In a recent blog, “Working With the GSA’s Schedules Program,” we talked about how your private business or agency could make more money contracting with the GSA Schedules Program, but there are several additional opportunities the GSA offers that can be an important part of your generated revenue. The trick is finding the perfect opportunity for your product or service.
Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs)
Blanket Purchase Agreements are established under GSA Schedules contract to be mutually beneficial for contractors and government agencies alike. They serve to provide convenience, efficiency, and reduced costs. BPAs are ongoing agreements for repetitive orders from a selected contractor that reduce administrative costs by eliminating acquisition efforts, leverage buying power through volume purchasing, and enable streamlined ordering procedures. BPAs also allow opportunities to negotiate improved discounts without the need to prepare solicitations from other Schedule contractors.
Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs)
Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts enable federal agencies to buy cost-effective and innovative solutions for IT needs such as systems design, software engineering, information assurance, and enterprise architecture solutions. GWACs save time and money through streamlined contracting. They are pre-competed contracts covering a full range of contract types to make procurement planning easier. The government benefits greatly with GWACs because it provides access to exceptionally qualified IT service providers at competitive prices anywhere in the world. There is a handful of GWACs set-aside to strengthen opportunities for small businesses. Small business set-aside GWACs also provide socioeconomic credit.
Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Awards
Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Awards are contracts the GSA awards when it can’t determine the exact quantities of supplies or services it will require for a specified amount of time. IDIQs are usually used for professional service contracts that range from construction to road work to building maintenance to childcare. The government awards IDIQs usually with set of base years and option years with minimum and maximum amounts of cost or goods and services to be purchased.
Global Supply Special Order Program
The Global Supply Special Order Program is a streamlined ordering program that allows government agencies to easily order office supplies, tools, computer products, safety gear and cleaning products from GSA Schedule vendors. Agencies benefit from this because it’s a requisition-based ordering system with no need for comparison shopping. They can also make purchases using government-issued purchase cards without any of the red tape that can sometimes take weeks to unravel. Products all come from GSA Schedule approved vendors so the agencies know they are receiving competitive pricing.
Not all of these awards and programs will be suitable for you or your business but it does show just how many opportunities the GSA Schedules Program provides for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Visit the GSA website to find out more about each of the opportunities listed above.
About the Author: GovSpend
