A GSA Schedule is one of the single most powerful tools for obtaining Federal Contracts. But before you get started it is important to know the difference in how the GSA treats two different categories, IT and non-IT (professional services, wholesales goods, and everything else).
The revenue potential across both sectors is massive, but the market dynamics differ significantly. Take a look at the latest small business performance data below:
Small Business Landscape
|
GSA Category |
Total Small Business Sales |
Number of Firms |
Average Sales |
|
IT |
8,06,154,1291 |
2,759 |
2,921,907 |
|
11 non-IT Categories |
13,971,235,015 |
9,830 |
1,421,285 |
Information Technology (IT) Large Category operates under a vastly different set of regulatory physics, review speeds, and compliance hurdles
|
Feature |
GSA IT Category |
All Other Categories (Professional Services, Facilities, etc.) |
|
Years in Business |
0 to 2 Years (via Startup Springboard) |
2 Years Minimum Required |
|
Approval Timeline |
45 - 90 Days (Fast-tracked via FASt Lane) |
6 - 8 Months (Standard Review) |
|
State & Local Sales |
Yes (Universal Cooperative Purchasing allowed) |
No (Strictly limited to federal/authorized users) |
|
Pricing Evaluation |
Highly Flexible / Data-Driven Contractors can opt into TDR, which waives rigid Commercial Sales Practices (CSP) disclosures and Price Reductions Clause (PRC), allowing market-fluid pricing. |
Rigid / Historically Anchored Rates are benchmarked against your best commercial customer; subject to strict PRC and regular compliance audits. |
|
Source/Reseller Docs |
Strict Supplier Enforcement: Letter of Supply (LOS). Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) |
Simplified / Streamlined: Many large non-IT categories no longer require product resellers to submit a Letter of Supply from the original manufacturer to add items to their catalog. |
What is your next step?
In about a 10-minute call we can walk you through if a GSA Schedule is a good fit for your firm and what type of sales volume would be available in your specific category.
