GSA-Approved Material Handling Equipment and Warehouse Solutions from Solus Group

Solus Group, a leading online supplier of material handling equipment for warehouses, general industry, and forklift battery rooms, has been granted approved status with the U.S. government's General Services Administration. This designation allows agencies across the federal government access to the best-in-class equipment and expert support that Solus Group provides. 

But what does Solus Group's GSA approval mean to existing clients and prospective customers, both in and out of government? This designation provides particular benefits for at least five distinct classes of purchasers:

1. U.S. government agencies

   Federal facilities can now purchase equipment from Solus Group, such as Simpro Bin Dumpers, which empty industrial containers in a uniquely safe and efficient motion. Any agency that handles bulk materials — from trash and recycling to grains and produce — can now benefit from the ergonomic service of a Bin Dumper.

2. Private industry

   While private warehousing and logistics companies have relied on Solus Group for top-quality material handling equipment for years, GSA approval will help prospective customers understand the authority and excellent service that Solus Group provides. The federal stamp of approval may even provide the edge a client needs to secure a capital investment grant or an SBA loan.

3. State, local, and tribal governments

   In addition to the consumer confidence that comes from working with a GSA-approved provider, tribal, state, and local governments are eligible for the federal Cooperative Purchasing Program. This allows these entities to secure products and services through GSA Schedule contracts in certain sectors, such as information technology, security, and law enforcement.

   State and local governments can also make purchases through GSA Schedules following a disaster or a public health emergency. Bin Dumpers at federal prices could be part of the next major clean-up in a community near you. Additionally, tribal governments and organizations involved in grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements through the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act are treated as executive agencies as described by 40 U.S. Code § 501, granting them access to GSA purchasing benefits.

4. Qualifying non-profits, schools, and contractors/sub-contractors

   A range of U.S. and even international entities have legal access to supply sources through the GSA, per an order dated July 19, 2016. Contractors and subcontractors working on federal projects on a cost-reimbursement basis can also obtain access to GSA sources of supply.

   Non-profits that serve the blind or otherwise "severely handicapped" citizens while providing services to federal, local, or state governments, may also have access to GSA channels. Finally, due to a series of federal laws, four educational institutions can access GSA-approved products and services: Howard University, Gallaudet College, the National Institute for the Deaf, and the American Printing House for the Blind.   

5. Foreign markets

   The governments of U.S. territories including Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands can purchase products through the GSA. 

   Additionally, a long list of international organizations enjoy access to GSA channels through the Foreign Assistance Act. These include, for example, the African Development Fund, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission, the International Fertilizer Development Center, the International Wheat Council, the Lake Ontario Claims Tribunal, and the United Nations. (An expanded list is available in Appendix C of the above-mentioned GSA Order, available here.) 

   To learn more about purchasing products through GSA Schedules, and to make a request for eligibility, visit the GSA here.

Explaining GSA Approval: How GSA Schedules Support Federal Agencies

The General Services Administration is in charge of procurement for agencies across the U.S. government (and beyond, as outlined above). In that capacity, the GSA awards contracts to providers of construction products, material handling equipment, maintenance supplies, and facility infrastructure — essentially, all of the physical products and associated services that agencies need to do the year-round work of government.

This procurement system offers several advantages to American taxpayers. By leveraging economies of scale, the GSA is able to keep costs as low as possible. At the same time, the rigorous vetting process ensures that government agencies operate with reliable and appropriate equipment and proven service providers. Ultimately, this focus on quality leads to more efficient federal agencies.

To qualify for GSA contracts, Solus Group first had to prove that they're an established, dependable presence within the material handling industry. This began with meeting several key benchmarks: 

• Solus Group showed that they had been in operation for at least two years prior to attaining GSA approval.

• They demonstrated yearly revenue of more than $25,000 annually, with a history of healthy financials overall. 

• The products and services that Solus Group offers qualify under multiple GSA Schedules, from building supplies to facilities maintenance equipment to food service and medical material handling solutions. 

Once Solus Group showed the GSA that the company meets these preliminary requirements, the executives moved on to the next step: mandatory training. The GSA operates a site called the Vendor Education Center. Here, Solus executives completed a five-chapter webinar called "Pathways to Success." This program provides training on the GSA's main acquisitions platform, the Multiple Awards Schedules (MAS).

