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Before Hiring a GSA Consultant Ask These 5 Questions

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So, you are interested in a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract? Your government customer said that you should get ‘on contract.’  Or one of your competitors is leveraging opportunities by being a ‘pre-approved’ vendor (part of the club so to say). Or you have decided these challenging economic times call for a shift or pivot into the government industry to transfer your commercial expertise, products, and/or services. Never has there been an unprecedented amount of dollars flowing to federal, state, and local government agencies.

“Navigating the world of getting a GSA Contract is not for the faint of heart.”  That’s Normena Walton, Sr Contract Specialist at IHS Markit, the leading source of information and insight in critical areas that shape today’s business landscape.

You can seek to qualify for your own GSA MAS contract, however, consider what you do not know. On the surface, this may seem like a very straightforward process. When the rubber meets the road, you may find that it will not be the case. In terms of lost time, allocation of internal resources, missed opportunities and risk of rejection, it typically costs a company more overall to acquire and handle the GSA MAS proposal process in-house. 

The real success stories come from companies who understand what to look for when interviewing a GSA Consultant to help provide a ‘clear’ path to obtaining a comprehensive, flexible, and profitable GSA MAS Contract.

Here are 5 Questions you should ask a company providing GSA Consultant services to make sure they have your best interest in mind and can deliver a viable and lasting contract.

Question 1: HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DOES THE CONSULTANT HAVE SPECIFICALLY WITH GSA CONTRACTS?

Helping companies qualify for a GSA MAS contract requires knowledge acquired through experience. It is truly a specialty niche area within government contracting.  Be sure to ask:

  • Who will specifically be preparing, negotiating, and getting YOUR contract through the process?
  • How much experience does that individual possess?
  • What is their specific track record with new GSA contract awards?
  • Why do they believe they are best suited to work with your company?
  • Do they possess experience with GSA offers in your specific industry vertical?

It is critical that you speak with the GSA consultant who will represent your company. Inexperience can result in errors causing your proposal to be rejected.

According to GSA, 60% of all offers are initially rejected. Investment in a well experienced and knowledgeable GSA Consultant who understands the nuances of the GSA MAS program is essential.  

Question 2: DOES THIS GSA CONSULTANT TAKE TIME TO UNDERSTAND YOUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES UP FRONT?

Interview several companies to find the right partner. Look for a consultant that is asking about your goals and objectives. If they are quick to start ‘selling what they do’ before getting to know your company – that’s a red flag.

  • Are they interested in why you want to get a GSA MAS Contract?
  • Are they helping you to confirm that this path is a good one now?
  • Did they ask what you specifically want to accomplish with obtaining a GSA MAS Contract, such as:
  • Leverage current presence in government market?
  • Jump into the government market as a new vendor?
  • Find a better way to win contracts instead of the painful RFP process?
  • Do they understand your unique challenges? Large Business? Small business? Veteran Owned Business? Woman Owned Business?

A good GSA Consultant is more interested in your goals and success than communicating the details of how they do what they do. Yes – all that will come eventually. But if out of the gate, you don’t feel the love so to say – then best to move on. 

As John R. Crocker, Managing Partner, Enterprise Iron Financial Industry Solutions, Inc., says, “We interviewed a couple of firms to qualify for a GSA Contract who made us feel as though they wanted to just shove us into an assembly line. We wanted a company that didn’t run a ‘cookie cutter’ process.”

Question 3:  IS THERE A FORWARD-THINKING STRATEGY FORMULATED UPON KICKOFF?

Getting a GSA MAS Contract is far from completing an application. The turbo template approach will not cut it in a vetting process that is more in depth than any current competitive bid for a government contract. 

Following the MAS Roadmap presented by GSA identifies the blocks of information required. However, it’s what you don’t know that you don’t know that will result in either a viable and profitable contract or one in which your company is forever playing catchup with your offerings and pricing.

