GSA Blog

Free GSA symposium answers contracting questions

Starting, building, and maintaining a business in today’s competitive climate takes hard work and perseverance. Many businesses consider partnering with the federal government, where support is plentiful. 

To succeed, vendors must navigate complex government regulations, meet organizational demands to comply with their contracts, manage risks to avoid costly mistakes, meet minimum sales requirements, and keep their technology updated to streamline procurement. 

But you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. GSA wants your business to grow and prosper, and we’re here as your partner. To help you explore this partnership and equip you to enter and thrive in the federal marketplace, a free virtual event is available on Wednesday, August 7.

Hosted by GSA’s Office of Customer and Stakeholder Engagement, this industry symposium is the final event in this year’s Federal Acquisition Service Training (FAST24) series.

Designed to grow the resiliency and sustainability of GSA’s supplier base, the symposium supports three tracks of vendors with information and resources to help them build stability and longevity. The event is intended for:

• Industry organizations interested in contracting with the government. Prospective vendors can network with other vendors, learn if GSA’s contractor requirements align with their business’s goals and abilities, and discover how best to utilize the tools and resources presented. They can also consider teaming arrangements, where two or more GSA contractors join forces to meet customers’ needs. 
• Newer industry partners that have had a contract with GSA (for less than two years). Newer vendors will learn steps to strategically grow their federal portfolio, lessons and best practices for success, what to expect during their first two years, how to comply with contract requirements and processes for competing for bids.
• Existing industry partners that have an established contract with GSA (for two years or more). More experienced vendors will benefit by sharing their contract expertise and building partnerships, participating in our interactive community, revealing tips and discussing small business goals.

The symposium will offer crucial insights from and access to GSA leadership and industry experts. A keynote presentation will provide a high-level overview of the importance of having a robust supplier base. Breakout sessions will also feature topics such as market research and forecasting trends. 

Additional speakers will cover an introduction to doing business with the government, navigating the SAM.gov platform and assessing a company’s readiness for a GSA contract. 

Attendees from past symposiums appreciated the valuable insight they gained from the  speakers, found the information easy to access, and considered the event well organized and engaging. One participant “enjoyed the online platform utilized for this conference, particularly the networking feature.”

Register for our FAST24 virtual symposium. There is no registration deadline, but attendance is limited!