U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracting provides commercial contractors with considerable opportunities to sell their products and services to a wide array of federal government customers, as well as some state and local government agencies, on an expedited and streamlined basis. Indeed, government acquisitions through all of GSA MAS contracts total about $50 billion a year, representing 10% of overall federal contract spending.

For the automotive industry, opportunities are available under GSA Schedule 23 V, GSA’s “Automotive Superstore.” Through Schedule 23 V, GSA and other federal government agencies can purchase a wide range of vehicles and vehicle-related components. Vehicles available under Schedule 23 V include alternative-fuel vehicles, ambulances, buses, trucks, sedans, wheelchair vans, and wreckers. Components available under Schedule 23 V include engines, transmissions, axle assemblies, electrical components, filters, belts, hoses, pads, pumps, blades, shocks, etc. Opportunities are also available under Schedule 751, “Leasing of Automobiles and Light Trucks,” through which federal government agencies lease sedans, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks.

Although GSA MAS contracting expands opportunities for commercial companies, obtaining GSA MAS contracts requires contractors to complete many steps in a process that can take several months. Moreover, GSA MAS contracts include several key compliance requirements of which contractors should be aware, as failure to comply with these key requirements can result in significant penalties.

We recently co-authored an article explaining GSA MAS contracting, including:

• the steps required to obtain, and maximize sales under, a GSA MAS contract;

• the key compliance requirements included in GSA MAS contracts;

• the penalties that may result from a failure to comply with the key requirements;

• and how a contractor should prepare for an audit by GSA.