Beyond the GSA Schedule: Building Relationships in Government Contracting

This week, I, your host Chelsea Meggitt, am excited to welcome Jennifer Schaus of JSchaus & Associates to the show! Jennifer's ventures offer everything from assisting with market analysis reports and crafting go-to-market plans, to proposal writing and GSA schedule support, ensuring post-award compliance. If you're a company selling to, or working within, the government contracting space, Jennifer’s networking events and free webinars are an invaluable resource! Tune in as she highlights the breadth of expertise shared in their sessions, particularly through their library of over 700 government contracting webinars available on YouTube!During our conversation, Jennifer and I explore the participation of big tech companies in the federal contracting arena, and she shares insights into how some big names are venturing into the space, focusing on sectors such as political advertising. She stresses the importance of understanding market data and whether pursuing a GSA schedule is beneficial for your business, a decision that she argues should not be taken lightly without conducting thorough research beforehand.Jennifer emphasizes the value of strong customer relationships and understanding their purchasing preferences before deciding to hop on a GSA schedule. Many might think that a GSA schedule automatically equals an influx of contracts, but Jennifer offers a reality check: it's actually about strategic relationships and knowing your buyers’ procurement methods.If you're venturing into government contracting or looking to deepen your understanding of the market, then listen in and get ready to uncover practical nuggets of wisdom and strategic insights in this episode!In This Episode:[00:40] - Jennifer Schaus offers market analysis, proposal writing, networking events, and webinars for government contractors.[02:36] - Jennifer hosts webinars with guest speakers covering regulations, strategies, and insights on federal contracting.[05:25] - Meta helps with political campaigns, offering insights that can benefit vendors in federal contracting.[07:00] - The D.C. market offers unique, accessible data for informed decisions in federal contracting.[09:14] - Jennifer points out how many companies pursue the GSA schedule without analyzing available data to inform decisions.[11:33] - The GSA schedule is optional, but competition among schedule holders is significantly more intense.[14:15] - Jennifer provides “tough love” when it comes to GSA, encouraging companies to analyze the federal market before proceeding.[16:11] - Many companies mistakenly believe that joining the GSA schedule guarantees sales without market research.[17:56] - Jennifer asserts that the time to secure a GSA schedule depends on various factors.[20:35] - Jennifer and her team provide comprehensive support for companies pursuing GSA schedules, from proposal submission to post-award services.[23:13] - Hear how Jennifer helps midsize and smaller companies with strategic pricing to enhance their GSA proposal submissions.[26:30] - GSA requires companies to track sales and relevant pricing for GSA-eligible clients and items.[28:06] - Successful government contracting relies on strong relationships and expertise in various fields.[30:33] - Hear how to get in touch with Jennifer.Links and Resources:Chelsea’s LinkedIn ProfileJennifer’s WebsiteJennifer’s LinkedIn ProfileJSchaus & Associates’ LinkedIn ProfileJennifer’s YouTube ChannelEmail Jennifer: [email protected]