Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center

DISA only wants tailored pitches from vendors

By

The Defense Information Systems Agency — the warfighter’s IT shop — is very interested in hearing what solutions and capabilities industry has to offer, but only in the context of how those technologies can be applied to the military’s specific needs.

“We tend to break capabilities that work in industry. I’ve seen it time and time again over the years,” Dave Bennett, director of DISA’s Operations Center, said last week during the annual Forecast to Industry.  “If you come in and you try to sell me on widget XYZ and you want to cite a scenario where you used it in industry … I will zero my mind out. I will be singing ‘la-la-la’ in the back of my head. Because what you did in industry, nine times out of 10 will not apply in my space.”

Instead, Bennett urged vendors to come armed with specific knowledge of the DISA environment they’re looking to support and a direct pitch on how their solution would benefit the agency and the warfighter.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2018/11/disa-only-wants-tailored-pitches-vendors/152587/

Can a small business take over DISA’s $1 billion perimeter security contract?

By

The Defense Information Systems Agency’s perimeter cybersecurity has been managed by a large contractor for almost 10 years and now the agency wants to know if a small or underutilized business can take over.

The agency released two requests for information June 20 for its Gateway Security Engineering program: one looking for responses from small businesses, including 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned and women-owned; and another soliciting information from vendors in historically underutilized business zones, or HUBZones.

The Gateway Security program manages security at the intersection of the Defense Department’s non-classified network, known as NIPRNet, and the public internet. “It provides support by developing, testing, implementing, and maintaining secure interoperable solutions at the Gateways,” according to the RFIs.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2018/06/can-small-business-take-over-disas-1b-perimeter-security-contract/149152/

Next NDAA might add more cyber provisions

By

The next defense authorization bill could have a slew of new cyber provisions aimed at streamlining the Defense Department’s collaboration with the rest of government.

The House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities released a markup of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act on April 26 that includes a range of cyber provisions and recommendations focusing on expanding cyber forces, protecting critical infrastructure and consolidating cyber responsibilities.

Key provisions include:

  • Studying state cyber teams.
  • Protecting critical infrastructure with more hackathons.
  • Boosting breach notification requirements. 
  • Prioritizing tech needs at DOD installations.
  • Fully integrating DIUx’s Silicon Valley vibe into defense labs. 
  • Mapping cyber vulnerabilities in weapons systems. 
  • Cyber Command absorbing (some of) DISA’s responsibilities.

Read details on each of these provisions at: https://washingtontechnology.com/articles/2018/04/27/ndaa-markup-cyber.aspx

$17.5 billion defense IT contract award survives four protests

By

The 20 companies awarded a place in November on the Defense Information Systems Agency’s $17.5 billion IT services contract, ENCORE III, will get to keep their spots, the agency recently announced.

The award survived protests from Data Systems Analysts, NCI Information Systems, Peerless Technologies Corporation and Planned Systems International. The companies filed their protests with the Government Accountability Office in November; all four were dismissed on Feb. 21.

The protest decisions from GAO are under a protective order and awaiting redaction before being released to the public.

See the names of the 20 companies and keep reading this article at: http://www.nextgov.com/it-modernization/2018/03/175-billion-defense-it-contract-awards-survives-four-protests/146738/

DISA’s new acquisition authority could mean a boost to cyber

By

Leaders at the Defense Information Systems Agency hope to use a new acquisition authority to bolster the organization’s cyber efforts.

In May DISA was officially granted what’s known as Other Transaction Authority, which allows the agency to operate outside the usual acquisition methods. The process allows for cost-sharing with vendors and aims to shorten the capability-development cycle and accelerate the transition of prototypes to the government.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.c4isrnet.com/show-reporter/disa-forecast-industry/2017/11/07/disas-new-acquisition-authority-could-mean-a-boost-to-cyber/

More cybersecurity changes expected for contractors in 2017

By

cyber-securityIn 2016, the dangers presented by an increasingly digital world clearly were on display. A cyber-attack using an army of Internet of Things devices interfered with the operations of major commercial websites.

And the Presidential Election was plagued with allegations of state-sponsored cybersecurity hacking (for which the Obama Administration just issued sanctions against the Russian government).

Cybersecurity threats are unlikely to cede the spotlight in the coming year. Indeed, Marcel Lettre, the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence recently described cybersecurity as a “political, economic, diplomatic and military challenge” that is “evolving and growing more acute over time.”

