Upcoming RFPs: OASIS+, PACTS III & SEWP VI

OASIS+, PACTS III and SEWP VI are nearing release. Below are updates and recommendations to get a head start.

GSA OASIS+

Small Business, WOSB, SDVOSB, 8(a), HUBZone Set-Asides

We are now at the 11^th hour with release of final OASIS+ RFP expected any minute. This is the big kahuna among current solicitations for small businesses looking to secure long-term contracts with the federal government. There are two key aspects of OASIS+ that small businesses should be aware of:

It is not a truly competitive contract. GSA has stated that they will award contracts to all businesses that meet the minimum point qualifications, no matter how many awards. This means that small businesses have a great opportunity to win contracts under OASIS+.
There will be multiple opportunities to onboard. Even if you are not ready to submit a proposal for the initial round of awards, you will have additional opportunities to onboard in the future.

If you are interested in OASIS+, the first step is to take a look at the submission checklist. This will help you to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications. If you do not appear to meet the point count, you may still be able to qualify for a contract by working with an outside consultant. A consultant can help you to identify any gaps in your qualifications and develop a plan to address them.

OCI still has strong qualified talent to help with this program.

DHS PACTS III

SDVOSB, 8(a), WOSB, HUBZone Set-Asides

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking proposals for a follow-on to the Programmatics, Administration, Clerical, and Technical Services (PACTS) contract. This new contract will be called PACTS III. To solicit three non IT services areas: Program management, clerical and engineering. DHS began the acquisition process for PACTS III in August 2022 with a Notice of Intent to Recompete. The latest update to the acquisition plan expanded DHS’ intent to have separate tracks for each of the various disadvantaged business areas, rather than just Service-disabled veterans as it had done in the first two iterations.

The draft proposal is available on SAM.GOV and GovWin. GovWin predicts that the final RFP will be released in late August 2023. Interestingly, DHS requires a separate proposal for each functional category. But separate proposals are not required for bidding multiple socio categories.

Thirty-nine contracts were issued under the previous iteration of PACTS, and a similar number is expected this time. Nearly 66% of the previous contract’s spend was with SDVOSB and WOSB contractors.

If you are interested in submitting a proposal for PACTS III, you should start preparing now. This includes assembling a team of qualified partners, gathering evidence of past performance, and developing a comprehensive proposal. Most importantly, get your proposal resources identified and in place. Third-party writing help can provide the bit of an edge necessary to win.

DHS is committed to expanding opportunities for small businesses and disadvantaged businesses. PACTS III is a great opportunity for these businesses to win contracts with the federal government. By investing in the time to prepare, you can increase your chances of success.

NASA SEWP VI

SB, SDVOSB, 8(a) Set-Asides

NASA is preparing to release the sixth iteration of its Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) contract, known as SEWP VI. This is a major opportunity for small businesses, as it will involve all kinds of hardware and services. The current contract expires in 2025, so the new acquisition cycle is expected to start later this year, with an award in 2024.

The new iteration of SEWP is expected to have an annual spend of over $10 billion, with a significant portion of that going to small businesses. SEWP is a Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC), which means that it is open to all federal departments and agencies.

On March 23, 2023, the government released additional information about how NASA envisions the product and services breakout for SEWP VI. The contract will be broken down into six product-based areas and, new to NASA SEWP, 22 service areas, that encompass the full scope of IT services.

This contract is considered to be one of the best-run federal IT programs. This is often attributed to the leadership provided by long-term program manager, Ms. Joann Woytek.