focus’ 2010 Spending Recap: According to Special Report #78, released in June by The Heritage Foundation, spending in Washington has been accelerating across the … Continue reading
What is GSA Advantage?
October 25, 2010Many GSA Schedule holders have overcome the first part of the battle in beginning to do business with the federal government by successfully obtaining a schedule and achieving contract award. The second stage of the battle is figuring out how … Continue reading
GSA Admin
October 14, 2010Many companies that deal with our competitors are uninformed and believe that once their contract is awarded, they are finished and have fully completed the process necessary to contract with the government. Unfortunately, companies can suffer a loss in order … Continue reading
Websites: A Federal Marketing Must
September 13, 2010It is a huge surprise to find out that many companies hoping to break into the federal market do not tailor their website to federal buyers. In fact, many federal contractors don’t even have a website yet. Here are some reasons to … Continue reading
Services
August 21, 2010GSA Contract Acquisition Services We are a full-service solution for a business looking to acquire their GSA Contract. This means we handle all aspects of obtaining your GSA Contract, which includes gathering information, drafting documents to GSA required format, proposed … Continue reading
What are Procurement Classification Codes?
July 15, 2010It is a daunting task to comb through the different federal codes to classify your business properly in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database, but it is also very important. The US government is not purposefully trying to confuse and … Continue reading
Appealing to Federal Buyers on GSA Advantage!
July 9, 2010Many of the GSA Contract holders on GSAAdvantage! are not reaching their full potential, and their sales suffer as a result. Think about what you go through when you make an online purchase, this is very similar to the process … Continue reading
Eliminating Government Waste – is this a Sham?
July 2, 2010Recently on the Office of Managemet and Budget (OMB) Blog, Director Peter R. Orszag wrote: one of the steps we are taking to cut waste in government and boost performance is establishing a Do Not Pay List, a single source … Continue reading
Keeping Your Energy High in the Office Setting
June 28, 2010I know this is not a post about GSA Contracts or getting on schedule but in order to succeed in business you need drive, and your daily drive to succeed is fueled by energy. So, I have a tip on … Continue reading
Is a GSA Consultant worth the Price?
June 25, 2010Most of my clients use my services because they don’t have the time to dedicate an employee for 6+ months to learn the process. Many call me after receiving a Letter of Rejection. This is a specialized process, with only … Continue reading
GSA Schedule Contracts for Dummies
June 24, 2010Let me start by explaining a little bit about GSA Schedule Contracts. There are 31 different GSA Schedules, and they each have their own number. Under each schedule is a list of sub-categories to describe the different possible products and … Continue reading
Does Getting a GSA Schedule Contract Compromise a Companies Privacy?
June 16, 2010Along the process you will have to provide customer information, financial documents, an org. chart, and much more information that is very personal to a business. I am often asked how secure the documents submitted in a GSA package are kept. … Continue reading
Collecting from the Federal Government
June 15, 2010Many people I talk to are discouraged from getting into the federal market because they say it takes forever for the fed to pay. This is a half-misconception, it can take a long time to collect on a federal invoice … Continue reading
GSA Pricelist Negotiations
May 14, 2010The GSA Contract submission process is extensive, that cannot be denied. But what is the most difficult part? As a professional GSA Contract Acquisition company, we face many challenges, and the largest is finding the sweet spot in price list … Continue reading
How the GSA Purchases
May 11, 2010GSA uses a variety of contracting vehicles to effectively manage procurement for both its own operations and its government customers. 1) GSA Schedules GSA Schedules are also known as Multiple Award Schedules (MAS). In a GSA Contract there is a … Continue reading
I Have My GSA Contract, Now What?
April 14, 2010I have acquired GSA Contracts for many companies, and I have found that there are two very different categories; those with established federal connections and those without. This blogpost is meant for the latter. A GSA Contract is a powerful tool to surpass the barrier to entry in government contracting, but there is still a good deal of work to be done to start winning federal projects. There are generally three approaches, and you may use all strategies together or only one. Continue reading
GSA Invests $4 Billion to Go Green With Federal Buildings
April 12, 2010To transform federal buildings into higher performing, greener buildings, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it awarded construction projects to more than 500 companies creating jobs in all 50 states, 2 territories, and the District of Columbia by investing … Continue reading
Should You Use a GSA Contract Specialist, Or Do It Yourself?
