Getting contracts on GSA MAS
My company was recently awarded a contract on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS).
Now, this doesn't mean I actually won any work. It just means that if the government wants to do business with me, they can use the MAS as the administrative vehicle.
There are two ways I can get work now using MAS:
- I can bid on stuff on GSA eBUY, where government agencies put out RFPs specifically for GSA MAS contract holders
- I can persuade government agencies directly to do business with me but then use GSA MAS to do so
I will likely do both, but number two seems like the better path. This is because you can develop the relationships directly with the government customer to get a deep understanding of what they need, and then have an advantage for the proposal.
Number one seems like the equivalent of randomly submitting job applications online. You might get lucky, but the odds are low since there are thousands of other companies likely bidding on the same project. If the customer doesn't already know my company, they will more or less ignore my proposal.
These two methods are analogous to my "job application method" and my "networking method" to get your first 1099 gig. The only difference is this is administratively more work and I'm doing it on behalf of my company, and not just myself.
Want the full playbook? Check out Going 1099.