Competitiveness of Multi-Vendor Contracts
From GOVSALESWIKI
Competitiveness of Multi-Vendor Contracts
By Richard White
Multi-vendor contracts limit competition and make purchasing faster and cheaper. The government, when using a multi-vendor contract, need only solicit bids from three vendors holding the type of contract in question. Those not holding such a contract are not considered. The reality is that the bulk of the dollars spent through these programs go to large federal contractors. Most multi-vendor contracts aren't realistically awarded to, or held by, new players in the market.
A GSA Schedule multi-vendor contract can be obtained by new players in the market and are particularly attractive to small businesses entering the federal market because:
- One may be awarded to a business of any size.
- There is no limitation upon the number of vendors that may receive an award of such a contract.
- GSA Schedule contracts are open (meaning that a vendor may submit a proposal at any time and there is no closing date for receipt of such proposals).
Getting approved federal prices (a GSA schedule contract) requires considerable red tape. An application of 100 - 150 pages describing a company's experience, commercial prices, and commercial discounting practices is required. There is an entire industry ready to help you get through the application process, including our company. Companies can complete GSA schedule applications on their own provided that they have a person with government contracting experience or they have a senior financial person with lots of time and the tenacity of a pit bull.
Although GSA schedule applications require many pages of red tape, the core of an application is your commercial pricing and how you have discounted from your commercial prices. After review of your application, GSA uses your commercial discounting disclosures to seek the lowest price you have offered others.
Buyers are passing over vendors who are not GSA Schedule holders; there is no time for procrastination.
Sign-up for our GSA Proposal Preparation eLab today!
GSA Schedules eLab - Develop your GSA proposal in 3 days at our eLab. Fedmarket provides you with a Request for Information (RFI) prior to your arrival at our eLab. You are instructed to bring the requested corporate data with you to the course. Attendees should, with the assistance of our GSA staff, complete their GSA offer prior to the end of the eLab’s third day. Many attendees complete the process and leave with a completed proposal within two working days. If you are a procrastinator, the GSA eLab is the solution for you. The GSA eLab is offered monthly at the Federal Sales Academy in Bethesda, Maryland. Read more...
To learn more about our GSA products and services, call 888-661-4094, Ext.8 for assistance.
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Call Fedmarket’s sales staff at (888) 661-4094 Ext. 8 with questions concerning these or any other products or services Fedmarket offers. E-mail inquires may be sent to the following: sales@thefederalmarketplace.com.