Resources, Training, and Tools

Whether your company is in the first stages of the GSA Schedules process, or you’ve already enjoyed great success as a federal contractor, resources are available to help your company achieve its best: from market assessment tools to training.

For Assistance with Your Schedules Contract
Contract assistance can be found at the GSA acquisition center that handles your particular Schedule. Seven centers across the country handle various categories of products or services.  The product category or service will determine which of the seven acquisition centers will handle your schedule.

Find links to each center (which detail each center’s products and services specialization) under Additional Resources at right. Non-governmental Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, known as PTACs, also offer far-ranging assistance to government contractors, at little or no cost.

Call or email one of the GSA contacts assigned to your Schedules contract with any questions:

• Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) – After negotiating and awarding your contract, the PCO will continue to serve as a resource to answer questions about the Schedules program and approve/reject all contract modifications.
• Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) – Assigned after your contract is awarded; the ACO handles the quarterly remittance of the Industrial Funding Fee, and can provide tips on attaining success through the Schedules program.
• Industrial Operations Analyst (IOA) – The IOA will conduct Contractor Assistance Visits (CAV) at your worksite for assessing your compliance with the terms of your contract and offering advice on how to succeed. The CAV occurs at least twice during a five-year contract period.

Training Opportunities
To train your staff on how to best use your Schedules contract, or to learn more about finding federal business, seek out web-based and on-site training at GSA.

• Vendor Support Center – An online resource for contractors and prospective contractors to get information, review and report sales, and more; available training includes the informative “New Contractor Orientation” webinar

• Training for Vendors - Training events for vendors with GSA contracts, offered at various locations throughout the year and on the web

• Small Business Utilization – Available SBU contractor training includes workshops offered at GSA’s SBU offices, located at each of the 11 GSA regional offices.

• The Small Business Administration includes a Government Contracting office (http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2986) and can assist with local business opportunities across the country. SBA has offices located in all 50 states and also offers free or low cost training, counseling, etc. In addition to their extensive web site of information, they also have an automated toll free answer desk with direct referrals to appropriate sources of information. Phone 1-800-U-ASK-SBA (1-800-827-5622).

e-Tools and Market Research Resources
The Supply and Procurement e-Tools page provides links to the most common tools you’ll use while servicing and marketing your contract. These include:

• GSA Advantage!®  – The online shopping and ordering system for the federal government

• eBuy – Part of GSA Advantage!, this site lets contractors submit responses to Request for Quotations (RFQs)

• eOffer / eMod – eMod enables online modification requests for changes to your Schedules contract

• FedBizOpps – Lists all available government procurement opportunities valued over $25,000, but note that for Schedule orders and BPAs, use of FedBizOpps is not required

• Schedule Sales Query – Offers published sales data regarding Schedule contract sales, SIN sales, and contractors already on Schedule; helps your company assess the size and potential of your target market

More Market Research Tools

• Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG) – FPDS-NG lets contractors assess the federal market through valuable reporting tools and graphical features; every federal contract valued over $3000 is reported to FPDS-NG so contractors can see who bought what, from whom, for how much, when, and where.

• Federal Acquisition Jumpstation – A comprehensive list compiled by NASA, which provides links to each federal agency’s procurement needs

• Acquisition Central – Provides procurement forecasts per federal agency and links to more information

• usa.gov – A comprehensive web portal providing direct links to government agencies

• System for Award Management (SAM), combines eight federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system.  Launch expected FY12 Q2-3.