CMAS stands for California Multiple Award Schedules, a procurement program run by the California Department of General Services (DGS) that lets state and local government agencies buy goods and services from pre-approved vendors without running a full competitive bid. The program works by piggybacking on pricing already negotiated through federal GSA contracts or approved cooperative purchasing agreements, then layering California-specific terms on top. For a public buyer, it means faster orders. For a vendor, it means one agreement opens the door to almost every public agency in the state.
How the Program Works
CMAS is not built through California’s own competitive solicitation process. DGS leverages contracts that have already been competitively awarded elsewhere. A vendor applies to CMAS by offering products or services at prices tied to an existing “base” contract, and DGS layers California terms and conditions on top to produce the final CMAS agreement.1Department of General Services. CMAS Local Government Agency Guide
The most common base is a federal General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule. GSA contracts go through extensive price negotiation at the federal level, and California adopts that pricing foundation rather than duplicating the work. GSA schedules are not the only option. DGS also accepts base contracts from cooperative purchasing organizations including Sourcewell, BuyBoard, OMNIA Partners, NCPA, and CalSAVE, among others. Not every non-GSA schedule qualifies, and consulting services are not available on a non-GSA base.2California Department of General Services. CMAS Before You Apply Guide
What You Can Buy Through CMAS
CMAS covers commodities, non-IT services, and IT products and services at prices DGS assesses as fair, reasonable, and competitive.3California Department of General Services. California Multiple Award Schedules Offerings run from office supplies and furniture to complex technology solutions and professional services.
The catalog splits into two main divisions: information technology (IT) and non-IT. IT agreements carry numbers beginning with “3,” and non-IT agreements begin with “4.” Buyers cannot combine items from IT and non-IT agreements on a single purchase order, because the ordering rules and purchase limits differ between them.2California Department of General Services. CMAS Before You Apply Guide
Who Can Buy Through CMAS
California’s Public Contract Code gives CMAS broad reach across the public sector, authorizing the DGS director to establish contracts and multiple award schedules that both state and local agencies can use without additional competitive bidding.4California Legislative Information. California Public Contract Code 10298 The authorized buyer pool includes all state departments, boards, agencies, and commissions, along with cities, counties, school districts, and special districts.1Department of General Services. CMAS Local Government Agency Guide
Buying Rules and Order Thresholds
CMAS gives buyers flexibility, but not unlimited discretion. The rules change with the size of the order.
For purchases under $10,000, a state buyer can use the “Fair and Reasonable” method, which lets them select a CMAS vendor without soliciting multiple quotes. At $10,000 or more, the buyer must contact a minimum of three CMAS suppliers and issue a Request for Offer (RFO) before placing the order.5Department of General Services (State of California). CMAS State Buyer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There is no single maximum dollar cap that applies across CMAS. The ceiling on any given order is set by the purchasing authority delegated to the agency placing it. No CMAS order can exceed that limit.2California Department of General Services. CMAS Before You Apply Guide
What CMAS Requires of Vendors
The single most important prerequisite for a CMAS agreement is an active base contract, usually a GSA Multiple Award Schedule, though an active contract with an accepted cooperative purchasing organization also works. Your CMAS offerings must fall within the scope of that base contract. You cannot add products or service lines that weren’t competitively awarded under the original agreement.1Department of General Services. CMAS Local Government Agency Guide
Pricing is where vendors most often run into trouble. Your CMAS line-item prices cannot exceed the prices on your base schedule, and DGS can request documentation at any time to verify that the price charged on a purchase order was at or below the base contract price when the order was placed.6California Department of General Services. CMAS Management Guide
Vendors who are not certified California small businesses also pay DGS an incentive fee on all orders placed by local government agencies. The rate is 1.2% for agreements awarded on or after July 1, 2020. Certified California small businesses are exempt, though a small business certification limited to public works does not qualify for the exemption. The fee cannot be added as a separate line item on the purchase order; it has to be absorbed into your pricing, which sits underneath the base schedule cap.7California Department of General Services. CMAS Management Guide
A CMAS agreement has no independent expiration date. It lives and dies with the base contract. If the GSA schedule or cooperative agreement expires, so does the CMAS. If the base is renewed, the vendor must submit a supplement through the CMAS Portal to update the end date, and DGS will not approve supplements if quarterly reports are overdue or incentive fees are unpaid.7California Department of General Services. CMAS Management Guide
Every CMAS vendor also has to submit a business activity report each quarter through the CMAS Portal, even if no orders came in. Each report must include purchase order numbers, dates, dollar amounts, and agency contact information for every transaction in the period. Vendors who fall behind risk having their agreement frozen until they catch up.8California Department of General Services. CMAS Quarterly Reports Information and Instructions