Companies with less than two years of business experience may now have an easier time obtaining a GSA IT 70 Schedule.  Other firms may more clearly understand the process and the time it will take them to get a 70 contract.  This is all due to GSA’s new “plain language” initiative designed to make it easier to obtain or modify IT 70 Schedule agreements.  The initiative breaks down the Schedule process into three categories:  “Get Ready,” Assemble Your Offer”, and “Finalize Your Offer”.  Each category has specific steps to take that are accompanied by icons describing how much time each should take, the amount of paperwork involved, and other information.  If successful, the Plain Language initiative could be copied by other Schedules.  Significantly, the agency will now formally recognize the past federal experience of the executives in any newly-formed company seeking its own Schedule.  This eases the “two year in business” rule that had been in effect for all Schedules. This will make it easier for innovative start-ups to obtain a Schedule.  The Plain Language initiative has great potential.  GSA may want to follow it up with one for its own contracting officer’s called “Trust Your Best Judgement”.