The GSA sent out an email to all GSA Contract Holders today stating that State and Local governments are now granted immediate access to purchase through GSA for Disaster Recover and Preparedness. This means that Recovery Purchasing is no longer limited to Schedules 70 and 84, but now open to all GSA Schedules.
What Does This Mean For GSA Contractors?
If you hold a GSA Contract, then you now have a new pool of buyers available to you. You must start to consider if your offerings can serve in any way to recovery, emergency, or preparedness. Then you must start marketing to state and local buyers.
I can foresee that some local government buyers will not be familiar with GSA, so this could be a barrier to entry. However, if you develop a good relationship with your local GSA customer service staff, then they can coach the buyer through the purchase.
Identifying a Recovery Purchase
Orders placed by state and local entities, under the Disaster Purchasing program must include the following statement:
This order is placed under GSA Schedule number __________________ under the authority of the GSA Disaster Purchasing program. The products and services purchased will be used in preparation or response to disasters or recovery from major disaster declared by the President, or recovery from terrorism or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack.
