Each workshop attendee received a computer tablet containing a virtual “GSA Schedule proposal machine” at Nov. 6th workshop held in Washington, DC.
The Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech conducted a day-long instructional workshop for 66 members of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (APTAC), representing procurement technical assistance centers (PTACs) from across the country. The workshop kicked-off APTAC’s semi-annual national training conference for its membership being held this week. Collectively, the nation’s 97 PTACs represent a nationwide network that assists local businesses compete successfully in the government marketplace.
The Academy’s GSA Schedule workshop was presented on 10-inch Android-based tablets. The tablets were pre-loaded with templates and instructional materials based on successful GSA Schedule contracts. Participants learned how to the use the tablet-based tools to walk through the proposal preparation process with their business clients.
The Academy’s lead instructor Alexis Kirksey, assisted by Kevin Grimes and Ieasha Jones, led participants through the entire GSA Schedule proposal process, including the administrative requirements, all proposal ingredients and required documentation, and the submittal procedures. Post-award contract administration tips were provided as well.
As an added bonus, each workshop attendee received a printed flip book summarizing the 25 steps of the GSA Schedule proposal process.
“We conduct GSA Schedule workshops in Atlanta six times a year to help businesses win contracts with GSA,” said Ms. Kirksey. “Based on the many successes resulting from those workshops, we decided to extend our reach by teaching the proposal preparation skills to PTAC counselors who are so essential to helping small businesses succeed in the government market.”
“Working closely with APTAC, we added a powerful feature to our GSA workshop,” explains Chuck Schadl, who manages the government contracting group at Georgia Tech. “Putting all the workshop materials in an electronic application on tablets creates a virtual GSA Schedule ‘proposal machine.’ Workshop participants now are empowered to return their communities across the country and show their clients each and every step of the process.”
The Academy’s GSA workshop, inaugurated one year ago at APTAC’s fall 2015 education event, represents a significant breakthrough in instruction on this subject. The use of tablets, featuring an electronic ‘”GSA app” — represents the first and only training where the GSA Schedule process has been transformed into a computer application.
For more information about The Academy’s GSA Schedule Proposal Preparation Workshop, please click here.
