What it is

The Coalition for Government Procurement, which also uses the name The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement, is a non-profit association of commercial contractors that promotes common sense in government procurement. For more than 45 years it has brought public and private sector procurement leaders together. Its office is at 1990 M Street NW in Washington, DC. Members work in sectors such as IT, services, furniture and healthcare and range from small to large businesses. The Coalition reports that 25 percent of its members are small businesses, and that eight of the ten largest GSA Multiple Award Schedule contractors are members.

What it offers founders

For a company selling, or planning to sell, commercial products and services to federal agencies, the Coalition is mainly a source of policy intelligence, training and access to acquisition officials. Its work falls into three areas:

  • Education and training: compliance and training conferences, including spring and fall training conferences, plus on-demand webinars on regulatory requirements and market trends.
  • Networking and thought leadership: events that connect federal contractors with government acquisition leaders, and member committees organized around specific product and service areas.
  • Policy: advocacy on issues such as the FAR rewrite, contract policy, cybersecurity requirements including CMMC and Section 889, domestic sourcing, small business and GSA, VA and DoD contracting.

It also publishes the FAR and Beyond blog, the Off The Shelf podcast, member newsletters such as Friday Flash and Tuesday Tracker, market reports and white papers.

Who it is for

The Coalition is built for companies that already hold or are pursuing federal contracts, especially GSA Multiple Award Schedule, VA and DoD contracts. It is less suited to pre-revenue startups that are not yet in the federal market. A small company with a schedule contract, or one deciding whether to pursue one, can use its training and committees to understand compliance obligations and policy changes before they hit.

How to engage

Start by browsing the events and training calendar, since some sessions and the blog and podcast are publicly visible. Companies that want full access can review the membership page, which links to a brochure and an online membership application. The site does not publish dues, so contact the Coalition for pricing. Members can join member committees on specific topics.

Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem

Federal procurement is a core market for many DMV companies. The Coalition sits where commercial contractors and agency acquisition staff meet, so its events and analysis help founders follow rule changes, such as cybersecurity and FAR updates, that affect whether and how they can sell to government. Learn more on its About page.