A CMAS (California Multiple Award Schedule) is a contract you obtain from the California Department of General Services (DGS) that lets state and local agencies buy your products and services at pre-set, fair and reasonable prices without running a full competitive bid. The fastest way to get one is to hold a federal GSA Multiple Award Schedule (or another competitively awarded base contract), then submit a CMAS application to the DGS Procurement Division. There is no bid to win, and you can apply at any time.
Quick answer: A CMAS turns your existing GSA Schedule prices into a California contract that state, county, city, school, and special-district buyers can order from directly. Apply through DGS with your base contract, absorb a 1.2% fee on local orders (waived if you are a California-certified small business), and expect to compete through a Request for Offer once a single purchase hits $10,000.
What is a CMAS contract in California?
A CMAS is a Leveraged Procurement Agreement (LPA) administered by the DGS Procurement Division. LPAs let California government buyers purchase directly through contracts DGS has already set up, which removes the need for each agency to run its own formal solicitation for common goods and services. CMAS is the LPA built on multiple award schedules.
Here is the mechanism. You offer products or services at prices based on an existing base contract that another government entity already competed and awarded, most often a federal GSA Multiple Award Schedule. DGS reviews the application, applies California terms and conditions, and awards you a CMAS. Once listed, any eligible California state or local agency can buy from your CMAS.
CMAS covers both products and services, in two broad tracks:
| CMAS track | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Information technology (IT) | Hardware, software, cloud services, and IT services, split into cloud and non-cloud general provisions |
| Non-IT | Commodities, goods, and non-IT services such as consulting, training, and maintenance |
The breadth is the point. A Statewide Contract is limited to products, while a CMAS can carry both products and services, IT and non-IT, under one agreement.
Who should get a CMAS, and what can you sell?
A CMAS fits any company that already holds a federal GSA Schedule and wants a direct path into California state and local sales. It is especially useful for IT resellers, software and cloud vendors, professional-services firms, and equipment suppliers who want agencies to be able to buy from them without a months-long formal bid.
It also fits the current moment in Southern California. The LA28 Olympics and FIFA World Cup 2026 buildout is pushing a wave of public purchasing across transportation, technology, security, and facilities. Agencies under time pressure lean on LPAs like CMAS because they are faster to execute than an open solicitation, so a CMAS can put you in front of buyers who need to move quickly.
How do I get a CMAS contract? A step-by-step path
Getting a CMAS is an application, not a competition. Follow this sequence:
- Secure a qualifying base contract. In most cases this is a federal GSA Multiple Award Schedule that lists the products or services and prices you want to sell to California. If you do not hold one, obtaining a GSA Schedule is the usual first step.
- Read the Before You Apply Guide. DGS publishes a current guide that walks through eligibility, categories, and the documents you will submit.
- Choose your category and provisions. Pull the correct General Provisions (IT Cloud, IT Non-Cloud, or Non-IT Goods), the matching Special Provisions, and, for services, the General Terms and Conditions for Non-IT Services.
- Complete and submit the CMAS application. Send it to the CMAS unit at the DGS Procurement Division. There is no bid and no set deadline, so you can apply whenever you are ready.
- Respond to the review. The CMAS unit confirms your base contract and pricing are valid and that you meet California compliance terms, then awards the CMAS.
- Get listed and stay findable. Approved CMAS contractors appear in the DGS CMAS contractor search and in Cal eProcure at caleprocure.ca.gov, where buyers look for suppliers.
For questions during the process, DGS runs a dedicated CMAS unit reachable at cmas@dgs.ca.gov or 916-375-4363.
What does a CMAS cost?
There is no fee to apply for or hold a CMAS. The cost that matters is the incentive fee on local government orders, and it does not apply to every vendor.
Vendors that are not California-certified small businesses pay DGS an incentive fee on orders placed by local government agencies. The fee is billed quarterly on the total value of local orders, and the rate depends on when your CMAS agreement was awarded:
| CMAS agreement awarded | Incentive fee on local government orders |
|---|---|
| On or after July 1, 2020 | 1.2% |
| July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 | 1.25% |
| Before July 1, 2019 | 1% |
Two rules are worth memorizing. First, certified California small businesses are exempt from the fee, which is a direct financial reason to hold an active SB certification (a public-works-only certification does not qualify for the exemption). Second, you cannot pass the fee to the buyer as a separate line item on the purchase order. It has to be absorbed into your pricing, so factor it into your CMAS rates from the start.
How do agencies actually buy from a CMAS? The $10,000 RFO rule
Holding a CMAS puts you on the shortlist, and the size of the purchase decides how much you still compete. The threshold to know is $10,000.
- Under $10,000: a buyer can order from a single CMAS contractor using the fair and reasonable price method, as long as the agency documents that the price is fair and reasonable.
- $10,000 or more: the buyer must issue a Request for Offer (RFO) to a minimum of three CMAS suppliers and select from the responses before placing the order.
Agencies are also encouraged to seek prices below your base schedule, and you are free to offer a discount on an RFO to stay competitive. So a CMAS lowers the barrier to being considered, and on larger orders it still rewards sharp pricing and a fast, complete response.
