Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

The final month of the last quarter of the Federal Fiscal Year is when Uncle Sam has the spending spigot wide open. Only 19 days are left to spend 2013 expiring funds.

In the final quarter of 2012 close to $10 Billion was spent on General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule Contracts.GSA Schedule contractors, as a part of the process of being awarded and by holding a GSA Schedule contract, have submitted to GSA an "Authorized Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) Price List" for all of their commercial supplies and/or services as well as the terms and conditions relating to each Special Item Number (SIN).

GSA Schedule contractors are also required, upon request, to provide this list to any Federal ordering officials. A basic and essential feature of being awarded a GSA Schedule contract (being a GSA Schedule contractor) is that a company is permitted to modify/update their prices in accordance with their commercial sales practices; provided that the updated prices are offered at or below their most current GSA Schedule prices. The responsibility for modifying a company's FSS resides with the company (just as the company will upload the updates to GSA Advantage).

Key to winning task orders from a company's GSA Schedule contract is to routinely perform an analysis of all of the recent task orders awarded in GSA Advantage and GSA eBuy. Successful GSA Schedule contractors know which federal agencies, and more specifically what ordering offices for those agencies, are buying their supplies and/or services. They have assessed the prices volume relationship.

These contract holders are best positioned be remain competitive and modify/update their prices accordingly, especially during the key end of fiscal year spend period.Understanding the GSA schedule marketplace, price and volume discounting, should to be done prior to a company submitting an initial offer to GSA. While companies can generally negotiate fair pricing terms for their GSA Schedule contracts, it is an understanding of the price volume discounting that will offer the ability to maximum profits and provide improved flexibility to modify/update prices as need to win task orders.

At Advance GSA we highly recommend the development of a sound pricing strategy before beginning any other part of the GSA proposal. Advance GSA is ready to assist your company to navigate through the process to become a GSA Schedule contract holder; which includes negotiation with a GSA's Contract Manager. Advance GSA is also prepared to provide maintenance support to include market surveillance, assistance to update price lists, as well as GSA Schedule contract modifications. We are just a call away.