With SEWP VI, we have the question of, “will the pot ever boil.”  Here we have the primo IT program serving the federal government.  The bidder community has been hungry for the draft solicitation “sewp” that will let us plan and strategize for months.  The program office was planning to release the draft during August.  Then on August 21, the draft release date changed to “during CY 2023.”

OCI History Supporting NASA SEWP

It has been our pleasure to support the NASA SEWP program since its inception in the 1990s.  It was my privilege to write the Executive Summary on SEWP I for GTSI, now merged with NTT.  Since then, we have helped bidders with all NASA SEWP programs.

OCI Support on SEWP V

OCI helped 10 bidders on SEWP V.  And all 10 won a contract.  Total sales of the 10 to SEWP customers was $1,370,104,000.  With the top provider selling $340,670,000 under the contract.

Upcoming NASA SEWP VI Webinar

We will be giving a webinar on winning a NASA SEWP VI contract.  It will be scheduled for two weeks after the draft RFP is released.  Presenters will include Russell Smith and another individual who also has deep NASA SEWP experience.

What to be Doing Now

Bidders who plan to win a SEWP VI contract need to be completing their plans now.  Whether it is in-house resources or consultants, determine your needs for talent.  And don’t forget, NASA SEWP is infamous for having a long active bid period that may be in the six-month range.  Someone has to constantly tend the pot and address all the questions that come out in the amendments during this period.

If you Need Consultants

Some bidders take a laissez-faire approach and wait as late as possible to engage consultants.  Based on our experience with the SEWP program during the past 25 years, this is a recipe for underperforming on your proposal.  The program is so large that the more foresighted bidders come early and take the best talent.  If you don’t want that to be you, now is the time to start looking for talent.  You know approximately what the spec will be based on SEWP V and the well-known expectation that SEWP VI will also have enterprise-level services among the requirements.

This program is a thrilling challenge to work.  And I hope that you will be among the bidders that we are able to help win SEWP VI.