Contragenix

National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP VI) program has played a great role in providing federal agencies with access to the latest and most innovative technologies, establishing itself a torchbearer for driving them towards technological advancement. 

The NASA SEWP program has a rich history that dates back to 1993, when NASA’s Information Technology Procurement Office initiated this Program with an aim of staying abreast with diverse technologies. Within three years of its inception, due to the program’s success, NASA expanded this program into the Government Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) under the statutory authority of the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA). 

Since then, its primary focus has persisted in delivering IT support services and products to various federal agencies. Its evolution over the years has ensured that federal agencies can stay at the forefront of technology and effectively carry out their missions. So far, SEWP has been iterated five times. However, on September 8, 2023, NASA released the Draft RFP for sixth iteration – SEWP VI.  

In this blog post, Contragenix LLC delves into the complexities of SEWP VI, aiming to simplify it for our valued readers’ understanding

What is SEWP VI

SEWP VI is a multiple award GWAC with minimum estimated value of $20 Billion designed to streamline the procurement of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Audio Visual (AV) solutions for NASA and all other federal agencies. Its purpose is to provide streamlined access to critical ICT and AV technologies and solutions for federal agencies, in addition to reduce their procurement costs and time. SEWP VI will also enhance innovation and competition in the government IT market. 

The program covers a wide range of ICT and AV products and services, including Hardware (e.g., computers, servers, storage devices), Software (e.g., operating systems, applications, cloud services), Services (e.g., maintenance, support, training) and Audiovisual equipment. SEWP VI is a 10-year contract that includes 5-year base period and a 5-year option period. 

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Competing for SEWP VI 

SEWP VI introduces a straightforward Pass/Fail mechanism for companies interested in bidding on this significant opportunity. The competition is divided into three phases, with each phase serving as a prerequisite for the subsequent one. Upon successfully passing phase one, a bidder becomes eligible to proceed to phase two, and after successfully passing phase two, they can enter the final phase.

Phase one: Phase one primarily emphasizes certification and mandatory experience. The required certifications encompass ISO-9001 and CMMI certification. Mandatory experience entails expertise in technologies that includes IT computer systems, storage devices, compute facilities, networking technology, cloud computing technology, and product-based services. This phase is the basis for advancing to next level; If bidders doesn’t possess the certifications and mandatory experience, they get out of the game.  

Phase two: In phase two of the competition, the evaluation focuses on the past performance of the bidders. Each bidder is assigned a level of confidence, ranging from neutral to very high, based on their respective past performances. 

Phase three: Phase three – Mission Suitability phase, consists of two factors: Technical Approach and Management Approach. In this phase, bidders who have received a high level of confidence in both their Management Approach and Technical Approach will be eligible for an award under SEWP VI. This ensures that bidders with a strong track record and a comprehensive approach to both management and technical aspects are considered for the final award. 

Scope Categories 

SEWP VI is divided into three scope categories. Although one can bid on more than one category, a complete and separate proposal is required for each category. The segmentation of these categories underscores the government’s aim to foster the growth of small businesses by offering ample opportunities to partake in SEWP VI contracts. The NAICS code 541512 applies to all categories. 

Who can secure award under SEWP VI

1.An offeror who meets mandatory/relevant experience requirements.  

2.One who obtains an overall Past Performance rating ranging from Neutral to Very High confidence levels.  

3.Demonstrating High confidence in Mission Suitability, Management Approach, and Technical Approach subfactors.

4.Being categorized as a responsible source per Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 9.104.

SEWP VI Timeline

Conclusion

Contragenix LLC has a profound grasp of NASA’s SEWP VI program. Based on our extensive track record in delivering specialized support in self-scoring acquisitions such as POLARIS, OASIS+, CIOSP4, JETS2.0, MQS2-NG, and various other projects, we stand prepared to equip businesses to navigate this opportunity with utmost accuracy and assurance. Our commitment to unraveling the intricacies of SEWP VI will empower businesses to strategically position themselves, securing contracts that propel their growth and success.

As the schedule for the release of SEWP VI is around the corner, time is crucial in strategizing and creating a holistic winning approach by curating an appropriate mix of past projects to make the best possible bid.