GSA Schedule for Professional Services: Categories and Positioning
The GSA Multiple Award Schedule is a primary channel for professional services firms competing for federal contracts. From management consulting to financial advisory, from human resources to training and development — professional services span dozens of SINs across the consolidated MAS solicitation. Knowing which SINs match your services, how to price professional services on a Schedule, and how to present your firm's capabilities in the federal market determines your success on the vehicle.
Professional Services SINs on the MAS
The MAS Professional Services Schedule (formerly known as Schedule 00CORP or PSS) covers broad professional disciplines. Key SINs include: 541611 (Management Consulting), 541612 (Human Capital Management), 541614 (Business Process Re-engineering), 541618 (Other Management Consulting), and various training SINs under 59100. Financial services SINs under the Financial and Business Solutions (FABS) category cover accounting, auditing, and financial advisory work. Legal services are covered under separate SINs. Each SIN has a specific description of covered services — match your capabilities to the correct SIN description to avoid misalignment.
Structuring Your Labor Categories
Professional services pricing on the Schedule is almost always built around labor categories. Define your categories by experience level and specialty: Junior Analyst, Analyst, Senior Analyst, Consultant, Senior Consultant, Manager, Director, Principal, Subject Matter Expert. For each category, specify: minimum education, minimum years of experience, key competencies, and your hourly rate. Rates are typically expressed as fully loaded loaded hourly rates including direct labor, benefits, overhead, G&A, and fee — plus the 0.75% IFF built in.
EPA Clauses for Labor Rate Increases
Professional services contracts often include Economic Price Adjustment (EPA) clauses that allow for annual rate increases. Under the GSA MAS, EPA increases are typically tied to a specific index (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index or a comparable wage index) and capped at a maximum percentage per year. Understanding your EPA clause prevents you from being locked into uncompetitive rates after a multi-year contract period. Review your contract's EPA terms during the renewal process to ensure they allow adequate rate escalation for your labor markets.