Short answer: a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) is a long-term government contract that lets agencies buy from you without a full competition each time. To get one in 2026 you complete GSA's free Pathways to Success training and readiness assessment, show two years of experience (or qualify for Startup Springboard), and submit an offer through eOffer. Plan on 6 to 12 months. And know this before you start: GSA says plainly that a schedule "does not guarantee business with the government."
What Changed in 2026
| Change | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) for all schedules (Refresh 31, April 2026) | Monthly reports of what you sold, due within 30 days of month-end. The old commercial sales practices disclosure and price reduction tracking go away. (VA schedules excluded.) |
| Refresh 33 (October 2026) | FASt Lane opens beyond IT, but non-IT offers need a validated federal requirement. Startup Springboard offers must go through FASt Lane and be sponsored by a federal agency. |
| Refresh 34 (expected November 2026) | Big cleanup of GSA's contract rules, including removing the 20-year contract limit and adding an AI/LLM data clause. |
| OneGov (since April 2025) | GSA negotiates some government-wide deals straight with manufacturers, starting with software. Tough for pure resellers, more room for firms that add services. |
How to Get on the GSA Schedule, Step by Step
- Take Pathways to Success. It's free, online, and takes 3 to 4 hours. It has to be done within the past year.
- Complete the readiness assessment. Also required, also within the past year.
- Pick your SINs. Special Item Numbers are the categories you'll sell under. Choose the ones that match work you can prove.
- Check the experience rule. You need two years of corporate experience, or you apply through Startup Springboard, which accepts things like lines of credit, interim financials, and key personnel experience instead. After Refresh 33, Springboard offers need an agency sponsor.
- Gather your proof. Past performance, financials, pricing support, and your SAM.gov registration (it must be active).
- Use the offeror checklist and submit in eOffer. Incomplete offers go to the back of the line.
- Negotiate with the contracting officer. Expect questions about your pricing. Answer fully and quickly.
Is a GSA Schedule Worth It for You?
It's worth it if agencies already want to buy from you and are asking whether you're "on schedule," or if you sell something agencies buy repeatedly. It's usually not worth it yet if you have no federal customers, because you'll pay for the effort and the reporting and then wait for buyers who don't know you exist.
There's also a cost on every sale: the Industrial Funding Fee, currently 0.75%, which you build into your prices and pay to GSA.
Tips From People Who've Done It
- Get a buyer first. An agency that wants to use you is the best reason to get a schedule, and since Refresh 33 a sponsoring agency is required for some offers anyway.
- Price for 2026 rules. Older advice built around commercial sales practices and "most favored customer" disclosures is out of date now that TDR applies to everyone. GSA reviewers compare your prices mainly to what agencies already pay.
- Don't submit until it's complete. The wait for a contracting officer is long, and a missing document restarts the clock.
- Check eBuy every day once you're awarded. eBuy is GSA's request-for-quote system, visible only to schedule holders in the right SINs. Responses are often due in a week or so. Submit a day early.
- Treat every modification like a mini-proposal. Adding products, labor categories, or price changes needs the same clear support as the original offer.
- Market it yourself. Being on GSA Advantage doesn't make buyers call. Put your contract number on your capability statement and in every outreach email.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a GSA Schedule?
Most firms should plan on 6 to 12 months from submission to award, and first-timers without help often take longer. Much of that is waiting for a contracting officer.
Can a new business get a GSA Schedule?
Yes, through Startup Springboard, which accepts alternatives to two years of experience. As of Refresh 33 in October 2026, those offers go through FASt Lane and need a federal agency sponsor.
How much does a GSA Schedule cost?
GSA doesn't charge to apply. You pay the Industrial Funding Fee, currently 0.75% of schedule sales, plus your own time or a consultant's fees.
Does a GSA Schedule guarantee sales?
No. GSA states that getting a MAS contract does not guarantee business with the government. You still have to market to buyers.