How to do business with GSA | GSA
Source: https://www.gsa.gov/small-business/training-and-events/doing-business-with-gsa
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:19
How to do business with GSA | GSA
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How to do business with GSA
Introduction
Learn how to sell your products or services to the federal government through our agency. We help federal agencies purchase the products and services they need, and small businesses play an important role in that process. If you’re interested in working with us, there are a few key steps to understand.
This training walks you through how to get started, where to focus, and how to position your business for success.
1: Understand how GSA buys goods and services
We connect federal agencies with businesses through a variety of contracting programs and tools.
One of the most common is the
Multiple Award Schedule
program, which allows agencies to purchase from pre-approved vendors.
What this means for you:
You can sell directly to the government through GSA contracts
Agencies use GSA to find trusted vendors
There are multiple pathways to do business, depending on your offerings
2: Get ready to do business with the federal government
Before you can compete for contracts, you’ll need to complete a few key steps:
Register your business in SAM.gov
Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI
Identify your NAICS codes
Understand your
small business
size status
These steps ensure your business is visible and eligible for federal opportunities.
3: Explore your options for working with us
There are several ways to do business with us:
Become a GSA Schedule contractor
Apply to offer products or services through the Multiple Award Schedule
Compete for opportunities directly with federal agencies
Subcontract with a GSA contractor
Partner with an existing contractor
Gain experience and build past performance
Respond to open opportunities
Search for contract opportunities posted by agencies
Submit quotes or proposals based on requirements
The best path depends on your business size, experience, and readiness.
4: Learn how to compete for opportunities
Once you’re registered and ready, you can begin identifying and responding to opportunities.
You may encounter:
RFI — Requests for information
RFQ — Requests for quotation
RFP — Requests for proposal
Each requires a different level of response, from sharing information to submitting a full proposal.
5: Build relationships and stay informed
Success in federal contracting often comes from building relationships and staying engaged.
You can:
Attend training sessions and outreach events
Connect with small business specialists
Network with other contractors and agencies
These connections can help you learn about opportunities and improve your competitiveness.
6: Grow your business with us
As you gain experience, you can:
Expand into new contract opportunities
Build a track record of successful performance
Strengthen your position as a federal contractor
Many small businesses start small and grow over time through consistent participation.
Take the next step
Get started with
federal contracting
Register your business in
SAM.gov
Find
contracting opportunities
Connect with a
small business specialist
Tell us what you think
Print Page
Email Page
Last updated: Apr 22, 2026
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Additional terms and conditions
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations,
unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where
lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as
"all locations within, or entirely
surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within
those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include
"all locations within, or entirely
surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties,
including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties
(unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is
located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the
entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties,
even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.
Skip to main content
Countdown to America's 250th Anniversary:
close
Official websites use .gov
A
.gov
website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A
lock
(
)
or
https://
means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
On this page
How to do business with GSA
Introduction
Learn how to sell your products or services to the federal government through our agency. We help federal agencies purchase the products and services they need, and small businesses play an important role in that process. If you’re interested in working with us, there are a few key steps to understand.
This training walks you through how to get started, where to focus, and how to position your business for success.
1: Understand how GSA buys goods and services
We connect federal agencies with businesses through a variety of contracting programs and tools.
One of the most common is the
Multiple Award Schedule
program, which allows agencies to purchase from pre-approved vendors.
What this means for you:
You can sell directly to the government through GSA contracts
Agencies use GSA to find trusted vendors
There are multiple pathways to do business, depending on your offerings
2: Get ready to do business with the federal government
Before you can compete for contracts, you’ll need to complete a few key steps:
Register your business in SAM.gov
Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI
Identify your NAICS codes
Understand your
small business
size status
These steps ensure your business is visible and eligible for federal opportunities.
3: Explore your options for working with us
There are several ways to do business with us:
Become a GSA Schedule contractor
Apply to offer products or services through the Multiple Award Schedule
Compete for opportunities directly with federal agencies
Subcontract with a GSA contractor
Partner with an existing contractor
Gain experience and build past performance
Respond to open opportunities
Search for contract opportunities posted by agencies
Submit quotes or proposals based on requirements
The best path depends on your business size, experience, and readiness.
4: Learn how to compete for opportunities
Once you’re registered and ready, you can begin identifying and responding to opportunities.
You may encounter:
RFI — Requests for information
RFQ — Requests for quotation
RFP — Requests for proposal
Each requires a different level of response, from sharing information to submitting a full proposal.
5: Build relationships and stay informed
Success in federal contracting often comes from building relationships and staying engaged.
You can:
Attend training sessions and outreach events
Connect with small business specialists
Network with other contractors and agencies
These connections can help you learn about opportunities and improve your competitiveness.
6: Grow your business with us
As you gain experience, you can:
Expand into new contract opportunities
Build a track record of successful performance
Strengthen your position as a federal contractor
Many small businesses start small and grow over time through consistent participation.
Take the next step
Get started with
federal contracting
Register your business in
SAM.gov
Find
contracting opportunities
Connect with a
small business specialist
Tell us what you think
Print Page
Email Page
Last updated: Apr 22, 2026
Top
1
Choose a location
Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.
No results could be found for the location you've entered.
Get my location
OR
State
City (optional)
OR
ZIP
Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories and possessions are set by the
Department of Defense.
Rates for foreign countries are set by the
Department of State.
2
Choose a date
Select fiscal year
OR
Travel start date (mm/dd/yyyy)
Travel end date (mm/dd/yyyy)
Rates are available between 10/1/2023 and 09/30/2026.
The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.
Additional terms and conditions
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations,
unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where
lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as
"all locations within, or entirely
surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within
those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include
"all locations within, or entirely
surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties,
including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties
(unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is
located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the
entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties,
even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.