“Making it easier” – rebranding GSA

The “Making it Easier” initiative was launched by GSA in April of this year but we’ve been wondering how effective it’s been so far. Do all the changes and new tools help contractors or just create more confusion because of all the changes?  Although the program is very new, breaking down what its accomplished so far should give us a clear view.

The IT Schedule 70 Plain Language Roadmap clearly breaks down all the requirements that vendors need to complete to submit for a GSA schedule. Overall though, it’s nothing more than a breakdown of what’s already in the solicitation written out on the GSA website. Breaking down the process into 3 large steps with every requirement listed underneath should make the process clearer for vendors but it’s already broken into three volumes with the solicitation document too. If someone isn’t used to reading large solicitations, the clarity with which IT 70 is broken down is great and for a new contractor who has never dealt with GSA procedures, it’s a great tool.

*GCS rates this tool 3/5.

The IT Schedule 70 Startup Springboard is without doubt one of the best new initiatives. Previously, the requirement for all schedules was at least two years in business for companies looking to get a GSA schedule. This has put the government far behind the IT curve of adopting technology and having the ability to be flexible with innovations. Who can forget all the bad publicity about the Navy still using Windows XP? With Springboard, companies can use other methods to show experience like Professional Experience of their Executives, Documentation showing company’s financial responsibility, and project information. This puts the government on par with commercial entities in innovating IT practices!

*GCS rates this tool 4/5.

The GSA Forecast of Contracting Opportunities will be one of the more important tools for contractors looking for ways to get ahead of the buying curve. While many companies wait for solicitations to be posted and respond the best they can, the most successful contractors forecast and target opportunities a year (or sometimes even more!) in advance! Searching allows you to narrow opportunities by agencies, set-asides, and NAICS and gives you all the data you need to forecast for you company!

*GCS rates this tool 5/5.

Looks like so far, “Making it Easier” is successful with what it has done and stays true to its name, simplifying the process for new potential contractors, innovative technologies, and current contractor holders. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the initiative to see what other tools and rules are being released.

Consulting Firm Debarred by GSA

If you have done business with the Government long enough you have heard about companies getting debarred, or black listed, from doing business with the government. A Florida-based consulting firm, Federal Verification Co,, Inc., was the latest to get this exclusion from the General Services Administration (GSA).

In the past they have done business under at least 60 different names including GSA Applications, GSA Processors, and GSA Specialists, to name a few. Many complaints have been filed with the Florida Attorney General, more than one coming from some of our current clients who were unfortunately taken by the Florida Company.

The GSA cited the following as their reasoning for the indefinite exclusion:
"Preliminary ineligible based upon adequate evidence of conduct indicating a lack of business honesty or integrity, or a lack of business integrity, or regulation, statute, executive order or other legal authority, pending completion of an investigation and/or legal proceedings; or based upon initiation of proceedings to determine final ineligibility based upon regulation, statute, executive order or other legal authority or a lack of business integrity or a preponderance of the evidence of any other cause of a serious and compelling nature that it affects present responsibility."You can view the exclusion in it's entirety via SAM.

If you have been notified or believe you will be notified to remove their names from your GSA Contract give us a call and we will complete the modification on your behalf with no cost to you. Give us a call at 234-212-3400 and schedule a free consultation.

Also, we recommend taking a look at the training that the GSA offers: GSA Training

25 Years and Counting

Back in the 1980’s a college student, attending Cleveland State University, was making ends meet while working for his older brother’s company. After graduation he continued to work for his brother’s company, Procurement Services, but as most brothers do they began to disagree about the direction of the business. One brother was very content with the consulting aspect that Procurement Services had been offering for years, while the other brother wanted to grow the company and broaden the scope of services.

In light of that, Government Contract Services, Inc. (GCS) was born on October 15, 1990. Our founder, Brian A Purgert, has continued to grow the company ever since. We began to specialize in assisting companies who needed to submit a quote or proposal for government work. Our Bid, Proposal and Award Program helps companies find opportunities within the Federal Government that they could fulfill. We would them assist in formulating a quote or proposal, depending on the type of opportunity. Once a client was awarded a contract our team would then help manage that contract.

