With its challenging LPTA structure, ENCORE III takes another step on the path to the “commoditization” of IT services.  However, its $17.5B ceiling and long life still make it an attractive piece of business.

According to the trade press, DISA / DITCO is on schedule to issue the ENCORE III solicitation in December 2015.  The 40 winning bidders will have an opportunity to provide a wide variety of IT services in support of the Joint Information Environment (JIE) worldwide.  Areas to be supported primarily include C4ISR, and all elements of the DoD Information Network (DoDIN).

ENCORE II

The ENCORE II contracts have been notable in helping the DoD change the way information systems function.  By helping develop the Global Information Grid (GIG), the ENCORE contractors have worked to create an emerging environment that will provide “information superiority.”  The end goal is to enhance combat power through greatly increased battlespace awareness, improved ability to employ weapons beyond line-of-sight, and reduced decision cycles.

Several highly competitive contractors in terms of technical capability and pricing have won the majority of ENCORE II contract dollars.

Winning an ENCORE III Contract Will Be a Challenge

According to rumor, upwards of 200 companies are expected to submit proposals for ENCORE III.

The primary proposal tasks include:

  1. Building a good team
  2. Responding to 3 sample tasks
  3. Determining a winning price
  4. Getting responsive past performance prepared

Insight into winning a contract

Low Pricing

Successful bidders will have to be creative and take risk. In order to win, offerors must justify their bid to demonstrate deliverability of service and “price reasonableness.“

Virtually everyone with insight attests that the winners will need to employ price-to-win (PTW) analysis.

OCI recently completed an analysis of new solution trends in the post sequestration era.  It comes as no surprise, our survey found that most LPTA contractors are forced to adjust salary and benefits as well as lower profit and administrative costs to win.

Technical Acceptability

Making sure your proposal is technically acceptable is no easy matter. Discriminating bidders will want to perform a gap analysis of team capability — and then make adjustments to the team, if necessary, to meet the technical requirements.

Where should the bidders be now in their capture / proposal process for ENCORE III?

Offerors should be well along.  This includes:

  1. Bid / no-bid decision
  2. Minimum certification requirements
  3. Identified prime or subs teaming partners
  4. Developed story boards
  5. Developed initial pricing guidance
  6. Written first draft of the expected proposal response to include past performance

If your company is not well along in the proposal process, then you might consider hiring consultants who have the expertise you need — pricing, technical SMEs, proposal writers, and proposal managers.  If you plan to prepare a proposal but are constrained in resources, finding a solution now is urgent.  Once the RFP is out, there just isn’t time to prepare a winner.

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