Linda Rodden, Government Sales Consultant, TCI
GSA recently made a policy change, allowing state, local, territorial, and tribal government entities access to Federal Supply Schedules to purchase both goods and services in response to current H1N1 flu pandemic and PHEs declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the authority given to the Secretary under section 319 of the Public Health Services Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. 247d.
State and local government entities may use any GSA Schedule contracts to purchase products and services, and they are responsible for ensuring that the products or services purchased are to be used to facilitate prevention or in response to a PHE.
The General Services Administration Acquisition Manual (GSAM), Part 538.7001, Definitions, offers the following definition of state and local governments: "The States of the United States, counties, municipalities, cities, towns, townships, tribal governments, public authorities (including public or Indian housing agencies under the United States Housing Act of 1937), school districts, colleges, and other institutions of higher education, council of governments (incorporated or not), regional or interstate government entities, or any agency or instrumentality of the preceding entities (including any local educational agency or institution of higher education), and including legislative and judicial departments."
There are over 88,000 governments in the United States, mostly local governments. This broad and diverse market can be several times larger than any commercial or even Federal market.
Are you making it easy for them to reach you?
Make sure you have a GSA Schedule contract.
Sign the modifications indicating you want to participate in the state and local government programs.
Develop a process to properly qualify the grant funding and separate GSA orders from other state and local government orders.
Develop a process to review state terms, quote and process orders to state and local government, and report and pay the fees on GSA orders
Make sure your GSA contract has the products or services in demand for state and local government customers.
If you do not want to all of this yourself:
Locate partners now such as Technical Communities who already have many GSA Schedule contracts and will act for you in the market.
Make sure they have full access to the products or services that are in demand for the state and local governments
