GSA there are about 650 contractors as of Aug. 9 with a performance score under 80% based on their scorecard. GSA estimated it could save $2 billion, of which $1.7 billion would come from not having to manage these contracts any longer. A GSA spokesperson told Federal News Network that contracting officers have the authority to decide whether to let the schedule contract expire or not. “The only downside that I see if vendors could reapply to get on the schedule after being removed. Understanding the differences between NAICS Codes and SINs is critical, because they both play important roles in the GSA Schedule process. If you find that you’re still confused by the two, check out our blogs on the topic, like NAICS Codes 101 in 2024 and How to Choose the Right SIN.
Benefits for Vendors
Just like you conduct market research on your commercial customers, you should make sure you take the time to know how your government customers are allocating their budgets and what their spending habits are. The Biden Administration’s stronger focus on Buying American means that the federal government will be procuring more domestic products and services in the future. This includes food, clothing, fabrics, iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials.
As we move through the 3rd quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, the government is gearing up for the Q4 spending spree, so it’s important to take note of agencies’ procurement habits and how your business can prepare. Generally, the process to add a SIN to your GSA Schedule contract, or include it within your original proposal, is fairly consistent. However, certain SINs do have certain specific requirements that contractors need to look into prior to submitting an offer or SIN addition modification. Professional services, electrical supplies, cloud solutions, power tools – if your company is selling it, GSA (probably) has a Special Item Number (SIN) for it. All contractors part of the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program have the ability to add any of the 315 SINs available to their contract at any given time or include any assortment of them in a MAS contract proposal.
- Thomas said before a contractor does that, however, they need to make sure there are agency customers who want to buy what the company is selling.
- As with many aspects of GSA procurement, a thorough grasp of SINs can help to optimize processes, promote competitiveness, and ultimately drive success in the federal marketplace.
- Determining your SINs is important in understanding the market and the potential customers you may have.
- These subcategories are grouped under Large and Small Categories, each organized into unique industry-based SINs for easy identification.
- Pay close attention to the examples provided in each SIN description, as these can offer insights into the types of products typically classified under that number.
SIN Specific Requirements
With their streamlined categorization and the efficiency they bring to the purchasing process, SINs are invaluable to federal agencies. Understanding the concept and role of SINs is essential for vendors seeking to do business with the federal government, and for federal agencies looking to make the most out of the GSA Schedule. As with many aspects of GSA procurement, a thorough grasp of SINs can help to optimize processes, promote competitiveness, and ultimately drive success in the federal marketplace. Buyers send out their RFQs/RFPs based off the necessary SIN(s), sending alerts to respective businesses and contractors. This means if a business offers a service or product that is not a listed SIN on their contract, they are unable to view potential opportunities. The buying process is part of the reason it’s important to make sure your contract SIN(s) are accurate and updated.
To maximize the potential of your GSA Schedule, it’s essential to go beyond merely including SINs. Employing effective strategies in the process can elevate your visibility, increase competitiveness, and ultimately lead to more successful engagements with government agencies. Businesses should carefully compare these descriptions with their capabilities to ensure alignment because non-alignment often means rejection and compliance issues. Each SIN has a description detailing the types of offerings that fall under it, helping vendors determine where their products or services belong. Adding new SINs requires a careful review of requirements, potential offerings, and opportunities.
Depending on what SIN you decide to add, there may be different requirements for each SIN. For example, many of the Information Technology SINs will require an extra project for the Past Performance. Additionally, many of the different Large Categories have SIN-specific instructions and you’ll need to check the solicitation to ensure that you can meet all of the requirements. If you are a GSA MAS (Multiple Award Schedule) contractor, you might already know the term “SIN” or Special Item Number. However, knowing what a SIN is and being able to utilize SINs for the best benefit of your GSA Schedule are two different things.
Don’t Have a GSA Contract Yet?