Next, Solus Group representatives had to complete a second round of vetting, navigating the GSA's Readiness Assessment tool. This online system is the final gateway between sellers and access to federal agencies through MAS contracts. The Assessment Tool found Solus Group ready to serve federal agencies; a Past Performance Evaluation from the financial analysis firm Dun & Bradstreet revealed a history of excellent performance; and, finally, Solus Group registered with the GSA's System for Awards Management. The company is now approved to sell to GSA-supported entities.    

GSA-Approved Material Handling Equipment from Solus Group: Applications for Government Facilities

From the Department of Defense to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, every federal agency faces the challenges of logistics and material handling. Without ergonomic interventions, material handling tasks create serious hazards for federal employees.

In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recorded 88,164 cases of occupational injury and illness in the federal government in 2016. More than half of those led to time away from work. Forty-three of them were fatal.

Ergonomic material handling equipment from Solus Group can help to reduce these numbers by preventing musculoskeletal disorders, which result from workplace risk factors including:

• Lifting heavy items
• Reaching and stretching
• Pushing and pulling extreme loads
• Maintaining awkward postures
• Repetitive motions

For example, consider a common workplace task: unloading a pallet in a GSA-owned warehouse. Without adequate equipment, workers must reach across the pallet, bending and stretching more dangerously with the removal of each layer of items. A Pallet Carousel & Skid Positioner from Solus Group would prevent these musculoskeletal hazards; this self-leveling turntable keeps work building and unpacking pallets in the same ergonomic zone, close to the worker's torso. The 360-degree turntable ensures that workers don't have to stretch or travel around the unit. Not only does this help to prevent injuries, it improves productivity on palletizing tasks.

The above represents one way Solus Group can improve operations at federal agencies. Here are a few more in-depth applications that could benefit from Solus Group's material handling solutions:

Federal Agency Recycling Programs

According to Executive Order 13693, all federal agencies must dispose of at least half of the nonhazardous waste they generate in a net-zero fashion; that is, recycling, re-use, or, in the case of food scraps, composting.

Bin Dumpers and Bins from Solus Group can improve safety and productivity in federal recycling and composting programs. Now that they're available through GSA schedules, every federal agency can take advantage of these portable trash can dumpers and heavy-duty mobile bins.

DoD Storage Facilities

The United Facilities Criteria provides specific guidelines for the construction and operation of all DoD warehouses and other storage facilities. The UFC requires adequate material handling equipment, which should be considered from the planning stages of the facility. From robust Industrial Shelving to customizable Order Picking Carts, Solus Group provides UFC-compliant equipment.

Additionally, the UFC requires battery charging and changing areas to include adequate ventilation, such as that provided by Hydrogen Exhaust Fan Kits from Solus Group. DoD facilities must also install Hydrogen Gas Detectors in battery rooms. 

USDA Food Distribution Programs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture operates several food distribution programs that provide USDA foods and funds to low-income families and others. Products from Solus Group can help with every step of the logistics system that brings this food to its recipients.

Lift Tables and Tilt Tables provide ergonomic, adjustable height workstations for food packers; Racks and Shelving provide reliable storage for non-perishables; and Order Picking Carts transport shipments through facilities. 

The above examples illustrate the value that Solus Group products can bring to federal agencies and other institutions with access to GSA purchasing channels. However, this is not an exhaustive list; the applications for Solus Group's product lines and services are virtually unlimited.

To learn more about how Solus Group can help federal agencies operate more efficiently, with greater safety, call Solus Group at 314-696-0200 today. GSA-approved material handling equipment from Solus Group is available now.

References:

"25 USC Ch. 46 - Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance." USCode. U.S. House of Representatives, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2017.

"40 USC § 501 - Services for executive agencies." LII, Cornell Law School, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2017.

"Ergonomics." OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2017.

"Executive Order 13693—Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade." GPO. Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, 25 Mar. 2015. Web. 4 Dec. 2017. 

"Get Started." GSA. U.S. General Services Administration, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2017.

"Recycling: General Description." FedCenter. Federal Facilities Environmental Stewardship & Compliance Assistance Center, 1 Dec. 2017. Web. 4 Dec. 2017. 

"State and Local Government Customers." GSA. U.S. General Services Administration, n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2017.