As repositories for some of the Government’s most sensitive data, contractors face increasing regulatory obligations for protecting that data from cyber-attacks. Highlighted below are some of the key regulatory actions taken in 2016 to further this goal. And, as described further below, cybersecurity remains a focus for the Government for the year ahead.

See some of the key cybersecurity regulatory actions impacting contractors here: https://www.insidegovernmentcontracts.com/2016/12/cybersecurity-changes-expected-contractors-2017/

2016’s most anticipated technology contracts

By

This year is a big one for federal IT contracts.

The top two contract vehicles to be awarded within the next year, the General Services Administration’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (now out for bid) and Alliant 2, have a collective ceiling value of $100 billion.

GSA's EIS contract timeline.
GSA’s EIS contract timeline.

Toss in close to a dozen more contracts with potential multibillion-dollar ceilings, and you’ve got a particularly active – and exceedingly important – year ahead for federal agencies, contracting officials and competing contractors.

“This is the biggest year for federal IT contract vehicles in a decade, and when the dust settles by the middle of next year, the playing field will be set for the next decade in IT services,” said Brian Friel, principal of One Nation Analytics LLC, in an interview with Nextgov.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.nextgov.com/cio-briefing/2016/03/most-anticipated-it-contracts-2016/126511

Also see: Five charts that show where the federal IT budget is going next year.

Defense department’s ‘sources sought’ for IT services underscores importance of an effective capabilities statement

By

Market research undertaken last week by a unit of the Department of Defense places significant importance on small businesses having a written capabilities statement.

In fact, as the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) puts it, “It is vitally important that Small Businesses responding to this Sources Sought Notice do so with highly effective Capability Statements.”

The call for submittal of capabilities statements comes in DISA’s posting of a sources sought notice on FedBizOpps on September 11, 2014.  The purpose of the sources sought is to determine the availability and technical capability of small businesses to provide a wide range of information technology services to the U.S. Cyber Command, including assistance for offensive and defensive cyber operations.

The sources sought notice is a precursor to an anticipated indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity IT contract which will be open only to small businesses.  Small businesses are being sought to provide support for cyber planning, training knowledge, records management, science and technology research and development, and more than 30 cyber exercises a year.

The small businesses that DISA is seeking to identify include Small Disadvantaged Businesses, HUBZone Firms; Certified 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, and Woman Owned Small Business.

The primary place of performance will be at USCYBERCOM Government facilities within the Ft. George G. Meade, MD local area. Local area is any facility within a 50 mile radius of Ft. Meade, Maryland.

Responses to the sources sough are due not later than 4:00 pm Eastern Time on September 29, 2014.

DISA’s sources sought notice may be seen at: https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=63a08d1386b0426debf21c53cd8572db&tab=core&_cview=0.

For background information on the “sources sought” process, read: http://gtpac.org/2010/09/what-is-a-sources-sought-heres-the-answer

For general information on putting together a capabilities statement, read: http://gtpac.org/2010/05/what-is-a-capabilities-statement-and-why-should-i-have-one/

Clients of the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center may ask their assigned counselor for a sample capabilities statement as well as for a review of their capabilities statement before submitting it in response to any sources sought notice.

 

DISA discloses 3-year network equipment purchase plan

By

The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) plans to purchase nearly $239 million in equipment over the next three fiscal years to operate and maintain the U.S. military’s core enterprise network.

Several manufacturers could compete to provide DISA equipment covered under the agency’s Approved Products List, according to an Aug. 15 FedBizOpps notice.

Manufacturers identified in the APL can obtain a government sponsor and apply to have their products tested and added to the list at any time, DISA said in the notice.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.executivegov.com/2013/08/disa-discloses-3-year-info-systems-net-equipment-purchase-plan/

20 contracts for 2011 you can’t ignore

By

In our annual roundup of the 20 most important contracts that are about to hit the market, Washington Technology culled data from FedSources and Input. The contracts are ranked by the dollar size of their ceilings. Actual business that will flow through these contracts likely will be less.

The contracts this year weigh heavily toward IT support and professional services. Support for the military is the most common driver behind many of these contracts.

For more coverage of the critical trends driving the market in 2011, click here.

1. Strategic Services Sourcing 2nd Generation
Agency: Army Materiel Command
Value: $30 billion
RFP: November 2012
Award: December 2014
Solicitation No.: N/A
Purpose: This is a follow-on contract to the current S3 contract. The Army uses the contract for engineering services and logistics and business operations support for command and control systems. The contract is a multiple-award contract. The current contract has seven incumbents that have done more than $4.5 billion in task orders.

