NASA'S $60B SEWP VI WEBEX INDUSTRY DAY HELD TODAY

Published: June 04, 2024

GWACsInformation TechnologyInformation TechnologyIT OutsourcingNASA

On May 23, 2024, the Final Solicitation for the sixth iteration of the NASA Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) was publicly released.  An Informational WebEx was hosted by members of the SEWP Program Office on June 4, 2024 to provide interested vendors the opportunity to review the Final Solicitation, as well as the criteria for submitting a successful Proposal.  The event was attended by over 2800 representatives from interested firms, hoping to become SEWP VI contract holders.   

What are Key Differences between SEWP V and SEWP VI?

Awarded in 2015, SEWP V is one of the General Services Administration’s Best-in-Class (BIC) vehicles.  With 147 contract holders and over $62.8 billion in obligated funding to date, it is considered the federal government’s go-to vehicle for information and communications technology and audio-visual solutions.  The scope of SEWP V is limited to firm-fixed price orders and product-based services.  Additionally, classification was not standardized, and services fell within scope at the order level.  

With the arrival of SEWP VI, the scope has expanded to include two new service categories, multiple contract types at the order level, and the utilization of the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code (UNSPSC) for classification.  SEWP VI is also expected to have a maximum ceiling value of $60 billion – with a ceiling value of $20 billion for each of the three categories outlined in the Final Solicitation.  The period of performance is expected to include a five (5) year based and five (5) one-year options.  

SEWP VI Scope

  • Category A: Information Technology, Communication and Audio Visual (ITC / AV) – NAICS 541519e (Footnote 18) – IT Value Added Reseller
    • Group A1 – Unrestricted
    • Group A2 – Small Business Set-Aside
  • Category B: Enterprise-wide ITC / AV Service Solutions – NAICS 541512
    • Group B1 – Unrestricted
    • Group B2 – Small Business Set-Aside
  • Category C: Mission-Based Information Technology Communication (ITC) and Audio Visual (AV) Services – NAICS 541512
    • Group C1 – Small Business Set-Aside
    • Group C2 – Reserved for future On-Ramp Activity – Graduating C1 Awardees at Re-Certification 
    • Category C threshold restrictions are subject to removal beginning in the 3rd year of contract performance
      • $2 million per order (inclusive of options) for the 1st year of contract performance
      • $10 million per order in the 2nd year of contract performance

How to Obtain an Award

Proposals submitted in response to the Final Solicitation will be evaluated under the following four phases:

  • Phase 1: Volume I – Offer Volume
    • Accuracy of NAIC Crosswalk and Pass the Mandatory Relevant Experience requirement with a current ISO 9001: 2015 Certification of Conformity / Conformance
  • Phase 2: Volume II – Past Performance Volume
    • Achieve a Past Performance rating of “Neutral” or “Satisfactory” level of confidence
  • Phase 3: Volume III – Mission Suitability Volume
    • Achieve an overall “High Confidence” rating in Mission Suitability and a “High Confidence” rating in both Management Approach and Technical Approach subfactors
  • Phase 4: Be classified as a responsible source in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 9.104 

It is expected that interested vendors will only receive direct notification from the government if they did NOT advance to the next phase of the evaluation process. 

Additional Highlights in the Final Solicitation

There are a few things to note.  First, price is not being evaluated in SEWP VI.  Second, there is only one (1) proposal per category submission, not one proposal that can be used for submitting in all categories.  No discussions will be held with interested vendors concerning their submissions, although one debrief may be requested during the evaluation process.  Any proposal which is found to be a duplication of another offeror or contain a section which is a duplication of other offeror and is not part of a joint venture or a contractor teaming agreement, will result in all identified vendors being ineligible for an award and will not be evaluated.  However, information such as Provider Point of Contact or proof of certification will not be considered a duplication if it is submitted by multiple vendors.

How to Submit Your Proposal

To submit a Proposal, interested vendors are required to utilize the Proposal Upload Page on the SEWP VI website.  This page is not expected to be available until June 10, 2024.  To utilize it, a username and password will be required.  If the vendor does not have one, it can be created by using the Interested Parties Registration Page.

Once the Proposal Upload Page is live, interested vendors may login and proceed to the page.  First, select the category and the group of the proposal to be uploaded.  Next, select the NAICS Code and Business size for the upload at the bottom of the page.  Finally, select the desired zip file and upload.  Once the process is completed successfully, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to the interested vendor who submitted the Proposal.  It is important to allow ample time for the upload to finish before the closure date. 

Current Procurement Schedule

Questions and comments on the Final Solicitation are due on or before 4:59 PM ET through the SEWP VI website.  This time frame will not be extended.  Proposals are due by 12:00 PM ET on July 11, 2024.  The source selection process is expected to last through the fall, with awards expected to be made in October 2024.  However, given the high profile and importance of this requirement, awards may be delayed if protests are filed, which Deltek believes is a strong possibility.  Performance under the SEWP VI contracts is expected to begin on May 1, 2025. 

Conclusions

While the number of awards does not have a ceiling, the SEWP VI Final Solicitation has several criteria which must be met to qualify for an award.  Interested vendors must take the necessary time to thoroughly read the Solicitation documents to make sure that they understand what is required for a successful Proposal.  The Contracting Office is operating under a time frame where they are looking to evaluate Proposals on a rapid basis in time for awards in October 2024.  Because of this, they will not hesitate to eliminate a vendor from the competition if the instructions are not strictly followed. 

Recently, Deltek hosted a webinar presented by Red Team Consulting which provided a deep dive into SEWP VI proposal requirements and strategies to be in the best position to win a contract.  This webinar is free and available here.  Finally, keep up to date on the SEWP VI procurement through GovWin IQ Opportunity Report # 201788.