  • Is your hired GSA consultant asking about your products and services from a market share perspective?
  • Do they understand how interpret commercial sales practices?
  • Are they seeking to maximize margins? Limiting compliance risk?
  • Do they understand how to tell your story?
  • Have they conducted a detailed market analysis of product/service offerings to guide your proposed pricing to GSA?
  • Are they prepared with a strategy to deliver an offer which represents real value to the government but delivers recognizable revenue and success for you?
  • Have they discussed future growth and how this GSA Contract fits within the wider context of government contracting?

A forward-thinking GSA Consultant collaborates with you and your team to carve out a thorough and concrete strategy, and the plan to carry it out. No two companies are alike. There is no one size fits all. And no contract offer is boilerplate. Look for a GSA Consultant who can develop an individually tailored GSA strategy to ensure your offer travels through the process to achieve desired outcomes.

Question 4:  WHAT IS THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROCESS TO QUALIFY FOR GSA?

Ask the GSA Consultant how will they manage the process through the life cycle stages of qualifying for a GSA Contract and beyond. It is important to understand your company’s role and responsibilities throughout the process. Setting the right expectations is key.

  • Does the GSA Consultant ensure that you understand the big picture first?
  • What GSA offerings or MAS large categories will be pursued?
  • Do they have a project checklist to manage data requirements, action items, tracking of completed tasks, etc?
  • Has a targeted submission date been discussed in advance to drive proposal activities tied to a project timeline?
  • What is the communication strategy between your company and the GSA Consultant?
  • Weekly calls or virtual meetings? Who will be the participants?

If a GSA Consultant doesn’t have a plan for how to manage the project then be weary.  This is when things fall through the cracks.  Your GSA Consultant is responsible to keep things moving to ensure clarity of focus in preparing and submitting a comprehensive offer. A great GSA Consultant leaves no stone unturned.

Question 5:  DOES THIS GSA CONSULTANT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND??

In today’s competitive world, it’s not enough to just be good or average.  You have to be great.  And you need partners who think about greatness in the same way by going above and beyond. Find a GSA Consultant who brings broader knowledge to the table beyond just getting a GSA Contract and wishing you good luck. 

  • What post award services will help your company leverage this newly awarded GSA Contract?
  • Is there post-award training to jump start the sales team to go after opportunities?
  • How does the sales team educate their federal, state and local government customers on the use of the GSA Contract?
  • What administrative internal tasks are required to stay compliant with the contract?
  • Are contract maintenance and management services for price adjustments, new offerings or other modifications provided to support our contract?

“As a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), we needed someone to teach us solid B2G strategies that worked.” That’s Parish Morris, Military Veteran, CEO, Document Security Solutions, in response to next steps after getting a GSA Contract.  “We needed a company who could serve as a small business matchmaker and leverage our past performance in discussions with our government client network.”

WE’RE HERE TO HELP.

Hire a GSA Consultant who serves as your best partner.

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About ClearCoast

ClearCoast USA, LLC brings over 30+ years experience in the business-to-government (B2G) industry.  Since 2000, ClearCoast has helped 200+ clients qualify for a GSA MAS Contract.

Security Integrator Supports Local Community During COVID through GSA MAS Contract

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Reprinted with permission from ICU Technologies, a ClearCoast client. This blog post was originally posted by Team ICU on Jul 9, 2020 9:26:30 AM.

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Lake Tahoe Community College’s (LTCC’s) leadership recently executed a plan to provide the community with a COVID Surge overflow hospital but transitioned to being one of only two COVID testing facilities in El Dorado County. Here is how it happened:

LTCC’s Superintendent/President, Jeff DeFranco was quick to recognize the challenges posed by the COVID crisis. Anticipating the need to support the Lake Tahoe community, DeFranco agreed to use part of the LTCC campus as an overflow hospital in the event the local hospital was overwhelmed with patients. Thankfully, the community was quick to protect themselves against the virus and a hospital surge location was not necessary. The work to prepare for hospital overflow, however, was not wasted. A new need arose – finding a suitable COVID testing facility.