2. Enhanced Army Global Logistics Enterprise
Agency: Army Materiel Command
Value: $30 billion
RFP: February 2011
Award: January 2012
Solicitation No.: W52P1J10RXXXX
Purpose: The contract has four functional areas: supply, maintenance, transportation support, and plans and operations. The contract will primarily support logistics operations. It is replacing the Army’s Field and Installation Readiness Support Team contract and some other smaller vehicles. This will be a multiple-award contract.

3. Communication and Transmission Systems
Agency: Army
Value: $19.5 billion
RFP: May 2011
Award: February 2012
Solicitation No.: W91QUZ10CTSPWSQA
Purpose: This contract will be used to acquire a variety of communications services, including satellite, microwave, fiber optics, over-the horizon, radio and wireless. The contract also will be used for equipment, hardware and support services. The Army is looking for turnkey solutions on this contract as well. It is expected to be a multiple-award contract.

4. Defense Language Interpretation and Translation Enterprises
Agency: Army
Value: $15 billion
RFP: Expected by the end of calendar 2010.
Award: March 2011
Solicitation No.: W911W410R0011
Purpose: This contract will be used by the military and other U.S. agencies to acquire foreign language and regional expertise to help the government meet its missions. Translators and analysts will work on-site and remotely. Services will include translating and interpreting from English to other languages in addition to from other languages into English.

5. Federally Funded Research and Development Center Support
Agency: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Value: $14.4 billion
RFP: March 2011
Award: December 2011
Solicitation No.: NNN10AA01S
Purpose: The contractor will manage and operate the Jet Propulsion Lab, including maintaining the infrastructure needed by the lab to carry out its scientific and research mission. Missions include projects in Earth orbit and deep space, and they cover Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics and astrophysics.

6. Global Tactical Advanced Communications Systems and Support Services
Agency: Army
Value: $10 billion
RFP: March 2011
Award: June 2011
Solicitation No.: W15P7T11RC001
Purpose: The multiple-award contract will be used to buy hardware, systems and services for a wide range of tactical command and control systems, including logistics support, testing and engineering services.

7. Next Generation Enterprise Network
Agency: Navy
Value: $8.8 billion
RFP: Fiscal 2011
Award: To be determined
Solicitation No.: MKTSVY4623E
Purpose: NGEN will replace the Navy Marine Corps Intranet contract held by Hewlett-Packard. This time, the Navy is expected to divide the contract into five parts. The NGEN program also will cover the One-Net contract held by General Dynamics, the naval network outside the United States, and afloat networks. NGEN will cover desktop computers, local-area networks, enterprise networks and the Navy’s IT infrastructure used by 450,000 people.

8. Electronic Commodities Store IV
Agency: National Institutes of Health
Value: $6 billion
RFP: April 2011
Award: December 2011
Solicitation No.: N/A
Purpose: This longtime multiple-award contract has been used by many agencies looking for a vehicle to buy hardware and software. The contract carries commercial items such as desktop PCs, laptop PCs and handheld devices. It also has lots for telecommunications equipment, scientific research workstations, software and support services.

9. Design, Development, Demonstration and Integration
Agency: Army Space and Missile Defense Command
Value: $5 billion
RFP: November 2010
Award: November 2011
Solicitation No: W9113MD3ISS10
Purpose: The contract will support development of requirements for missile defense, space and other warfighter solutions. Work will include platform and sensor technologies, communications networks, missiles, rockets and re-entry vehicles, and space technologies.

10. Information Technology Enterprise Solutions-3H
Agency: Army
Value: $5 billion
RFP: June 2011
Award: January 2012
Solicitation No.: W91QUZ10ITES3H
Purpose: This contract is used to acquire hardware such as Unix servers, Windows servers, workstations, desktop PCs, laptop PCs and storage systems. The Army also will use this contract to buy networking equipment, printers, video equipment and uninterruptible power supplies. This is a follow-on contract held by Apptis Inc., CDW Government, Dell Federal systems, IBM Corp., World Wide Technology and GTSI Corp.

11. Medicare Prescription Drug Integrity
Agency: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Value: $4 billion
RFP: March 2011
Award: September 2011
Solicitation No.: N/A
Purpose: CMS will use this multiple-award contract to help implement Part D prescription drug benefit regulations. However, the regulations are not yet finalized. Services will include reviewing compliance plans, investigations and audits and developing data systems to track fraud and abuse. There are eight incumbents, including Hewlett Packard, Maximus, Perot Systems and Science Applications International Corp.

