Many GSA Schedule holders have conquered the initial part of the battle in beginning to do business with the federal government by successfully getting a schedule and accomplishing their contract award. The next part of the crusade is determining how to properly market your products and services to earn federal dollars, which is where GSA Advantage comes in.
First off, you may be wondering, “What is GSA Advantage?” GSA Advantage is the federal online catalog for buying products and services to fulfill government buyer’s needs. The GSA Advantage catalog consists of information concerning the products and services listed for sale, as well as a purchasing system where Federal customers can complete an order and purchase what they need all in one area. Last but not least, GSA Advantage allows government purchasers to request quotes via the “e-Buy” program, where schedule holders can compete for projects and product orders by uploading their personalized order estimate.
It’s obvious, making sure your products and services available on GSA Advantage can supply a substantial amount of market opportunities and earning potential, if one is looking for earnings in the government arena. However first, one must know how to place one’s products and services onto GSA Advantage and before the eyes of federal buyers.
You will find multiple avenues you can take here. One, do it yourself. Taking this on alone requires an acquaintance with Schedule clause I-FSS-597, which necessitates participation in GSA Advantage. Furthermore, see clause I-FSS-600, “Contract Price List” of your Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract where you can find information on the submission of electronic catalogs. This have to be performed, and received by the GSA no later than 6 months subsequent to your contract award. Catalogs have to be submitted electronically via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or via the Schedule Input Program (SIP) software. This method may be time consuming and often not a cost-effective procedure unless a business is exceptionally equipped and knowledgeable about this style of maintenance work.
The other manner in placing your products and services listed with GSA Advantage is to talk to a GSA Schedule specialist, who will put together and submit all of the information for you. Often, businesses discover this to be cost-effective and time efficient, as a corporation can resume their business as normal, while enlisting in a experienced contract specialist to make sure all products and services are displayed on GSA Advantage, so the government dollars can begin pouring in.
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