GSA: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Federal Supply or Multiple Award Schedule and how can I benefit from this program?
It is a streamlined procurement vehicle available to government agencies and designed to help meet environmental service requirements. The GSA has already negotiated fair and reasonable pricing with prequalified consultants for a variety of environmental services, thereby providing a fast, cost-efficient means of procuring services. Agencies simply log on to GSA Advantage!™ (www.fss.gsa.gov ) to begin the contracting process. This process eliminates the need for a CBD synopsis, further competitive analysis or pricing determinations, and allows agencies to make blanket purchase agreements up to $1 million to take advantage of quantity discounts and volume-discount pricing. Government credit cards are accepted through this program. The entire contracting process can be completed in as little as one week. GSA staff are available for assistance at GSA.Advantage@gsa.gov or (703) 305-7359 (voice hotline) or contact us and we can direct you to your regional GSA customer service director.

What are the advantages of contracting with a GSA-approved supplier?

Quality Services

  • Easy access to commercially available services
  • Streamlined selection of vendors
  • New services are continually made available

Excellent pricing

  • Volume and quantity discount pricing
  • Blanket purchase agreements can be established for further discount pricing
  • Prices have been determined fair and reasonable
  • Government credit card is accepted
  • Consultants and customers benefit from this direct relationship

Ease of contracting and ordering

  • Streamlined contracting process can be completed in less than a week
  • All applicable laws ands regulations have been applied (including small business set-aside)
  • CBD synopsis is not required
  • Competition requirements are met when three contractors are contacted
  • Maximum order limitations have been removed
  • Schedule orders count toward small business goals
  • Hart Crowser also routinely subcontracts to a prequalified list of consultants to help our clients fulfill small business, WBE, MBE, and DBE contracting goals.

Does my organization qualify to use this program?
Authorized Users of the Environmental Advisory Services Contract include all federal agencies and activities in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; government contractors; mixed ownership government corporations such as the U.S. Postal Service; and the government of the District of Columbia.

How does this program work and how do I start the process?

For orders under $2,500, your agency:

  • Prepares a Statement of Work and places the order directly with the contractor for the services that best meet your needs.

For orders over $2,500, your agency:

  • Prepares a request for quotes.
  • Transmits the request for quotes to a minimum of three GSA-prequalified contractors.
  • Reviews and evaluates quotes returned within a timely manner.
  • Selects a "best-value" contractor to receive a Task/Delivery Order. Your contracting officer issues a contract directed to the selected contractor using the contractor's GSA contract number.
  • GSA is not involved in the procurement process unless you need assistance.

How do I identify GSA-prequalifed contractors?
Quickest access to the Environmental Services Schedules is via the website.

Click on the Schedules E-Library, which will take you to the following site:

Once there, go to the block that says "Go Directly to Federal Supply Schedule" and select "899."

This will take you to the Environmental Services listing that lists all the SINs and the available contracts. Ordering guidelines are further explained by clicking on the ordering guidelines box in the upper right corner of the page.