CMAS vs Statewide Contract vs an open-market bid
A CMAS is one of several ways to sell to California government. Here is how it compares to the other common paths:
| Path | What it covers | How you get on it | How agencies buy from it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMAS (LPA) | Products and services, IT and non-IT | Apply any time with a GSA or other base contract, no bid | Direct buy under $10,000; RFO to 3+ suppliers at $10,000 and up | Firms with a GSA Schedule who want fast access to state and local buyers |
| Statewide Contract (LPA) | Products and commodities the state buys repeatedly | DGS runs a competitive solicitation and you win a spot | Agencies order directly against set pricing | High-volume commodity suppliers |
| Open-market solicitation (IFB or RFP) | One agency’s specific, often larger need | Respond to that individual bid | Scored and awarded per that solicitation | Any firm; the largest and most specialized contracts |
Most growing California vendors use more than one. A CMAS handles the fast, repeatable buys, and you still chase the bigger open-market solicitations where the largest dollars sit.
How long does a CMAS last?
A CMAS has no independent expiration date. It runs for as long as your base contract stays valid, so if your federal GSA Schedule is renewed, extended, or cancelled, your CMAS follows. The practical takeaway is to manage the base contract as carefully as the CMAS itself, because letting the GSA Schedule lapse ends your California access at the same time.
How FindBids helps CMAS holders win more work
A CMAS solves the contracting friction on the buyer’s side. It does not tell you which agencies are buying, and that is where most vendors lose time. You can hold a perfectly good CMAS and still miss the RFOs and open solicitations that would put it to work.
FindBids reads what your business actually does and matches it to live California contracts by meaning, not by keywords or NAICS codes, then pulls the full bid documents for you automatically, including from gated portals that normally require a manual login. Under the hood, vector semantic search compares your company and service description against live bid titles, and Gemini Pro runs detailed document analysis and scoring on the shortlist. Legacy tools make you pick NAICS codes and keywords and still leave you downloading documents by hand.
For a CMAS holder, that means you see the state and local demand as it appears, ranked by genuine fit, so your CMAS gets used instead of sitting idle. The default next step is a free personalized match report: send a short description of your company and get back a list of live California bids that match you right now.
Frequently asked questions
Is a CMAS the same as being a certified small business?
No. A CMAS is a contract vehicle you sell through, while an SB or DVBE certification is a status that unlocks preferences and fee waivers. They work together. If you hold an active California small business certification, the CMAS incentive fee on local orders is waived, so many small vendors pursue both.
Can local governments and school districts use CMAS?
Yes. Cities, counties, school districts, and special districts can buy through CMAS, which is exactly why the incentive fee is tied to local government orders. That local reach is part of what makes a CMAS valuable beyond state agencies.
How is a CMAS different from a formal RFP response?
A formal RFP is a single competitive solicitation for one agency’s specific need, scored and awarded on its own timeline. A CMAS is a standing agreement that many agencies can order from, with light competition through an RFO once a purchase reaches $10,000. A CMAS is faster to transact, and formal RFPs still carry the largest and most specialized contracts.
Where can buyers find my CMAS?
Approved CMAS contractors are listed in the DGS CMAS contractor search and in Cal eProcure, California’s official procurement portal at caleprocure.ca.gov. Keeping your CMAS accurate and your base pricing current makes you easier to find and quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a federal GSA Schedule to get a CMAS contract?
Almost always, yes. A CMAS is built on a competitively awarded base contract, and the most common base is a federal GSA Multiple Award Schedule. Your CMAS offers the same products or services at prices based on that base contract. DGS will accept certain other competitively awarded base contracts, but if you do not already hold a qualifying base, getting a GSA Schedule is the usual first step.
How much does a CMAS contract cost the vendor?
There is no fee to apply. Vendors that are not California-certified small businesses pay an incentive fee to DGS on local government agency orders only. The rate is 1.2% for CMAS agreements awarded on or after July 1, 2020, billed quarterly on total local orders. Certified California small businesses are exempt from the fee, and you cannot add the fee as a separate line item on the purchase order.
Do agencies have to competitively bid a CMAS purchase?
It depends on the dollar amount. For purchases under $10,000, a buyer can order from a single CMAS contractor using the fair and reasonable price method. For purchases of $10,000 or more, the buyer must issue a Request for Offer (RFO) to a minimum of three CMAS suppliers before placing the order. So holding a CMAS puts you on the shortlist, but you still compete on larger buys.
How long does a CMAS contract last?
A CMAS agreement does not carry its own independent expiration date. It lives and dies with your base contract. When your federal GSA Schedule (or other base contract) expires or is cancelled, your CMAS ends with it, so keeping the base current is what keeps the CMAS active.
How does FindBids help once I have a CMAS?
A CMAS gives you a fast contracting path, but agencies still have to be buying and you still have to find the opportunities. FindBids reads what your business actually does and matches it to live California state and local bids by meaning, then downloads the full solicitation documents for you automatically, including from gated portals that require a manual login. It tells you which agencies are in the market right now so your CMAS gets used.