The GSA Schedule As A Federal BD Tool

The GSA Schedule
As A Federal BD Tool
Jennifer Schaus, Washington DC
Thursday, AUG 31, 2023
hello@jenniferschaus.com

The GSA Schedule As A Federal BD Tool / hello@jenniferschaus.com
Jennifer Schaus / Washington, DC / hello@jenniferschaus.com
Agenda

Agenda
 About Us
 Federal Contracting & Marketing 101
 What Is A GSA Schedule?
 GSA Schedule Advantages
 Federal Data & Reverse Engineering
 Leveraging The GSA Schedule
 Conclusions

About Us

About J Schaus & Associates
 Washington DC based
 20+ Years Federal Consulting Experience
 Product / Service / Software firms
 Navigating federal market / Services:
• Data analysis
• Contract vehicles: GSA Sched & FEDLink
• Proposal Writing
• Marketing / Capture
• Compliance

About J Schaus & Associates
 600+ GovCon Webinars – YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
 Conferences, Events & Webinars
 Newsletter reaching 27K Subscribers
(Federal Contractors)
 Marketing Opportunities available
Reach US FED GOV Contractors!
hello@jenniferschaus.com

Federal Contracting & Marketing 101

 Uncle Sam = Worlds largest purchaser – Billions of dollars
 Public websites
 Leverage historical data to understand trends; players
 Leverage acquisition forecast to prepare for future procurements
 Resource: The FAR to understand the procurement rules
https://www.jenniferschaus.com/the-far
 Relationships Matter!

 Federal Marketing
 Traditional Research / Understand Customer Needs
Customer = FED GOV = risk averse!!
 Federal news publications
 Google news alerts
 Agency newsletters / Industry Days / Match-Making Events

 Federal Marketing, Continued
 Digital Presence: Website & Linkedin, Company Newsletter
 Associations & Networking Events
 Capability Statements
 Branding / Adverting / Sponsoring

 Federal Marketing, 3 “Givens”
 Capabilities
What do you do & do well (value proposition)
 Price
Competitive
 Past Performance
Demonstrated experience relative to the SOW

 Federal Marketing, Continued
 Contract Vehicles:
Vendor short list / smaller set of competition
Typically based on 3 “givens”
 Set-Aside Certifications:
Small business
Smaller set of competition
 Relationships:
Unique to YOU / Your BUSINESS

What Is A GSA Schedule?

 Contract vehicle – Marketing Tool – NOT REQUIRED!
 Vendor short list (smaller set of competition)
 Can be used across all of Federal Government – some SLED & Quasi
 Based on 3 Factors:
Capabilities
Past Performance (experience)
Price (main component)
 Contract with T/C’s

 MAS – Multiple Award Schedule
18-20K Companies have
 Many qualify, but most have ZERO GSA Sales!
63%
80 / 20 Rule
 Segmented by your product / service / software offering
323 SINs = Special Item Numbers
 One of MANY Contract Vehicles
 10-15% of Federal Purchases (still BILLIONS $)

 The Chicken or The Egg?
 Market research should come BEFORE pursuing GSA!!
 Sales & capture should come BEFORE pursuing GSA!!
 “Build It & They Will Come” – NOT a strategy

 Use federal public data
 Conduct market research
 Who buys what you sell?
 HOW do they purchase? GSA??

 Get onto the Schedule
 Competitive prices established on GSA
Price Ceiling / Not To Exceed
 Pipeline of opportunities
Notify prospects you are on Schedule!

GSA Schedule Advantages

 Smaller subset of competition viewing opportunities
 Box out or limit your competition
 Government knows you have been vetted
(capabilities, price, past performance)
Direct awards
 Feather in your cap
Serious about the market
Credibility

 Pricing is published (to be used in advance of “getting on”)
 GSA E-Buy
RFP notifications
(mechanism only, NOT to be primary source)
 GSA Advantage - extra muscle
Price List
(mechanism only, NOT to be primary source)

Federal Data & Reverse Engineering

Federal Data & Reverse Engineering
 Most unique & most important aspect of federal contracting
 Use data to drive your strategy
Effort – Time & Money
Where & How
 Look at GSA Schedule data
Pricing, Award Data, Contract Trends, etc.

Leveraging The GSA Schedule

 IF– THEN
 IF -- you have conducted the market research …
& Built Relationships (talked to prospects about contract vehicles / preference)
 THEN -- the prospects will convert to customers

 Government: How can I “get to you” (purchase from you)?
Contract vehicle needed
 GSA Schedule can be that avenue
 Simplifies the acquisition process – LESS PAPERWORK!
Prices have been compared
Past performance has been reviewed
Capabilities have been verified
NOTE: Proposals still need to be written

 Build relationship
 Contract may be growing in scope & size from under $25K to above
 Government satisfied with your performance
 May need to go out for bid – steer towards GSA Schedule
NOTE: Proposals still need to be written

 Basic Tactical Strategies:
 Display logo on website (link to Price List / GSAadvantage)
 Logo on biz cards, Cap Statement, Auto-Sig
 Update Linkedin business profile
 Notify partners, prospects, people
 Make it EASY!

Conclusions

Conclusions
 Need a relationship to leverage GSA (or any contract vehicle) as your BD tool
 Need substance to get the buyer in the car
 The real “sale” takes place OUTSIDE of the Schedule.
The Schedule is the mechanism to simplify.
 GSA works best if you are the lowest $$
 Conduct homework IN ADVANCE for GSA to work for you!

The GSA Schedule As A Federal BD Tool

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