2024 Contract Vehicles: What’s left
As we advance through the final quarter of the 2024 fiscal year, businesses engaged in government contracting need to maintain a keen focus on several significant Contract Vehicles, IDIQs, and GWACs set to offer substantial opportunities. These vehicles serve as critical channels through which federal agencies procure various services and products, making them prime targets for businesses aiming to expand their government contracting presence.
Remaining vigilant and adjusting strategies to align with the evolving priorities and budget allocations outlined in the proposed 2024 federal budget is crucial for businesses engaged in government contracting. This budget provides valuable insights into the administration’s focal areas, enabling companies to position themselves for upcoming opportunities strategically.
The Department of Defense (DoD) continues to play a central role in the contracting landscape, with significant funding earmarked for key indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts. Additionally, the DoD’s focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and space systems is expected to drive contract opportunities in these burgeoning fields.
While budget allocations offer a general roadmap, it’s essential for businesses to stay informed about specific contract vehicle updates, solicitations, and amendments. In the ever-changing contracting landscape, companies must remain adaptable and tailor their strategies to align with the government’s shifting priorities and budget allocations. By staying informed and proactively positioning themselves, businesses can enhance their prospects of securing lucrative contract awards and contribute to economic growth and development.
Upcoming Contract Vehicles
The contract vehicles represent a diverse range of opportunities for businesses to collaborate with federal agencies and contribute to various initiatives and projects. Companies should thoroughly research and understand the requirements, scope, and competition levels associated with each vehicle to strategically pursue relevant opportunities. While the RFP for some of the contract vehicles like has already been released, there are more in a pipeline to keep an eye on.
NASA SEWP VI (Released)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) has been a cornerstone of federal IT acquisition since 1993. As a Best-in-Class Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), SEWP has proven its value through five successful iterations. Now, with SEWP VI on the horizon, the contract is set to continue its legacy of providing cutting-edge IT solutions to federal agencies.
The contract value for NASA SEWP VI has a ceiling of $60 billion. This means the total value of all IT products and services purchased under the contract cannot exceed $60 billion over its 10-year lifespan. It’s important to note that this is not a guaranteed spending amount. It represents the maximum potential value if all awarded vendors secure contracts and federal agencies utilize the full scope of available products and services.
Key Dates for SEWP VI:
NASA aims to award the contract by the first quarter of FY2025, with a final deadline of the third quarter of FY2025.
SEWP VI Focus and Structure:
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Primary focus on Value Added Reseller (VAR) services and IT professional services
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Unrestricted and small business competition
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140 total awards planned, with 100 designated for small businesses.
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10-year contract term.
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Multiple contract types available
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NAICS code: 541512
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Coverage: CONUS, OCONUS, and Washington, DC
SEWP VI Categories:
Small Business Opportunities:
SEWP VI offers contracting opportunities through three categories: A, B, and C. Within each category, there are two groups: unrestricted competition and set-aside for small businesses. Notably, Category C is exclusively reserved for small businesses.
SEWP VI is a win-win for both government and IT vendors. Government agencies gain access to a smorgasbord of cutting-edge IT solutions, while vendors, particularly small businesses, can leverage SEWP VI to expand their reach into the lucrative federal sector. This improved iteration builds upon the program’s past successes, offering a more robust and flexible toolkit to meet the ever-evolving IT needs of government agencies.
Chief Information Officer (CIO) Business Operation Support Services (CBOSS)2.0 (Upcoming)
The Department of Energy (DOE) is on the cusp of a technological transformation. CBOSS 2.0, the upcoming Chief Information Officer Business Operation Support Services contract, stands as a $10 billion behemoth, in position to reshape the landscape of IT services within the department.
CBOSS 2.0 functions as a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). Instead of issuing individual contracts for every IT need, CBOSS 2.0 allows the DOE to leverage a pool of pre-vetted vendors, facilitating a faster and more efficient acquisition process. This translates to significant cost and time savings for both the government and participating vendors.
