The Contracting Office issued more changes to its mega-services contract known as the Marketplace for the Acquisition of Professional Services.

Officials gave a rundown on the major changes and the reasons behind those changes in a virtual Industry Listening Session on March 12, 2026.

Widening the Pool

Officials increased the number of contracts they intend to award. They now plan to award 70 contracts for each of the five Domains. That is 20 more Awards per Domain.

In each Domain, Awards will go to 30 large businesses. Interestingly, “Emerging Large Businesses” will receive 15 of those Awards.

What is an Emerging Large Business?

These are essentially Mid-Tier Businesses: Too big to be small but too small to be big. A Mid-Tier Business is a company, including its parent and affiliate, that are not a small business for the proposed MAPS Domain, has outgrown the small business qualifications within the last five years, and has an average annual revenue not exceeding $50 million over the last three years.

The Contracting Office updated the criteria to expand the market pool.

“We felt like by including the Emerging Large Business, it's further allowing a diverse pool of qualified candidates and is still ensuring that the government is still getting the best of the best,” officials said.

Redefining Commercial-Sector Vendors

For MAPS, the definition of Commercial-Sector Vendor is an entity that has never performed any contracts or subcontracts within the last 4 years. The definite is straightforward but not exactly as originally described in law.

Officials adjusted the definition of CSVs due to the connection of non-traditional defense contractors and Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs).

“We felt that the distinction was necessary because, when you look at that [U.S. Code] definition, it’s exclusively associated with Other Transaction Agreements and that is a category under which MAPS does not fall,” Officials said.

CSVs are allowed under each Domain. However, officials emphasized that CSVs are for providing services only, not products. “We don’t want any confusion that MAPS is intended to be a professional services contract with the government obtaining services. We’re not developing commercial capabilities under MAPS,” officials said.

Joint Ventures: Not Always as One

Officials aimed to clarify questions regarding Joint Ventures in MAPS.

Each JV can propose bids to MAPS Task Orders as a single entity, or each member of the JV can propose by themselves. However, both situations cannot happen. It’s one or the other. Likewise, for requirements such as Facility Clearance and Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification requirements, it can set as the JV entity itself or whichever member of the JV that will be performing the work.

• What’s Ahead
  • Solicitation -> March or early April 2026
  • Proposal Due -> end of April 2026
  • Awards -> July or early August 2026