GETTING ON THE GSA SCHEDULE

Qualifying for a GSA MAS Contract: Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract, a company generally needs at least two years of corporate experience, financial information showing it can perform, past performance or project experience appropriate to its SINs, offerings within a MAS SIN, and willingness to accept the contract’s requirements. GSA makes the final call, so treat this as a readiness screen, not a guarantee.

What are the core eligibility criteria?

A commercial track record

The MAS is for commercial products and services. GSA expects your offerings to be commercial items that you sell or have provided to customers. A brand-new offering with no market history is a poor fit.

Corporate experience

The current offer instructions generally expect at least two years of corporate experience. GSA has limited alternatives for newer companies, such as the Startup Springboard path, which the current instructions restrict to the FASt Lane pathway. Check the current terms before you count on an exception.

Financial responsibility

GSA must find you responsible, and financial condition is part of that review. The current instructions call for financial information covering roughly two years. See GSA Schedule Financial Requirements.

Past performance or project experience

Depending on the SIN, GSA evaluates CPARS ratings, Past Performance Questionnaires, or project experience descriptions. Contact your references before you submit and ask them to respond promptly. The instructions specify how many references or projects are expected for each SIN, so confirm the number rather than relying on a rule of thumb.

Offerings within MAS scope

Your products and services must fall within a MAS SIN. Offerings that are inherently governmental or fall outside the scope will not qualify. See GSA MAS Schedule Categories, SINs and How to Get Listed.

Eligibility to contract with the government

You must be registered in SAM.gov and not be excluded from federal contracting, for example through suspension or debarment.

What contract terms will you have to accept?

Before you invest in an offer, be sure you can live with these:

• Transactional Data Reporting (TDR): monthly reporting of sales through the FAS Sales Reporting Portal, including confirming months with no sales
• Industrial Funding Fee (IFF): 0.75 percent of reported sales, remitted at least quarterly
• Price reductions: the TDR version of the price reductions clause, GSAR 552.238-81, covers voluntary or GSA-requested reductions
• Trade Agreements Act (TAA) compliance for covered products
• Records: GSAR 552.238-83 provides for examination of records for a period after final payment
• Minimum sales: generally $100,000 in the first five years and $125,000 in each later five-year period

The Commercial Sales Practices (CSP-1) format, Most Favored Customer, and Basis of Award concepts no longer apply to MAS offers or modifications.

What if you were cancelled before?

If GSA cancelled a previous MAS contract for non-compliance, the current guidance includes a waiting period before you can obtain a new one. Ask GSA about your situation.

If most answers are yes, start with the GSA Schedule Readiness Checklist. If not, fix the gaps first.