Broad Spectrum of Services: A mixture for IT Expertise
The beauty of CBOSS 2.0 lies in its versatility. It encompasses a wide range of IT services, encompassing:
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Cybersecurity: With the ever-growing threat landscape, the DOE prioritizes robust security solutions. CBOSS 2.0 seeks vendors with expertise in data protection, intrusion detection, and security protocols.
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Infrastructure Management:Maintaining a vast and complex IT infrastructure requires skilled professionals. CBOSS 2.0 seeks vendors adept at managing data centers, networks, and cloud environments.
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Telecommunications: Ensuring seamless communication across a geographically dispersed department is crucial. CBOSS 2.0 targets vendors with expertise in network design, voice-over-IP solutions, and unified communications platforms.
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Application Development and Maintenance:he DOE relies on a multitude of applications. CBOSS 2.0 seeks vendors with capabilities in developing, deploying, and maintaining mission-critical applications.
These are just a few examples, and the full scope of services will be detailed in the Request for Proposal (RFP) expected anytime in 2024. DOE released Request for Information (RFI) on September 1, 2023, with responses requested by September 22, 2023.
Information Technology Enterprise Solution – 4 Services (ITES-4S) Contract Vehicle (Upcoming)
The U.S. Army is getting ready for a tech overhaul! They’re building a giant IT toolbox called Information Technology Enterprise Solution – 4 Services (ITES-4S), worth a whopping $12.1 billion over 10 years. This program will be like a one-stop shop for pretty much everything tech-related that the Army needs.
The Army wants to build a fancy new digital headquarters. ITES-4S would be like hiring a super contractor who can handle everything from setting up high-tech security cameras (cybersecurity) to installing all the computers and wires (IT services) to even training the soldiers on how to use all the new gadgets (IT education).
ITES-4S covers a wide range of IT services, including:
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Cybersecurity Services
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Enterprise Design
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Integration and Consolidation
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Network/Systems Operation and Maintenance
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Telecommunications/Systems Operation and Maintenance
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Business Process Reengineering
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IT Supply Chain Management
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IT Education & Training
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Intelligent Automation (Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA))
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Cloud Services
The competition type for ITES-4S includes both small business set-asides and full and open/unrestricted opportunities. Approximately 125 awards are expected under this contract. The primary NAICS code for this contract is 541519 (Other Computer Related Services) with a size standard of $34 million in annual receipts, except for Information Technology Value Added Resellers, which have a size standard of 150 employees.
Key Dates for ITES-4S:
ITES-4S aims to enhance the Army’s capabilities in modernizing and maintaining LandWarNet, which links the Army’s forces globally and provides on-the-move capabilities. This includes pushing access down to the lowest tactical level, from the battlefield to home stations. The breadth of services required necessitates appropriately qualified personnel, offering flexibility to vendors through multiple contracts with narrower scopes.
For ITES-4S, notable additions and modifications include:
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Multiple NAICS codes
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Two sets of suites (high-end and low-end)
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8(a) set-aside planning with increased small business goals (in adherence to EO/AFARS compliance)
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Customers leveraging the contract to fulfill their small business goals
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Adherence to FedRAMP standards for cloud services
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Inclusion of metrics for both RFP and RFI submissions
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Establishment of minimum requirements for vendors to display on their forward-facing websites.
Advantages for Small Businesses
ITES-4S offers significant benefits for small businesses. Similar to its predecessor, ITES-3S, which generated $741.8 million in contract spending by September 30, 2022, ITES-4S places a higher emphasis on 8(a) set-aside planning and increased small business objectives. This makes it more accommodating to small businesses, enabling them to leverage the contract to meet their small business goals more effectively.
Alliant 3 GWAC (Released)
Alliant 3 is the follow-on to the highly successful Alliant 2 GWAC run by the General Services Administration (GSA). Alliant 3 will provide IT solutions across multiple disciplines including cloud, cyber, software development, and more. The goal of Alliant 3 is to streamline the acquisition of IT services and emerging technology for the Federal Government.
