How GSA Helps Small Businesses

GSA works so that small businesses, including disadvantaged, women-owned, HubZone-located, veteran-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, have many opportunities to participate in the federal procurement process. 

In particular, GSA’s Office of Small Business Utilization (SBU) assists small businesses by answering the many questions that are submitted by phone, e-mail, letters, and in person.

SBU staff members consult with most companies over the phone; however, SBU also conducts one-on-one counseling sessions to help companies in understanding and participating in the Federal procurement process. 

SBU employees also attend procurement conferences to conduct workshops that provide important information to small business owners on how to do business with GSA. 

To find an SBU center in a particular region, visit the regional home page. 

To contact an SBU staff member, review this contact list. 

Resources

SBU has many resources to help small businesses compete.  One valuable resource is the Doing Business with GSA booklet, which is geared toward new and prospective contractors.  It explains the process, offers practical advice, and lists helpful websites.

Businesses looking for regional procurement opportunities can review opportunities by region.

Those businesses seeking subcontracting opportunities can review GSA’s subcontracting directory.

Events

SBU conducts hundreds of outreach events a year across the country for small businesses, to open doors to Federal contracting opportunities to them.  To learn about these events, visit Events.

Featured Opportunities and Programs GSA has a strong record of supporting small business contracting throughout the government through the GSA Multiple Award Schedules Program (MAS Program) and information technology-centered  Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs).

  • Through the MAS Program, also referred to as GSA Schedules or Federal Supply Schedules, GSA establishes contracts with firms for commercial products and services at fair and reasonable prices that have been negotiated by GSA.

    Federal agencies turn to MAS contracts to fulfill agency requirements, knowing that they can depend on the quality of the products or services these companies provide. For small businesses, the MAS Program offers an expansive avenue of potential work with the federal government. 
  • GWACs: Through the Small Business GWAC Center, GSA offers a number of set-aside information technology acquisition vehicles and solutions.

    • The 8(a) STARS (Streamlined Technology Acquisition Resources for Services) is a GWAC that is set aside exclusively for small, disadvantaged, 8(a) firms  (An  8(a) firm is a firm owned and operated by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals  deemed eligible to receive federal contracts under the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program.) The companies on this contract vehicle provide a full range of IT solutions—including application development, computer facilities management services, and information assurance.

      How this helps small businesses:
      As an 8(a) set-aside, this contract vehicle provided small businesses which have been historically left out of the procurement process, a chance to compete in the federal marketplace.   (Please note that no new vendors will be admitted to this program.)

      How this helps government agencies:
      GSA customers benefit by having access to a portfolio of over 200 industry partners distributed across eight areas of expertise. Federal agencies also receive 8(a) and other small business credits toward their procurement preference goals through the use of these contracts.

    • Alliant Small Business (Alliant SB), a small business set-aside GWAC, is designed to provide worldwide information technology solutions to federal agencies, while strengthening federal contracting opportunities for small business concerns. Alliant SB assists agencies in reaching their small business utilization goals, while providing small business concerns opportunities for prime contracts in the information technology arena.

    • VETS (Veterans Technology Services), a service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside GWAC, encompasses the functional areas of systems operation and maintenance, and information systems engineering.  VETS is designed to provide worldwide information technology solutions to federal agencies, while strengthening federal contracting opportunities for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.  (While this offering is currently closed,  businesses can explore subcontracting opportunities.)

      How this helps government agencies:
      The VETS GWAC assists agencies in meeting their 3 percent service-disabled veteran-owned small business goals, by providing pre-qualified industry partners in one easy-to-use contract vehicle.

      How this helps businesses:
      Through VETS, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses receive opportunities to compete within a smaller group of contract holders, allowing self-marketing opportunities, and a chance to develop their businesses before moving into larger acquisition environments.

Last Reviewed 1/26/2009