The early years of GCS also coincided with the initiation of the Federal Supply Schedules (FSS). The FSS contracts have changed a lot since its inception, GCS has kept up with the changes. Today we focus on assisting companies obtain a GSA Contract and with those that are currently GSA Contractors.

However, we have not forgotten our roots of assisting with the submission of quotes and proposals. Government Contract Services, Inc. is a full service consulting firm that can take a company’s government sales to the next level. Interested in learning about how we can help your company? Send us an email, info@govconsvcs.com

GP&E Consulting Group Awarded MOBIS Schedule!

A very special congratulations to GP&E Consulting Group on their MOBIS Schedule GSA Contract!  Normally a MOBIS contract can be a little tough to earn but thanks to GP&E’s thorough offer and strong Letter of Expedite GP&E was awarded in under three months. GP&E is looking forward to further their involvement with the Department of Defense as well as become involved with the Department of Health & Human Services, Department of Air Force, and the NSA.

GP&E is located in Hampton, Virginia and is a Woman Owned Small Business, SBA Small Disadvantaged Business, as well as SBA 8(a)-certificated graduate. GP&E provides IA/IT Security Consulting, Staffing, Training, and Project Management to their clients by providing experienced, customer-focused professionals to meet the outsourcing, consulting, and staffing needs.

It has been a true pleasure working with GP&E Consulting Group and GCS is very excited to see what the future holds for their GSA contract. Please, feel free to visit their website!
www.gpeconsultinggroup.com

-Kelsey Dixon 

About Government Contract Services and the GCS blog

Let’s get introductions out of the way!

We are Government Contract Services, Inc- a full-service consulting firm for businesses looking to work with the government. We advise with small and large businesses, helping them secure GSA contracts, assist with contract management and proposal writing after award, as well as working with clients who want to work on the “open market”. We’ve been around the block a couple times and know the all ins and outs of government procurement.

Our goal is to share our expertise with companies who want to break into the government market. The government purchasing world is vastly different from the commercial world and businesses need to make the transition to doing things the government’s way. That’s where we come in! In our day to day business, we work with our clients to increase their government sales. We’ll help with marketing, proposal writing, and just about anything else that can give them the competitive edge. We want our clients to be the preferred vendors in their area and have the government coming to them!

Over the next months, you’ll be meeting different members of our team as they share their expertise with you.

·         Brian Purgert is our President. If there is anyone who is an expert in government procurement as a whole it is him!

·         Stephanie Gowin is the guru of the GSA Schedule process. She is the manager of our Silver Team, don’t worry you will learn what that entails if you subscribe!

·         Steve Schemenauer is the manager of our Gold team. He is well versed at finding new ways for our clients to make money with the government.

·         Sonya Nudel is Miss IT. She handles all of Schedule 70, all things IT, under the GSA for our Gold clients. She also handles IT for all things non-GSA as well. If you ever need to know how to sell your software to the government she’s your go to.

·         Cristi Kaib is also a part of the Gold team. She handles the marketing clients, staffing, and printing, along with a few other industries. If you want to know about getting your company a new set aside or another advantage over the competition give her a call!

·         Kelsey Dixon is a member of the Silver Team along with Stephanie. She is well on her way to becoming an expert as well! She specializes in Schedule 70 and MOBIS.

Now you’re probably asking yourself why should I subscribe to this blog? Information of course! As you have learned Government Contract Services (GCS) is an expert in our field. Let us share our knowledge with you! We will be posting about a wide range of topics that include different GSA Schedules, tips for dealing with contracting officers, how to get started in the government arena, etc. If there is something that you would like to learn about shoot us an email and we will either get back to you or post a blog about it!

We want this to be a two-way street so ask us questions, let us know what you think about the topics or just give us a call! 216-662-7044.

-Cristi Kaib and Sonya Nudel

www.govconsvcs.com

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