LTCC’s Al Frangione, who oversees the college’s facilities and security, was assigned as the Incident Commander for the college. Frangione explained that DeFranco was “all in, to make sure the hospital overflow concept was a success.”  Frangione quickly went to work, defining the necessary space, people, and materials. Frangione explained:

“One key component which is evident in any healthcare setting is security. Access control coupled with video monitoring of access points, perimeter and common spaces is a core responsibility which cannot be overlooked.”

Frangione reached out to ICU Technologies, LTCC’s preferred security integrator, to get an initial design. He explained, “I’ve worked with ICU in the past and am familiar with their GSA/CMAS contract process which cuts through the red tape and makes purchasing and installation as streamlined as possible — especially in an emergency.” He added, “In uncertain times, some companies might up their pricing, but partnering with companies like ICU, which are GSA/CMAS contract holders, protects us as the pricing schedule is in place prior to the emergency and has been approved as being legal, reasonable, and competitive.” An initial assessment led to a decision to install nine public safety cameras and electronic access control to monitor doors at the exterior entrances.

Within a few weeks, the fears about patient overload passed and El Dorado County officials recognized the need for a suitable testing location. Frangione explained, “Since Lake Tahoe Community College was mission-ready, we were selected as one of two county facilities for this critically important work.” The testing location required high levels of security for patients, testing staff, equipment, and to effectively control the security of the samples themselves. To date, 2,800 people have been tested. Details about testing can be found at: https://www.edcgov.us/Government/hhsa/Pages/EDCCOVID-19-Get-A-Test.aspx

ICU’s CEO, Brian Van Norman, said, “we’re happy to support LTCC in this critically important public health undertaking.” He added, “We applaud LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff Defranco’s vision and forward-thinking response.” Van Norman continued by explaining, “We are proud our company has the ability to quickly respond to meet community needs through our well established industry relationships, with manufacturer partners like Motorola-Avigilon, and our large subcontractor network that spans the Western States.”

Public sector leaders with security related issues should contact ICU Technologies at: icu-techinc.com

GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Consolidation: Are You Prepared?

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On October 1, 2019 GSA released the new Consolidated Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Solicitation designed to replace the current structure of the GSA Schedules program. By consolidating the existing 24 individual schedules into one Schedule, GSA will eliminate the need for industry to deal with multiple schedules contracts, multiple contracting officers and multiple sets of terms and conditions. This initiative is part of the continued effort by the federal government to streamline the acquisition of products and services.

This is excellent news for government and industry alike. However, as an existing or new GSA contract holder are you ready?

ClearCoast, with 30+ years government acquisition experience, has helped hundreds of clients secure and maintain their GSA Schedule contracts.  We now stand ready to assist you in this transition process in which GSA has consolidated 24 GSA Contracts into a new Consolidated MAS consisting of 12 large categories (see below), 83 subcategories and 316 Special Item Numbers (SINs) which now closely align to the North American Industry Classification (NAICS) codes.

What do I need to do to prepare for this transition?

GSA is implementing this Consolidation in three Phases. ClearCoast has highlighted action items for new and existing GSA Contractors to address during each phase.

Phase 1 (2019 – January 2020) – This was the largest phase and is now complete. GSA reviewed all terms and conditions across schedules, isolating the terms and conditions for all vendors and what were very specific to a category or subcategory. Also reviewed was SIN duplication and overlap. The result was deletion of 160 clauses and a reduction of 900 legacy SINs to 300 SINs now mapped to NAICS codes. It’s important to note that the VA Schedules were not part of this consolidated initiative to modernize federal acquisition into a single GSA Schedule.

ACTION ITEMS:

New Contractors: If seeking to submit an offer for the new Consolidated MAS contract you must apply based on the solicitation requirements released on October 1, 2019. Please see the following link for a roadmap of what is required to prepare for your submission.

www.gsa.gov/mascategoryrequirements

Existing Contractors: Now is the time to address housekeeping items related to your current contract before GSA issues a mass modification Refresh #1 (end of January 2020) for accepting the new requirements for the Consolidated MAS. Your contract number will not change but there will be changes to your SINs. GSA will now reference your schedule based on the large categories as listed above and will not refer to the Schedules by number (i.e., Schedule 70, Schedule 84, etc.) going forward.

