GSA’s Refresh 29 Is Live. Here’s What It Means for Small Business Contractors

If you’re a small business with a GSA MAS contract, now’s the time to pay attention. GSA has officially released Solicitation Refresh 29, and it brings several significant changes that will affect how you manage your contract, price your products, and position your business. From mandatory modifications to catalog overhauls and pricing flexibility, this refresh isn’t just bureaucratic housekeeping, it’s a signal to adapt or risk falling out of compliance.

Let’s break down what changed, why it matters, and what you should do next.

Issued in late August 2025, Refresh 29 applies to all contractors under MAS Solicitation 47QSMD20R0001. GSA is requiring all current contractors to accept a Mass Modification within 90 days. That mass mod incorporates:

• A new consolidated Economic Price Adjustment (EPA) clause

• Standardized catalog submission using the FAS Catalog Platform (FCP)

• Elimination of all remaining Small Business Set-Aside (SBSA) SINs

• SIN realignment for drone-related offerings

• Other scope and clause clarifications across categories

GSA held a public webinar on August 14 to prep contractors, but if you missed it, don’t worry because we’ve distilled the key takeaways below.

Why Small Businesses Shouldn’t Ignore This

First, failing to accept the mass mod within 90 days won’t cancel your contract immediately but it can block you from making changes (like adding products or raising prices), and eventually get you kicked off GSA Advantage. That’s a risk you don’t want to take. More importantly, the changes inside Refresh 29 carry long-term benefits for small business contractors if you act on them.

For example, the new EPA clause (GSAR 552.238-120) eliminates the rigid caps from the old rules and offers multiple pricing adjustment methods (fixed escalation, market indices, commercial list alignment, etc.). That flexibility is huge if you're battling inflation or shifting costs, especially if you're working under thin margins.

The shift to the FAS Catalog Platform (FCP) is also a big deal. All new offers now must use FCP templates, and while existing contractors can stick with their old PPT formats for now, it’s clear the future is FCP. This standardized approach helps GSA ingest catalogs more efficiently and gives contractors cleaner, more accurate listings. If you’ve struggled with messy SKUs or outdated descriptions, this is your cue to clean house.

And finally, the elimination of 19 SBSA SINs simplifies contract management. You’ll no longer need multiple contracts to access small-business-only SINs because now, any SIN can be set aside at the order level. That’s less overhead for you, and clearer pathways for agencies to find and award small business vendors.

What You Should Be Doing Now

Here’s your checklist to stay compliant and get ahead of the changes:

✅ Accept the Mass Mod Promptly
Only an authorized negotiator can accept it, so double-check your points of contact in GSA’s portal now. Don’t wait until Day 89.

✅ Audit Your Pricing Files
Whether you’re sticking with legacy PPT or prepping for FCP, make sure your catalog is up to date. Fix typos, remove old items, and validate manufacturer part numbers.

✅ Review Your SINs
If you were using SBSA-only SINs, verify all offerings have been transferred to the parent SIN. If not, get a mod going. For drone sellers, make sure anything under 334515 is moved to 334220.

✅ Plan Your Pricing Strategy
Evaluate whether your current EPA mechanism still serves you. If not, now’s your chance to switch, especially when your next option period hits. Gather market data and cost trends to justify a potential shift to index-based adjustments.

✅ Update Your Marketing Materials
Anywhere you reference “SBSA SINs” should be updated. Make it clear that you're still a small business and that agencies can set aside orders for you under the new structure.

✅ Check Your GSA eLibrary and Advantage Listings
Ensure your size status and socioeconomic indicators (8a certification assistance, women business certification, disabled veteran small business certification, etc.) are properly displayed. Contracting officers use these filters to find small business vendors.

A Smarter, Leaner Schedule…If You’re Ready

GSA isn’t just modernizing the MAS program, they’re signaling that the days of fragmented contracts and inflexible pricing are over. But these changes require effort on your part. You’ll need to revisit your NAICS code for government contractors, ensure your catalog complies with FCP standards, and map your product/service offerings to the best NAICS codes for small business growth. For tech firms, cloud vendors, and cybersecurity providers, this may also mean rechecking scope under SINs like 518210C and 54151HACS.

But for those who embrace the updates, the payoff is real: easier catalog updates, better pricing leverage, and fewer administrative hoops.

If you need help navigating these changes, whether it's sba 8a certification services, Grant Writing for Nonprofits, or Government Contract Proposal Writing, get in touch with a qualified consultant or advisor. A little guidance now can save a compliance headache later.

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