The General Services Administration has introduced a new program for startup companies to pursue potential opportunities on the agency’s Schedule 70 contract vehicle in an effort to address technology demands at agencies.
Mary Davie, assistant commissioner of the Office of Integrated Technology Services within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, wrote in a blog post published Thursday that the Startup Springboard program serves as an alternative to the two-year corporate experience requirement in order for startups to offer services on Schedule 70.
“For years we heard from industry that unique government practices  –  including the two-year corporate experience requirement for becoming a schedule contractor — caused problems for small businesses, and were particularly challenging for startups,†Davie wrote.
Under the Startup Springboard program, prospective industry partners without the two-year corporate experience could use their executives’ professional backgrounds, their key personnel’s project experience and related financial documents to complete their IT Schedule 70 proposals.
Startup Springboard is part of the broader Making It Easier program announced by GSA Administrator Denise Turner Roth in early April to help small companies pursue more contract opportunities in the federal government market.