The U. S. government is the single largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. Government agencies have come to understand the benefits of acting more like a commercial buying organization in leveraging their purchasing power to ensure the best value in terms of cost, quality, and service. To improve efficiency and simplify the federal government’s ability to buy commercial products and services, GSA began to revise its Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program in 2020. MAS consolidation was an enormous step-forward in modernizing federal procurement, eliminating costly duplication across contracts, consolidating Special Item Numbers (SINs), and standardizing terms & conditions. 24 GSA Schedules and more than 900 SINs were folded into a single comprehensive contract vehicle covering more than 12 million unique parts and services.

1. How MAS consolidation helped eliminate duplication across all schedules resulting in 12 product categories and 300 Special Item Numbers (SINs)
2. Simple steps every supplier can take to improve sales.
3. Sales by small business under the MAS program have increased by more than 30%.
4. Top 10 SINS by Annual Sales volume
5. Top Selling Commercial Products by SIN & Within Government Agencies

Let’s get started!

Today, the MAS program is organized into 12 large industry categories (listed below) and ~80 associated subcategories:

A – OFFICE MANAGEMENT

B – FACILITIES

C – FURNITURE & FURNISHINGS

D – HUMAN CAPITAL

E – INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS & SERVICES

F – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

G – MISCELLANEOUS

H – PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

I – SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT & SOLUTIONS

J – SECURITY & PROTECTION

K – TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS SERVICES

L – TRAVEL

Under these Subcategories, ~300 Special Item Numbers (SINs) identify products and services an authorized GSA supplier can offer to federal buyers (including state and local government entities). To simplify the identification process for both buyers and sellers, SINs are associated with standard North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.

It’s a Sin Not to Understand SINs!

Each year, nearly $2B in federal spending flows directly through the government-run eCommerce sites, GSA Advantage! and DoD FedMALL. There are many advantages in using SINs to streamline  B2G sales transactions in an ever-changing marketplace, saving valuable time for Buyers,  and maximizing revenue for suppliers.

Reduced Acquisition Lead Times

Buyers can quickly identify those sellers offering the specific products and services they’re looking to buy; this saves time and effort in searching for suppliers who can meet an agency’s needs and reduces procurement cycle times.

Decreased Administration Time & Cost

As a supplier, you can offer a full range of products & services under a single contract vehicle,  increasing your team’s efficiency and cutting costs and time spent managing multiple contracts with differing Ts and Cs. Additionally, a single contract means you work with a dedicated Contracting Officer who can get to know you and your business, reducing friction in the contract administration process.

Simple Steps You Can Take to Improve Sales

While MAS consolidation has been overwhelmingly positive, there are potential drawbacks too, including increased competition!  However, there are simple steps you can take to ensure success:

1. Review your product and service offerings regularly! Make sure your price list reflects your current business and that all applicable SINs are aligned with your contract so you don’t miss out on potential sales opportunities.
2. GSA has a formal process for adding new SINs; familiarize yourself with that process for the specific SINs you want to add and ensure you have the documentation needed to substantiate your request before reaching out to your GSA CO!
3. GSA’s eBuy platform is an excellent way to find new business. Invest the time to learn how to navigate eBuy and review open Request for Quotes (RFQs) for the SINs listed on your contract.
   Pro Tip: As the government is required by law to consider buying from small businesses, pay attention to set-aside opportunities if they apply.
4. The MAS PMO hosts monthly webinars where suppliers can engage directly with policy makers and program managers. Take advantage of this opportunity to get your questions answered and ensure you stay up to date with any changes impacting your business.
   Pro Tip: Even if you’re not full of questions, join a webinar because you might hear great questions from other sellers and you might gain some valuable information.
5. Last, but not least…Do your homework! Less than 5% of all items available for sale are purchased. Don’t waste time and resources managing SKUs customers are not likely to buy. Research the market, identify the top selling products for your approved SINs, and modify your price list to focus on those items — and make sure they’re priced competitively!
   Pro Tip: You’ll see faster turnaround times for modifications if there are fewer items on your price list!

In the following section, we’ve compiled some incredible data on GSA Advantage! sales by SIN to kickstart your market research.

SIN and Sales Analysis

The table below highlights the most popular SINs listed across all GSA MAS contracts. The most popular SIN, 33411 – Purchasing of new Electronic Equipment, is listed on 695 contracts. This category includes desktops, laptops, servers, routers, switches, and other electronic equipment.

Looking to add a new SIN to your contract? Below are the top 10 SINs based on GSA Advantage! sales volume over the last year. We’ve also included the total number of MAS contracts that have had sales in each of these SINs so you can see how large the pool of competitors is for each.

Top Selling Commercial Products by SIN

Below you’ll find a list of the top selling products in each of the highest spend SIN categories over the last year; this will help you tailor your price list to include high demand SKUs.

The * identifies items that comply with a variety of environmental regulations for consumer products (i.e., EnergyStar, EPEAT, ENAC, CPG, etc.)

Top Selling Commercial Products by SIN within an Agency

Ever wonder which agencies are buying the products you sell and where to focus your marketing efforts? We’ve identified the top agencies by procurement dollars spent in each of the top 5-SINs. We’ve also  analyzed spend for the top 3 agencies down to the SKU level so you can see what items each agency is most likely to buy.

PRO TIP!
When selling items like laptops and notebooks, don’t forget to offer accessories and peripherals like docks and hubs, chargers, and adapters!

 

Note that VARIDESK 49856 is the top selling SKU across each of these agencies; is it on your price list?

Small Business is Making a Big Impact

When GSA announced their plans for MAS consolidation, they predicted it would provide numerous opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses by eliminating many of the burdensome requirements for suppliers looking to obtain a GSA contract.  As we analyzed sales transaction data, we were excited to see the huge impact small and disadvantaged businesses are making.

Sales by small businesses under the MAS program have increased by more than 30%. Small businesses (under 500 employees) and certified 8a/other disadvantaged businesses account for the majority of sales in each of the top 5 SINs we analyzed.

If you have any suggestions on what information or metrics you would like to see, please let us know by contacting us at 678.457.9634 or [email protected].

You can learn more about XSB and how Warwick can help you modernize your federal eCommerce sales strategy at https://xsb.com/warwick/

Thank you!