The General Service Administration (GSA) and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) are the two main purchasing or procurement agencies for the government. They each maintain lists of vendors that have been pre-approved to provide specific types of products and services to federal government agencies. The lists for GSA applications are known as GSA Schedules and allow government agencies to buy from vendors under uniform terms and conditions and at "most favored” prices. The GSA negotiates pricing on behalf of all government agencies, so no matter which level of government agency you're targeting, you'll need to be approved as a GSA preferred vendor.

Once a company is on the GSA Schedule as a preferred vendor, it's able to receive orders from all federal departments, agencies, commissions, corporations, and the District of Columbia government. In many cases, states and First Responders also have access to GSA Schedules. GSA vendors are benefited because government agencies prefer to buy from these sources because the Schedules reduce the time, and therefore the money, needed for the procurement process. With a preferred vendor, competition requirements are streamlined since the vendors have been “vetted” for their competitiveness. There are usually no negotiations about terms and conditions and no need for an audit of proposed costs.

The DLA procures, manages, stores, and distributes almost every defense-unique consumable item the military needs. Commodities include everything from maritime and land weapons systems support to medical supplies. To be considered for a procurement award, a company must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), which works the same as the GSA Schedules.

So, how does a vendor get on the GSA Schedules or DLA vendor lists? ITECS helps with product registration for all government agency and procurement contracts. First, ITECS identifies which Schedules or lists fit your company’s technology offering (there are different Schedules based on industry and applications). We then walk you through the registration process for your company and products. Once approved as a preferred vendor for a particular Schedule or list, ITECS helps you write the proposal to be considered for government projects.  With our deep experience in government procurement and proposal writing, we help you write the proposal and negotiate on your behalf for the most favorable terms.

Using our advice and experience with procurement proposal submissions, your company will have a better of chance of successfully winning a contract. ITECS' flexibility means that we offer as little or as much support as you need. We can consult at certain points in the process or can handle the entire process beginning to end, identifying the opportunity, writing the proposal, and managing the submission process including negotiating terms and pricing. ITECS also trains your staff about submitting winning proposals.

Pre-Contract Negotiation

Once the government is interested in procuring your technology, a contract must be negotiated. When working with government contracts, the nomenclature can be confusing and additional constraints that apply only to the government must be addressed, such as Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) or Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS). This can make the contracting process difficult for in-house legal teams without the necessary expertise. You need a resource with experience in government contracts to guide you through the process so that both parties benefit. The ITECS Network, which includes legal experts and contract managers, helps you understand the type of contract you'd like to enter, the terms of the contract, and the amount of flexibility you have in negotiating the terms. Our team also helps draft the project plan and drafts and/or edits any additional documents.

For more information on how ITECS can help negotiate a favorable procurement contract, click here.