GSA MAS 8(A) Pool to Increase Federal Procurement Opportunities

New GSA MAS 8(A) Pool Strives to Increase Federal Procurement Opportunities for Small-Disadvantaged Businesses

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) have entered into a revised 8(a) Program Partnership Agreement (PA). The primary goal of this agreement is to establish an 8(a) Pool (Pool) under Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), aimed at enhancing contracting opportunities for 8(a) contractors by making them more visible to Contracting Officers for competitive set-aside and sole-source awards.

Key Benefits: 

• Federal agencies will be allowed to place MAS sole source 8(a) orders up to $4.5 million generally, or up to $7 million for orders with assigned manufacturing NAICS codes. 8(a) competitive orders may be placed at any dollar value.
• Pool contractors will be eligible to receive, or may continue to receive, new competitive orders under the MAS contract until the earlier of five years from the date of award or re-representation is required, even after the contractor has exited the 8(a) Program.
• Pool contractors will receive an “8aS” icon eLibrary and GSAAdvantage  indicating that they are eligible for competitive set-aside and sole source 8(a) task/delivery order awards.
• Solicitations exclusively for the Pool will be published on GSA e-Buy and accessible solely to contractors within the 8(a) MAS Pool.

Pool Contractors Are Qualified For 8(a) Sole-Source Task/Delivery Order Awards As Long As They: 

• Are active participants in the 8(a) Program at the time of the award of the task/delivery order; 
• Continue to meet all 8(a) Program eligibility requirements as determined by SBA; and
• Qualify as small for the size standard corresponding to the NAICS code assigned to the order, at the time of award for the task/delivery order. 

How To Apply If I Am A New Offeror: 

• Updated offer instructions for MAS 8(a) contractors were added to the solicitation in the note section of the SCP-FSS-001 Instructions Applicable to All Offerors (July 2023). 
• Offerors who are current 8(a) Program participants at the time of their MAS contract offer will be eligible for acceptance into the Pool when recommended by the Contracting Officer (CO).
• 8(a) companies interested in joining the Pool will coordinate with their CO for referral to the SBA for acceptance.  
• Once accepted by SBA, the 8(a) awarded MAS contract will be added to the Pool.

How To Apply If I Am An Existing MAS Contractor: 

• Your CO will make a recommendation to the SBA for acceptance, and you will be notified of SBA’s decision. 
• If you are accepted, you will: 
  • Receive a MAS Modification to accept the 8(a) Pool. 
  • See your socio-economic icon (8aS) on eLibrary and GSAAdvantage!

How To Apply If You Obtained Your MAS Contract Prior To Your 8(A) Certification:

• Submit a Business Size re-representation modification request. 
• Your CO will make a recommendation to the SBA for acceptance, and you will be notified of SBA’s decision. 
• If you are accepted, you will: 
  • Receive a Mass  Modification to accept the 8(a) Pool. 
  • See your socio-economic icon (8aS) on eLibrary and GSAAdvantage!

In a nutshell…

If you’re already an 8(a) participant, make the most of this initiative to join the program. If you’re a qualified Small Disadvantaged Business without the 8(a) certification, it’s a smart move to consider applying. As a Pool member, you can tap into the advantages offered by this initiative within the MAS program. The 8aS icon on the Schedule will make your company visible to Contracting Officers and large GovCons trying to meet their small business utilization goals.  

At BOOST, we’re here to be your guiding hand throughout the journey. We’ll help you navigate the process, ensuring you meet the requirements for successful participation and enjoy all the benefits that the MAS 8(a) Pool program has in store.

We appreciate your interest in our GSA blog! Stay tuned for more informative content coming your way from BOOST LLC. Thank you for being a part of our community!

About The Author, Brie Paramo

Brie Paramo is an accomplished contracts professional with extensive experience in GSA schedules and GSA contracts. As a dedicated BOOST MAS consultant, she channels her expertise to assist contractors in effectively acquiring and managing their MAS contracts.