Under the GSA Schedules Program, GSA enters into contracts with commercial firms to provide supplies and services at stated prices for given periods of time. Orders are placed directly with the Schedule contractor, and deliveries are made directly to the customer.
The GSA Schedules Program mirrors commercial buying practices more than any other procurement process in the federal government today.

It provides customers with millions of state-of-the-art, high-quality commercial supplies and services at volume discount pricing on a direct delivery basis. All customers, large or small, even those in remote locations, are provided the same services, convenience, and pricing. The Schedules Program also offers the benefits of shorter lead-times, lower administrative costs, and reduced inventories.