GSA Schedule 66

An Overview of GSA Schedule 66 (Scientific Equipment and Services)

GSA Schedule 66 is the schedule under which governmental agencies purchase equipment and services that, according to the government’s website relate to “laboratory testing and analysis, scientific and medical research, public safety, electrical and electronic parameter analysis, and geophysical and environmental analysis.”

The GSA Schedule 66 was designed and implemented to give the government easy access to credible companies that sell and lease products and services related to these fields, but it accomplishes much more than that. The company that applies for and receives a contract under GSA Schedule 66 has the opportunity to drastically expand its client base and to sell significantly more product.

Getting a GSA Schedule contract is not a simple process, and it can take some time. The GSA Schedule is more than the recognition of your company by the Federal Government. It is actually a contract between your company and the Federal Government to supply goods and services to the Federal Government. Between getting your proposal together and having your proposal go through the review process, it could take from a few months to over a year to get a GSA Schedule contract. This is assuming that your company meets all of the requirements that pertain to the GSA Schedule 66.

In order to be considered as a supplier under the GSA Schedule 66 a company has to have been in business for at least two years, have financial stability, have a track record of good business practices, have products that are available on the public commercial market, and have products that are Trade Agreement Acts Compliant. The Trade Agreement Act requires that products bought and sold through GSA Schedules be either made in the United States or be substantially altered within the United States.

Doing business under GSA Schedule 66 is a great benefit to the manufacturer / seller of goods and services relating to scientific research. Under the GSA Schedule 66, a company can sell to any number of United States government agencies including the Government of the District of Columbia (Washington DC), the Department of Defense, Federal Agencies, and Executive Agencies. In addition, working under a GSA Schedule 66 opens up opportunities to sell to private contractors that have been authorized to spend money by the Federal Government as well as some institutions and organizations that are international in nature.

The obvious benefit of GSA Schedule 66 is that it opens up a large, new base of potential customers to the products that your company makes and sells. The Federal Government could become a big customer contributing a large sum to your company’s bottom line.

Apart from gaining a very large customer, GSA Schedule 66 affords those companies who apply for and obtain this contract other significant advantages.

The GSA Schedule 66 contract helps the company because it lowers the cost of business. There is no advertising cost associated with the orders that come from the government and its agencies. The products of the GSA Schedule 66 approved company are posted in a government-only database (really a government-only online product mall). Your products are purchased through this database. So, for your company, there is no advertisement or marketing cost associated with these sales.

Part of the advantage of selling to the Federal Government is the ability to sell in bulk. A GSA Schedule 66 company can sell in much larger quantities to the Federal Government than if they were trying to sell their products one at a time to private buyers.

Once your company is GSA Schedule 66 approved you have the opportunity to apply to sell some of your products on an automatic reorder system. These automatic reorders are called Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs). Knowing that you have a steady reorder of goods and services gives your company a little more stability.

As a GSA Schedule 66 company, you can be assured that you are selling your product at a price that is fair and reasonable. The Federal Government wants your company to be and to stay in business. Therefore, it is not necessary to undercut what is a fair price for your goods and services.

GSA makes selling to the Federal Government and its agencies an easy thing to do. Once your company has obtained a contract with the Federal Government under GSA Schedule 66, anyone with a government-issued credit card can purchase products from your company on behalf of their government agency or entity.

In conclusion, those companies that go through the process to obtain a contract with the Federal Government under GSA Schedule 66 have significant advantages over those who do not. If you need help getting on GSA schedule 66, contact GSA Scheduler or give us a call at (518) 360-2107.