The IT schedule 70 program allows for a more streamlined way for federal agencies to purchase information technology. While this program is part of the GSA and the Federal Government, it does not guarantee you any business with the government. IT schedule 70 is just a platform for you to market your products or services with the government. If you want to succeed with a GSA Schedule 70 Contract, here are 11 actions you can take.
1.Get an IT Schedule 70 GSA Contract
When you are trying to get one of these GSA contracts, there are multiple steps that you need to take.
- Prescreening: This step is essential in knowing if you are eligible for a GSA contract.
- Training: There are two training sessions that you must take, which helps you get a better understanding of the process.
- Register: There are several systems that you must register to submit your offer.
- Putting it all together: This process can be complicated; however, you must include a letter of supply, agent authorization letter, price proposal, and a sample category matrix.
- Upload and Submit: After you have done all the previous steps, you can upload it to eOffer.
2. Research IT Schedule 70 Competition
One way to help improve the ways of winning a contract is to get a better understanding of what your competition is doing. This will help you provide a competitive bid and hopefully increase the chances you win the bid. Several free tools help you get a better idea.
- GSA Advantage’s
- GSA Advantage Spend Analysis Program
- GSA eLibrary
- Contract-Awarded Labor Category
- GSA Schedule Sales Query
- Federal Procurement Data System
3. Monitor GSA eBuy For IT Schedule 70 Opportunities
GSA eBuy is a way that you can get notified about opportunities for your company to bid a contract. There are several factors that your company needs to meet. However, if you meet these factors, you can be notified via email about any opportunities to bid. Taking advantage of this system helps increase your chances of winning a bid.
4. Use GSA Advantage to its fullest
GSA Advantage is an online catalog that is run by the GSA. This catalog is a place where GSA Certified Companies can upload their products, and federal buyers can purchase these products. You can use GSA Advantage in multiple ways. For starters, you could sell products in the catalog. You could also use the catalog to get a better understanding of your competition. You can use this information to make your bids better.
5. Market your IT Schedule 70 GSA Contract
Like any company, marketing can be a beneficial tool in staying competitive, but also in bringing more business your way. You should market your IT Schedule 70 GSA Contract like any other product. You should take the time to prepare your marketing strategy and figuring out ways to optimize it to meet your clientele. You should also keep your marketing up to date to ensure that you are selling your services at a competitive but profitable point.
6. Find Partnering & Subcontracting Opportunities
One way to increase the amount of IT Schedule 70 GSA Contracts is to take advantage of partnering and subcontracting opportunities. Not all businesses can compete with the top businesses, but if you partner with another corporation, then your bid might become more attractive. You could also take advantage of subcontracting opportunities, which might make it possible for you to get a piece of the action without having to go through the bidding process or allow you to take on more bids and contracts. Luckily for you, there are many companies out there that will help you figure this out.
7. Pursue GSA GWAC Contracts
Going after GSA GWAC Contracts is one way to help supplement your IT Schedule 70 GSA Contracts. GWAC Contracts are another contract that is available for companies that participate in systems design, software engineering, information assurance, and enterprise architecture solutions.
8. Regularly Evaluate the Value you Offer
The government, like all businesses, want to spend as little money as possible. Therefore, many bids may be assigned to companies that can offer the lowest reasonable rate. So, to stay competitive, you must be able to understand the value of the services you can offer. You need to stay informed of the changing rate of the prices, which means that you must take these actions regularly.
9. Monitor & Improve your IT Schedule 70 Contract Win Rate
The average win rate is around 30 percent, which gives you a good idea for where your companies win rate should be. However, you should continuously monitor your win rate because it has the potential to show you what you are doing wrong or doing right. If you have a low win rate, then you might want to consider mixing things up. However, if you have a high win rate, then you may want to consider other areas, such as charging more to make more profit. You might also have areas that have higher win rates, and you could take some of those elements and use them in areas where you are not winning as much.
10. Show up to Conferences & Trade Shows
There are several conferences and trade shows each year that provide you with great opportunities. You can gain more name recognition by showing up to these, but you can also start to make great connections that might lead to more bids in the future.
11. Always be Learning about IT Schedule 70 Contracting
IT Schedule 70 Contracting can be complicated, and the rules can always change. Therefore, to win more bids, you should always be trying to learn more about this type of contracting, to give yourself a competitive edge.
Getting an IT Schedule 70 Contract can be huge for any company. There are a variety of different ways that your company can go about getting these contracts. These 11 tips should help provide you with the tools to win more bids in the future.