March 30, 2010The ugly truth is that 90% of “in-house” attempts end up rejected by the GSA after their first submission. If you are considering tackling your GSA Contract project “in-house”, you will want to prepare yourself for the potential expenses and … Continue reading
Comparing the Top 8 Federal Bid Services
March 13, 2010So, you want to break into the federal market, but where do you start? Federal projects are posted on FedBizOpps, but this is a very competitive bidding pool. Also, each agency website also has a Business Opportunities section. It is daunting … Continue reading
Top 5 Reasons To Get a GSA Contract
March 4, 2010The Fed spends in great numbers: US Discretionary spending by the federal government is expected to grow 6.5 percent this year. This is more than double the pace of the US economy (GDP). In 2010, government spending on goods and services is … Continue reading
What is the "Buy American Act" and What Does it Say?
March 2, 2010The most important objective of the Buy American Act is to assure that American goods are prioritized when the US government purchases products. The important question is: What is the definition of an American Good? This is found in the … Continue reading
New GSA Administrator Johnson Sworn In
Martha Johnson ushered in a new era at the U.S. General Services Administration on February 16 during a live town hall at GSA headquarters in Washington, DC, that was also webcast to agency employees nationwide. During the event, Johnson challenged GSA’s … Continue reading
2009 Federal Spending on IT Review
January 4, 2010We may be looking at the largest year in federal IT spending in history. Especially because President Obama has stated publicly that a major objective of his is the improvement and updating of government technology infrastructure. Continue reading
VA Will Boost IT Infrastructure in 2010
“Despite the anticipated belt-tightening under the Obama administration, technology opportunities will emerge in FY2010,” according to Input, a company devoted to federal marketing and government business analysis. Input cited the Department of Veterans Affairs with the most potential for federal spending on IT products and services. Continue reading
Federal Contracts are Keeping Many California Businesses Alive
It is common knowledge that government contracts are for companies located around Washington DC, because that is where the majority of government business takes place. However, this is a large misconception, because California receives over 11% of government contracting dollars. It makes sense when you consider that 41 military bases, and hundreds of federal agency offices are located in California. Continue reading
GSA Technology Procurement Director Retiring
December 11, 2009Mary Powers-King, director of governmentwide acquisition contracts and Schedule 70 for GSA’s Integrated Technology Service will retire shortly after the New Year after 31 years of public service. Powers-King came to GSA from the Department of Transportation where she oversaw a … Continue reading
New Federal Procurement Certification
December 7, 2009MCR provides integrated program management services to the federal government, among other things. In a statement on the MCR website dated Dec. 4th they released: “MCR has partnered with American University in Washington, D.C., to create a Senior Program Manager … Continue reading
GSA's Coleman Named Government CIO of the Year By Tech Council of Maryland
November 21, 200911/12/2009 GSA’s Coleman Named Government CIO of the Year By Tech Council of Maryland
GSA Receives Clean Audit Opinion
A clean audit opinion is an indication that the agency’s financial statements and accompanying notes are presented fairly in all material respects and conform to generally accepted accounting principles. It is also an indication that there are no material errors … Continue reading
White House push to reduce contractors is at odds with expanding role of agencies
November 12, 2009President Obama’s ambitious agenda is running head on into its desire to cut contracting. Something has to give.
Quiz: Are you tailor-made for telework?
Take one of our quizzes to see if working remotely works for you.
From Nextgov.com: Will the White House give CIOs more power in the fiscal 2011 budget?
Some see language in fiscal 2010 spending bills as a signal that the Obama administration will grant IT chiefs more spending authority, while others say wait and see.
Tennessee Valley Authority union joins larger engineers federation
Union will work to raise TVA debt ceiling in exchange for compromises on workers’ right to organize.
Bush procurement policy chief will appeal conviction
David Safavian’s argument will revolve partly around the possibility of a vindictive prosecution.
Salary council makes 2011 locality pay rate recommendations
Congress still needs to act on 2010 civilian raise.
Miscounting of stimulus jobs cuts two ways
Spending reports indicate that contract and grant recipients under- and over-counted jobs created and saved.
