GSA Schedule holders, GSA employees, government buyers and end users descended upon San Antonio, TX for the GSA Expo. Their intent was to network, market, educate and learn about buying on behalf of the government or selling to the government utilizing GSA, its products and services. The Expo, which is the largest GSA show of the year, is always held in either San Antonio, TX, Orlando, FL or San Diego, CA. According to GSA, they hold the show in one of these three locations each year because of the large concentration of federal customers within a 100-mile radius of the show location.

During the Expo, GSA provides training to buyers about procurement rules and how to buy through GSA Schedules while also explaining all of their new programs, GWAC's, products, services and policies. GSA also brings businesses together to educate them on how to get a GSA Schedule, how to market using a GSA Schedule and how to provide required compliance reports. Some of the events focus on issues such as the overall quality of products and services offered to the government and any changes in expectations (such as environmental issues and reporting issues).

The Expo is a huge opportunity for any business hoping to work with the federal government because it is a company's opportunity to speak with prospective clients (the GSA buyers and end users attending the show) outside the office.

There were approximately 700 exhibitors from the following industries at the show:

• Appliances & hardware
• Automotive & fleet
• Building & building material suppliers
• Industrial services and supplies
• Facility maintenance
• Food service and hospitality
• Cleaning equipment supplies, chemicals and services
• Furniture and furnishings
• Information technology
• Management services
• Office products & supplies
• Professional services
• Scientific equipment & services
• Sports and more
• Temporary, administrative and professional staffing services
• Law enforcement and security
• Facilities Management
• Fire & rescue and Special Purpose Clothing
• Marine Craft
• Travel and Transportation

The key events at the show were the Welcome Reception and the ribbon cutting to open the trade show. For the first two hours of the trade show, thousands of contracting officers and end users visited the booths and collected give-a-ways (all under $5). This year, booths were giving away the typical pens, note pads, rulers, chocolate, beads, pins etc. But the creative booths held contests and games to get the crowds to line up at their booth, which allowed people to be scanned and met.

The winner of the most create booth was, in this attendee's opinion, the Northrop Grumman booth. They hired a company called, "Dance Heads." Attendees in groups of three picked a karokee song and lip-synched it together while being video taped. The "Dance Heads" company placed the attendees' heads onto animated cartoon characters which danced to the music. When they replayed the song for the mini-stars, they burned a copy onto a DVD, which had a Northrop Grumman logo on it. Basically, Northrup Grumman created an Experience which cost little to nothing and drew a huge crowd during most of the show. This booth developed a "buzz" at the show, and, most importantly a crowd. The attendees loved this concept and waited as much as 30 minutes to take their turn. The savvy neighboring booths took advantage of the gathering crowd by visiting with the attendees while they waited in line and watched the show. (This is where a cordless scanner would have come in handy!) These government employees will be talking about that experience back at the office for years. It was brilliant.

Time is real estate at a show....not location or product. If you have an idea which will draw a crowd, start scanning and worry about the quality of the leads later. Many of the GSA exhibitors paid $3,000 for a 10 x 10 booth. It is a game of numbers.

As in most GSA show, the first two hours were the busiest, than the rest of the show was a little more quiet. The savvy exhibitors took this time to find teaming partners among their fellow exhibitors. Teaming in this business is crucial and the GSA show is the place to find and identify the real players in this market.

Networking at the GSA show always continues throughout the evening. In Orlando, it is the City Walk, and in San Diego it's the Gas Lamp District. San Antonio, TX was no different as thousands strolled along the "River Walk."

There wasn't a restaurant or pub where there weren't people discussing government opportunities, past successes (and failures) and a few laughs. It was a great show, as always.

If you plan on getting a booth for May 15-17, 2007, in Orlando, FL, you'll need to have a GSA schedule by October, 2006. At that time, they will be accepting applications for booths, but you need to keep an eye on the www.gsa.gov website because the booths sign up is announced and they are sold out in a matter of 48 hours.

If you don't get a booth, walk the show, meet people and look for partners. You'll come home with some great leads, partnerships and great stories.