Contractor Teaming Arrangements (CTAs) Under GSA Schedules
A Contractor Teaming Arrangement (CTA) allows two or more Schedule contractors to combine their contract capabilities to fulfill a single task or delivery order. Unlike a joint venture or prime/sub relationship, a CTA is a formal teaming mechanism unique to the GSA Schedule program where each team member maintains their own contract and delivers their specific scope directly under it. CTAs are authorized under GSAM 552.238-80 and provide a powerful tool for smaller firms to compete for larger, multi-functional requirements.
How a CTA Differs from Subcontracting
In a traditional prime/subcontractor relationship, one firm (the prime) holds the contract and the sub's work flows through the prime. In a CTA, each participating contractor has their own GSA Schedule contract and performs their scope under that contract, billing the government directly or through a designated team leader. The key distinction: a CTA requires all team members to be active GSA Schedule holders covering the scope they will perform. You cannot include a non-Schedule firm in a CTA for the Schedule work they perform.
Setting Up a CTA
CTA agreements are written arrangements between the participating contractors establishing the team leader, each member's scope of work, the distribution of contract responsibilities, and how the team will respond to the ordering agency. The team leader typically submits the proposal on behalf of the team and serves as the primary point of contact. Each member signs the CTA agreement. There is no GSA approval required to form a CTA — it is a contractor-to-contractor arrangement — but the teaming structure must be disclosed when submitting a quote in response to an RFQ.
| Feature | CTA | Prime/Sub |
|---|---|---|
| Contract requirement | All members need GSA Schedule | Only prime needs Schedule |
| Payment flow | Direct to each team member | Through prime to subs |
| IFF reporting | Each member reports separately | Prime reports total |
| Set-aside eligibility | Based on team leader's status | Based on prime's status |
CTA and Set-Aside Orders
For set-aside orders (small business, SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone), the team leader must hold the qualifying status. If the set-aside is for SDVOSBs, the team leader must be a Schedule holder with SDVOSB designation. Non-qualifying members can participate for portions of the work outside the set-aside restrictions, but the team leader's qualifying performance must meet the applicable limitations on subcontracting thresholds — typically 50% of labor for service contracts.