To prepare for this mass modification in 2 weeks:

  • Close out all outstanding mass modifications
  • Submit and finalize any e-mods before accepting the Refresh #1 mass mod
  • Current SAM system is migrating to beta.SAM. Create a new user account at https://beta.sam.gov/. Upon creating a new account you will be able to migrate existing SAM information to the new beta.SAM.
  • Ensure your NAICS codes are all updated. GSA will use the preponderance NAICS code to determine your size status on the new consolidated contract.
  • Begin to update your current text file to change legacy SINs to new SINs (ClearCoast can help you map your legacy SINs to the new SINs to update your text file). Upon acceptance of the Refresh #1 mass mod it will then be uploaded to elibrary.
  • Review changes to the Maximum Order Threshold to determine impact to your new SINs (ClearCoast can assist you with this determination)

Phase 2 (Feb – July) GSA will issue a mass modification Refresh #1 at the end of January 2020 to all existing vendors holding a single GSA schedule contract.  This Mass Mod will migrate contractors to the new terms and conditions under their new Consolidated MAS contract, keeping the same contract number, existing task orders and BPA’s.  Contractors will have until July 31, 2020 to accept this mass mod.

ACTION ITEMS:

  1. Prior to accepting this mass mod, existing contractors should ensure that all action items listed in Phase I are complete. In addition, if an e-mod to add a NEW SIN under the legacy SINs was submitted in January, existing contractors should wait until that modification is approved prior to signing the mass modification.
  2. When responding to the mass mod, you will be presented with each clause in the consolidated Schedule and will be able to either accept the clause or request an exception to the clause. So it’s important to read through the Mass Mod in detail.
  3. GSA will be conducting online training for mass mod Refresh #1 so look for the announcement to your email box.
  4. If you have not done so, be sure to join GSA Interact for all the latest information, training sessions and helpful guidance related to the Consolidated MAS  https://interact.gsa.gov/
  5. GSA will be taking care of the eMod, eBuy, eLibrary, SIP and GSA Advantage systems to ensure that after acceptance of the mass mod Refresh #1 all legacy SINs will be converted to the new SINs for existing GSA Contractors within these online systems.

Phase 2 (March-April) – For GSA vendors seeking to add SINs that were previously on separate schedules, GSA will accept eMods for this request. For example, a contractor under the Information Technology Category may seek to add SINs under the Security and Protection category to offer a more comprehensive solution to their customers.

Phase 3 (July – November) – The GSA FAS Program Management Office (PMO) will begin working with those contractors that hold multiple schedule vehicles. The PMO will initiate the consolidation of these schedules by sending an email to set a one-on-one meeting to discuss contractor objectives and develop a consolidation plan. This process will be in accordance with the number of schedules vehicles involved and where those schedules are in their life cycle.  Once this plan is developed the contractor and, if needed the PMO, will communicate with all GSA Contracting personnel to accomplish the consolidation.

ACTION ITEMS:

Existing Contractors: If you are an existing contractor holding multiple schedules be sure to bring all schedules up to date via eMod. Decide which contract makes up the greatest portion of sales which will become the primary contract. GSA will then migrate all other contracts to this primary contract and cancel the others through a formal modification. All discounts will be maintained during the migration process. The PCO for your new single contract will receive copies of all contract mods for the contract to be maintained going forward.

What impact will the Consolidated MAS Contract have to the TDR Reporting program?

If one item on your contract is currently classified as a TDR SIN then the entire contract becomes a TDR contract under the new Consolidated MAS Contract.

Will the Cooperative Purchasing Program open up under the new SINs?

At this time, the Cooperative Purchasing Program will apply only to those SINs offered through the Information Technology and Security and Protection categories (legacy Schedule 70 and Schedule 84).

For further information or clarifications, contact Denise Buczek at denise@clearcoastusa.com or at 310.633.7620.

View this blog as a PDF here.