GSA set a basic minimum for contractors in their first five-year contract to sell at least $100,000 and for the second five-year option to sell at least $125,000 total. What this means for contractors is that having a certain NAICS Code does not mean you are eligible to add a certain SIN to your contract. If your company only manufactures playground equipment, your primary NAICS Code would likely be —but this does not mean that you can add SIN , as it only covers target systems and target range accessories. Essentially, while corresponding NAICS Codes are a helpful place to start when determining which SINs to pursue, they are not the only thing to consider. Together, let’s unlock the vast potential of GSA contracts and pave the way for your business’s prosperous future. Too many SINs can make your contract seem unfocused, while too few may limit your opportunities.
- The path to obtaining a GSA contract, however, involves numerous crucial decisions, with one of the most significant being the selection of Special Item Numbers (SINs).
- Complementary Special Item Numbers (SIN) are awarded with other Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) SINs to allow for a total solution, including miscellaneous order level items.
- In the past, contractors may have used subgroups in some capacity–one example being under the Highly Adaptive Cyber Security (HACS) SIN.
- As the world’s largest purchaser of products and services, the federal government relies on the GSA to manage numerous contracts and services, making the use of SINs a vital aspect of the procurement process.
A Guide To Special Item Numbers (SINs) Under GSA Schedule
Several types of modifications can be made to your GSA Schedule, two of which include adding or deleting products/services to your contract. Our team of Winvale consultants are more than able to assist your business in the modification process. The GSA Schedule is a detailed catalog of products and services offered by contractors to government buyers.
It’s important to keep in mind that adding a NAICS Code to your SAM.gov account does not have any effect by itself. Only once the SIN is awarded can you begin selling those products or services on your GSA Schedule. A NAICS Code (short for North American Industry Classification System) is a six-digit numeric code that describes the core of a company’s business. These digits indicate the economic sector, subsector, industry group, NAICS industry, and national industry that best describe your business.
This SIN is divided into two categories Vendor-Owned/Vendor-Managed Inventory Services or Vendor-Owned/Vendor-Consigned Inventory Services. These two categories can be delivered in various ways such as Brick and Mortar Storefronts, Online Catalogs, Direct Delivery, and Satellite locations. NEW can be used in reference to products, technology, and services that are provided commercially, but do not follow under one of the existing SINs on schedule.
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Contractors will need to be aware of the Price Reductions Clause (if you are opted into Commercial Sales Practices) and ensure that none of the GSA-offered prices are higher than what is sold to commercial customers. However, as appealing as this sounds, you need to ensure that you’re eligible to add a SIN to your contract. While you could be missing out on SINs, you may not have the right capabilities and past performance to add a SIN quite yet. Determining your SINs is important in understanding the market and the potential customers you may have. Given the sheer number of options and ranges, navigating through SINs can be a difficult process. If you have more questions about your GSA contract, our team at Winvale is here to help.
They have extensive experience in product classification and can help determine which SIN would be most appropriate for an offering. They may also advise on whether it’s possible or advisable to list a product under multiple SINs and why. Aside from providing a categorization system for products and services, SINs also simplify the purchasing process for federal agencies. By referring to the SIN, an agency can readily identify the appropriate vendors offering the required goods or services. This eliminates the need for prolonged market research, saving valuable time and resources. In addition to general marketing purposes, it becomes easier for GSA to keep track of different businesses and items offered within their system.
Analyzing how similar products from competitors are classified can provide useful benchmarks and understanding of industry norms for product categorization. This approach can also help identify which SIN might offer the best competitive positioning for the product. If expanding product offerings or developing related products in the future, choose a SIN that helps anticipate that growth.
Once you have determined which Special Item Numbers are applicable to your company’s offering, you will need to ensure that your documentation is current, accurate, and complete. In order to assist GSA in the review process and avoid potential issues, you will want to make sure that you have double-checked the solicitation requirements and properly address all relevant requirements. Do your company’s services or products match what GSA outlines as the scope of a certain SIN? This is a question that the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) at GSA will ask as well when reviewing your modification package or MAS proposal. That being said, you will want to make sure that it what are special item numbers sins makes sense for your business and that you meet any specific requirements that SIN may have, otherwise you can risk rejection of your GSA Schedule offer or modification. Let’s discuss choosing the right SIN for your contract and how you can avoid rejection.