Procurement nominee stresses importance of building acquisition workforce
Daniel Gordon is a “broadly supported, uncontroversial nomination,” says Senate chairman.
Senator demands answers on firing of AmeriCorps IG
Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, threatens to place holds on nominees if administration does not respond to questions about Gerald Walpin.
EPA: Video takedown order was about ethics, not content
Employees are not allowed to use their position and work at EPA to lend credibility to their personal opinions, officials say.
GSA Breaks Ground on Mariposa Land Port of Entry
November 7, 2009News Release 10/22/2009 GSA Breaks Ground on Mariposa Land Port of Entry
Legislators clash over health care reform's impact on FEHBP
November 5, 2009Republicans say bill could force feds out of their current insurance plans, while Democrats decry claims as scare tactics.
Acting GSA chief says agency is gaining clout
Recovery Act implementation and green government efforts have put GSA at the forefront of the White House’s agenda.
Mullen: Afghanistan troop decision likely in a 'few weeks'
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs lauds troops’ resilience, cites urgent need to address brain injuries.
New alliance hopes to spur new talent in procurement field
Strategic Partnership on Acquisition Recruitment Coalition to focus outreach on university students.
Negotiators race the clock to finish spending legislation
Five of 12 appropriations bills have been sent to President Obama.
DEA veteran to lead DHS drug enforcement
Selection of Grayling Williams signals commitment to interagency coordination.
From Nextgov.com: Cybersecurity regulator for energy has its own vulnerabilities
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hadn’t identified sensitive information and how it should be protected, an inspector general found.
Texans mount campaign to keep Army truck contract
Program contributes $500 million annually to the state economy and losing the deal will cost 3,000 jobs in an area west of Houston, task force says.
Nation's 'pay czar' largely impotent
When President Obama named a “pay czar” in June, he raised hopes that the era of out-of-control executive pay may be over. Unfortunately, the pay czar’s recently released rulings did little to alter a compensation system that was a key … Continue reading
Energy-savings project leaves Army in the cold
Under a federal program to transform government facilities into models of energy efficiency, Honeywell International Inc. came calling on Army commanders here with a deal to replace the base’s decades-old steam power plant. The company proposed…
Flood of dollars helping Md. cope
The enormous federal stimulus program is delivering billions of dollars across Maryland in uneven waves, a Baltimore Sun analysis shows, with some struggling areas faring better than others. Parts of the state have benefited from Washington’s desire to…
B2G Institute's Parent Company Files for Bankruptcy
An update to a WHNT NEWS 19 Taking Action Investigation. For weeks now, we’ve been warning you about a company that promises to help you land a big government contract. But what you’re left with is a big bill, and … Continue reading
B2G Institute: Hidden Camera Investigation
The workshop may be free, but it could end up costing you in the long run. WHNT NEWS 19 has update on a Taking Action Investigation about a traveling seminar that made a stop right here in the Rocket City. … Continue reading
Taking Action Investigation: Pitchman Peddles Secrets For Getting Government Contracts
Hundreds, if not thousands of people in Huntsville probably received an invitation to a free workshop coming to Huntsville next week. The offer you ask? To help you learn how to win government contracts. It’s free, so what’s the harm? … Continue reading
Stimulus could overwhelm gov't oversight
by Frank James Whenever Congress rushes through complex legislation, there’s likely to be more than a few unintended consequences. And the package of more than $800 billion in spending that lawmakers want to spend to stimulate the economy is no……
Despite President Barack Obama's campaign pledge, Washington culture of lobbyists and earmarks remains
WASHINGTON — As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama said that in overhauling health care he would make negotiations public—and even invite C-SPAN to air the talks on television. Yet in recent months, lobbyists and health insurance…
US indictment charges Puerto Rico's governor and 12 others with campaign finance crimes
Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila indignantly denied wrongdoing Thursday and gave no sign he would abandon his re-election effort after being charged with campaign finance violations that carry a penalty of 20 years in prison. Acevedo, a superdelegate…
U.S. firms face losses in pursuit of Iraq contracts
Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila indignantly denied wrongdoing Thursday and gave no sign he would abandon his re-election effort after being charged with campaign finance violations that carry a penalty of 20 years in prison. Acevedo, a superdelegate…
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