Ok you have the GSA schedule but what many companies don’t understand is if you want to accumulate consistent sales as often as possible you have to perform your regular maintenance. What great is the tips that I’m about to give you are really simple to do. Take a look at them below:
1. Updated Contact Information– This is a very small task but it goes a long way when dealing with your GSA schedule. As a former GSA contract specialist I can’t tell you how many vendors missed out on bid invitations because their contact information had not been updated. To make it easier for you to understand let me explain how this works. When a Contracting Officer is ready to submit a solicitation to GSA schedule holders it is done through GSA E Buy. Whatever information you submitted as the point of contact that is the person who will receive the invitation. When the contact information is not updated the invitation doesn’t reach the right person, this is one way of how you miss money. Isn’t the main focus of a contractor having a GSA schedule to increase your revenue? How can you increase your revenue when you can’t be contacted? So keep in mind periodically check to make sure your point of contact information such as- name, email address, fax, and telephone number is updated.
2. Document Line Items- One of your duties as a contractor is to properly document your GSA line items and Open Market line items. This process makes it easier for you to report your quarterly sales and will keep you out of trouble when the audit process is performed. Contract audits take place two times throughout the tenure of your contract. Properly documenting line items allows for a smooth audit process. As you invoice document each GSA applicable line item with your assigned contract number, such as; XYZ Widgets-(GS-35F-000TT $13.65 ea). If your invoice includes a combination of Open Market items and GSA items, specify that within the invoice and/or contract.
3. Modify Your Pricelist- Let it be known you can have a GSA schedule and still remain competitive. Some GSA schedule holders don’t understand that you have the capability to modify your pricelist throughout the tenure of the contract whether it be increasing or decreasing your rates. The key is dependent upon on which “Most Favored Customer” you represented within the contract award.
4. Communicate With Your ACO- If you don’t know what to do don’t guess your way through it this could be costly in the end. Your assigned GSA Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) is there to provide you guidance in properly managing your schedule. If you don’t know who that is you can click here to find out.
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Ilene Giles is a GSA schedules expert that has helped thousands of businesses grow with a GSA contract. Get her FREE CD, “What You Need To Know Before Applying For A GSA schedule” or contact her today for a FREE consultation at GSAProposalMaven.com/meet-Ilene/.