8(a) contractors on the Chief Information Officer – Solutions and Partners 3 (CIO-SP3) IDIQ have a promising opportunity with the Department of State (DOS) coming up in the not-too-distant future (DOS? On a Health IT vehicle? You heard correctly). The Development, Engineering, and Integration Services (DEIS) contract, currently being performed by ActioNet, supports DOS’ Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), Office of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). We expect this solicitation to hit the CIO-SP3 streets towards the end of the current (federal) fiscal year.

What does this contract do?

Through this task order, ActioNet provides IT services to the DS CTO in support of the design, development, implementation, deployment, and operations and maintenance for DS software applications, networking systems, and websites. One of ActioNet’s primary accomplishments on this contract was shifting away from a waterfall software development lifecycle (SDLC) projects and implementing Agile development methodologies and Sprint delivery cycles. This has allowed ActioNet to quickly adapt to regularly-changing requirements and deliver software application updates in a timely manner. This task order also requires:

• SharePoint and .NET development;
• Enterprise software asset management and compliance;
• Biometric interface support; and
• Configuration management

Who’s Who in the Zoo

As the DEIS contract will likely be re-competed as an 8(a) set-aside, we have a fairly narrow competitive landscape. By focusing on the CIO-SP3 8(a) contract holders who have also performed work at DOS, we can narrow that field even further. Of the vendors listed in the table below, only four (ActioNet, Customer Value Partners, Sevatech, and Trusted Mission) have performed work for DOS through the CIO-SP3 vehicle.   Past is not prologue so any change outside of using CIO-SP3 can fundamentally alter the competitive landscape.

Let’s take a look at the top ten DOS vendors who are also primes on CIO-SP3 8(a).

Analysis of the Opportunity

This task order’s ceiling value has increased with most modifications, typically in line with action obligations. The contract’s current ceiling is $48.4 million, with $45.3 million obligated. Since 2014, the contract has averaged $9.5 million in spend per fiscal year, with $5.4 million obligated so far in 2018. This was originally competed as an 8(a) set-aside, and likely will be re-competed the same way. While ActioNet is no longer an 8(a), they have maintained their CIO-SP3 8(a) contract and have a strong focus on and good relationships within DOS. Additionally, ActioNet led the change to Agile methodologies, which the customer has fully embraced – further strengthening their bid to re-compete. This task order may be difficult for a non-incumbent to win due to ActioNet’s customer intimacy and focus as well as their past performance on this work.

Takeaways:

• ActioNet is the second-largest CIO-SP3 DOS contractor over the past five years, indicating both customer intimacy and a strong focus on this customer.
• Watch out for DOS to shift away from CIO-SP3 in order to enable / change competitive landscape.
• ActioNet implemented the change from waterfall software development lifecycle to an Agile methodology using Sprint cycles to respond to rapidly changing priorities – a change that the customer has wholly embraced.
• There is decent competition among CIO-SP3 8(a) contractors who have worked with DOS. While ActioNet has been one of the most successful in recent years, there are several others with a strong foothold

Stay focused. Do your capture homework. There are some great opportunities out there. Good hunting!

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