12. Automated Desktop Extended Processing Technology III
Agency: U.S. Postal Service
Value: $2 billion
RFP: January 2011
Award: April 2011
Solicitation No.: N/A
Purpose: This contract will supply desktop PCs, mobile devices, peripherals and support services to the U.S. Postal Service. Services will include repair and maintenance. Services and products will be delivered across the country. Hewlett-Packard is the incumbent contractor.

13. Economic Growth for Poverty Reduction
Agency: U.S. Agency for International Development
Value: $2 billion
RFP: November 2010
Award: March 2011
Solicitation No.: AIDEGATEG4PR
Purpose: The contractors on this multiple-award procurement will work on a variety of stability fronts, including trade and investment, financial sector, economic opportunities, and private-sector competitiveness. The services and projects are geared toward alleviating poverty in developing countries by helping to build the governing structures needed for economic growth and stability. USAID has a variety of contractors working on these types of programs.

14. NASA Enterprise Data Center Consolidation
Agency: NASA
Value: $1.5 billion
RFP: March 2011
Award: December 2011
Solicitation No.: NNK09274726R
Purpose: NASA has 78 data centers with 15,000 servers. This contract will be used to rationalize management of the data centers, including where they are housed, hardware issues, hosting and what kind of infrastructure to put in place. The contract will be used to create a more uniform management and implementation plan across NASA. The agency has multiple contractors providing these services now, and it is expected that this will be a multiple-award, task-order contract.

15. Training and Management Assistance Support
Agency: Office of Personnel Management
Value: $1.45 billion
RFP: June 2011
Award: February 2012
Solicitation No.: N/A
Purpose: This will be a five-year contract to support training, including the development of custom training and learning systems. Other services include developing training and products and services such as technology-based training products, instructor-led materials and knowledge management systems. There also will be solutions for the analysis and design of programs and other services such as human resources, consulting and business process engineering.

16. Global Information Grid Services Management — Engineering, Transition and Implementation
Agency: Defense Information Systems Agency
Value: $1.4 billion
RFP: January 2011
Award: September 2011
Solicitation No.: HC102810R2001
Purpose: The contract supports the Global Information Grid, including systems engineering and integration, architecture, telecommunication standards development, telecommunication network security and information systems engineering, IT systems, and other services. The contract is expected to be awarded to several small businesses. The current contract-holders are Science Applications International Corp. and SETA Corp.

17. Integrated Mission Planning, Training and Execution
Agency: NASA
Value: $980 million
RFP: November 2010
Award: March 2011
Solicitation No.: NNJ10ZHD002L
Purpose: Lockheed Martin Corp. is the incumbent on this contract, which supplies NASA with technical support for mission planning. Work is done at the Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston. Details on the acquisition strategy have not been released yet.

18. Expeditionary C4I Systems and Technical Support Services
Agency: Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
Value: $900 million
RFP: November 2010
Award: July 2011
Solicitation No.: N6523609R0202
Purpose: Services under this contract include systems engineering, test and evaluation, maintenance and site support, configuration management, logistics and training, and program management. The contract will need a top-secret clearance. This is a new contract, so there is no incumbent contractor.

19. Application Support Centers
Agency: Homeland Security Department
Value: $750 million
RFP: February 2011
Award: September 2011
Solicitation No.: N/A
Purpose: DHS’ Citizenship and Immigration Service continues to need support for its biometrics programs. Support includes biometrics capture, testing, program management and scheduling support. Northrop Grumman Corp. is the incumbent on the contract. The bureau is in the early stages of developing the recompete of this contract.

20. Advisory and Assistance Services for Global Engineering Integration and Technical Assistance 11
Agency: Air Force
Value: $650 million
RFP: March 2011
Award: January 2012
Solicitation No.: FA890311R8002
Purpose: This contract is used to support a variety of Air Force agencies with management and professional services, studies, analysis and evaluation services, and engineering and technical services. There are several incumbents on this long-running program, including Booz Allen Hamilton. Booz Allen captured more than half of the task orders issued under the program.

About the Author: Nick Wakeman is the editor of Washington Technology – 11/10/2010.

Contracting News

Read More

Contracting Tips

Read More

GTPAC News

Read More

Georgia Tech News

Read More