Marketing Your Schedule Cheryl Allen Roney Business Development Specialist Schedules 66 and 84 Greater Southwest Acquisition Center July 21-22,

2 With a GSA Schedule, Federal Agencies will be knocking down my doors to obtain my services! The Myth….. The Truth ….. You need to create a strong marketing plan Build relationships Even though your products are sold through GSAdvantage, you still need a marketing solution What you get out of your contract is what you put into it

The GSA Greater Southwest Acquisition Center is one of seven FAS Acquisition Centers. 3 Integrated Workplace Acquisition Center National Administrative Services & Office Supplies Acquisition Center Management Services Center Center for Innovative Acquisition Development Greater Southwest Acquisition Center Facilities Maintenance & Hardware Acquisition Center Information Technology Acquisition Center 2 1 3

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5 GSA’s Greater Southwest Acquisition Center (GSAC) Largest selection of security, prefab buildings & materials, renewable energy, power distribution, warehousing scientific equipment, and hospitality, chemicals, food service equipment One-stop shopping experience Preferred source of commercial products and services Best value to federal customers – not necessarily the cheapest

6 Managing Expectations: How GSA Business Development Specialists Help Advertise & Promote 66 & 84 Offerings Develop marketing materials to promote offerings, not specific companies Attend Events/Shows and conferences – point customers in the direction of vendor attendees Train Agencies Assist Contractors Business Development for the Center Support GSA’s Customer Service Directors

7 Your Responsibility Clear goals and Marketing Plan Establish your goals and strategies in a formal marketing plan Realistic time frames - 2 years to reach at least $25,000 annual sales Success factors: 2 years of experience in federal contracting either as a prime or subcontractor; Contacts and relationships within the federal contracting community; Working with a mentor who is a successful GSA MAS contractor; Attending GSA seminars and workshops on contracting; and Making an investment to find and manage your initial government contract

8 Developing Your Marketing Plan Develop Marketing Strategies Getting Started Research and Analysis Determine developmental approach: international, national, regional, state and local Conduct your competitive analysis VSC Readiness Assessment GSA Advantage Schedules Sales Query FPDS Customer Analysis Identify specific agencies/buying offices to target FPDS FBO GovWin FFATA Next Relationships, relationships, relationships: Build your own opportunity/customer database

Competitive Analysis 9 Tools: Vendor Support Center, Schedules Sales Query, GSA Advantage, FBO

10 SIP Software and Training Schedules e-Library GSA Advantage! & e-Buy Schedule Sales Query (SSQ) Interact.gsa.gov Vendor Support Center vsc.gsa.gov

11 Green…Green….Green….. You need to stand ready to help agencies meet the requirement of Executive Order Does your company have a recycling program? Does your company have an energy-efficiency program? Does your company have a water-conservation program? Does your facility use environmentally friendly products? Do you offer telework? Public Transportation Subsidy?

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14 GSA Conferences and Events

15 Recognize That The Government Is Different Know and Live By the Rules of the Game

16 Schedule 66 FAS and Non FAS Customers Source: CART Retrieved 7/15/15

17 Schedule 84 FAS and Non FAS Customers CART Tool - Retrieved 3/27/15

18 Define Target Markets Federal Government is HUGE! Geographic Area Agency DoD – Civilian What is your Capacity Distribution Chain Shot gun approach might not be best Resources to manage contract

19 Where are the Customers?

Who are the Customers? Contracting Officers/Specialists Often the “gatekeepers” to the end users Individuals that are ordering the supplies or services Key Messages: Schedules do not eliminate jobs, schedules are a tool to make the acquisition process easier When ordering against Schedules, the agency remains in complete control of the task order Helps meet their socioeconomic goals 20

21 Who are the Customers? End-User  Individual that uses/needs the product or service  Key Messages:  Schedules give the end-user a tremendous variety of products and services  Utilizing the schedules helps get their products or services faster  Sometimes hard to find contact information

22 Zeroing in on Specific Accounts FedBizOpps Opportunities Advance Search Select Active and Archived Small business utilization offices PTAC – Customer Service Directors – Agency Websites Military will end in.mil/civilian will end in.gov Google search – GPC holders

23 Zeroing in on Specific Accounts (cont.) FPDS – Federal Procurement Data Systems (Next Generation) FFATA.org – Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Free, instant access to spending data User-friendly text No login required Ability to create custom reports

24 Develop Account and Outreach Strategies for Contact List Face-to-face visits In office Local vendor shows Trade Shows Telephone s Cold Calling Advertising Utilize sales network? Validate contacts from FBO research Cold Calling

25 GSA Advantage Base newspapers or other federal collateral Fee for service companies Ad placement Product promotion Advertising

26 Advertising Specifics: Is there a value added by your service Selling point for Federal Government After sales service? Cross-selling options Green or sustainable characteristics Name recognition – Track Record Identifying Yourself as a GSA Schedule Holder What’s different about your Company?

27 All competition requirements have been met Flexible purchasing options/customized solutions Price reductions State-of-the-art technology and quality services Reduced procurement lead time Direct relationships with Contractors Schedule purchases count toward socio-economic goals How To Sell It: Schedule Contracting Advantages

28 How To Sell It: Highlights of the MAS Program Maximum Order Threshold Price reasonableness has been established up to the dollar amount set as the maximum order threshold For orders over the threshold users should seek further price reductions Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) A BPA can be established for the length of the contract The BPA prices should be reviewed yearly Teaming Arrangements Schedule contractors can team to provide solution

29 How To Sell It: Ordering Procedures Orders up to $3,000 products / $2,500 services Select any Schedule contractor Transmit the request for quote (RFQ) and statement of work (SOW) Evaluate the quote and issue a task order Orders Over $3,000 products /$ 2,500 services Send the Performance based SOW and/or RFQ to at least three Schedule vendors* Select the “best value” * DoD agencies, Refer to Section 803 in Defense Authorization Act 2002

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Questions & Answers 32