Multiple-Award IDIQ, Alliant 3 has an estimated ceiling of $75 billion, offering complete and flexible IT solutions worldwide. With a planned period of performance for 10-year term (5 base years and 5 option years), the government intends to make 76 awards under the GWAC. The contract will support various contract types, including Firm Fixed Price, Time and Material, Labor Hour, Cost-Reimbursement, Fixed Price Award Fee, and Fixed Price Incentive Fee.
Alliant 3’s scope of work is extensive, covering a broad range of IT services, emerging technologies and some additional work. This includes areas such Software development, IT infrastructure, Cybersecurity, IT support, Artificial intelligence, Data analytics, Cybersecurity, Cloud computing, Program management, IT strategy, IT audit and compliance and other works.
Key Dates for Alliant 3:
NAICS Code and Locations
Alliant 3 will utilize the NAICS code 541512 and will cover both CONUS (Continental United States) and OCONUS (Outside Continental United States) locations.
Subcontracting Plan Compliance
Entities classified as Other Than Small Businesses (OTSBs) must adhere to FAR Clause 52.219-9, ensuring equitable opportunities through mandatory subcontracting goals:
Evaluation Method
The evaluation process for Alliant 3 will occur in three phases:
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Phase 1: Submitted proposals will be ranked from highest to lowest total score. The 76 highest scoring proposals or Preliminary Qualifying Proposals (PQP) will be screened to verify all supporting documentation was submitted
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Phase 2:PQPs will be screened against the Acceptability Review criteria (section M.4 of the June 28, 2024 RFP). Any PQP that fails the review will be removed from the potential award pool.
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Phase 3: PQP supporting documentation will be evaluated. The evaluation process will continue until the 76 awardees are identified
Chief Information Officer-Commodities and Solutions (CI0-CS) (Upcoming)
The Chief Information Officer-Commodities and Solutions (CIO-CS) contract, administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), represents the next-generation Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) vehicle. With an estimated contract value of $25 billion, CIO-CS aims to provide comprehensive IT commodities and solutions across the federal government, particularly emphasizing health and biomedical-related IT. This contract is a follow-on to NIH’s current Electronic Commodities Store (ECS) III and is set to support the full range of IT needs within the federal government, focusing on agencies like NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) involved in healthcare and clinical research.
The contract process is currently in the pre-RFP stage, with the Sources Sought/RFI issued on March 11, 2024, and responses due by March 25, 2024. The solicitation is estimated to be released anytime in 2024, with an anticipated award date in February 2025 and a contract start date in April 2025. This timeline provides a structured path for potential offerors to engage and prepare their proposals in anticipation of the upcoming contract opportunities.
Key Dates for CIO-CS:
Scope of Work and Requirements
CIO-CS is designed to deliver a wide array of IT goods and services, supporting various areas such as IT operations, security, infrastructure, telecommunications, and desktop applications, as well as health and life sciences within the federal government.
The contract is structured around functional categories encompassing a range of IT commodities and solutions, delivered through On-Premises and Managed Services deployment models, including Public Cloud deployment. The draft product categories include end-user hardware and software commodities, IT security software, enterprise-wide software, health and biomedical research IT capabilities, on-premises infrastructure, and telecommunications plans.
Competition and Contract Structure
The competition type for CIO-CS is currently undetermined, but the contract will follow a multiple-award IDIQ structure with 75 to 100 awards anticipated. The contract term includes a five-year base period with a one-time five-year option period. It will accommodate various contract types such as firm-fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, and time and materials. The primary location for services is within the continental United States (CONUS), with some requirements extending to outside the continental United States (OCONUS) locations. The associated NAICS codes are 334111 for Electronic Computer Manufacturing and 541519 for Information Technology Value Added Resellers.
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