RFI | The Contracting Education Academy

May 20, 2014 By AMK

Industry group challenges GSA’s telecom services strategy

The General Services Administration’s strategy for its next-generation telecommunications services contract could exclude a huge segment of providers and duplicate some federal contract offerings, according to a procurement industry group.

GSA issued a request for information for Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) in April; comments are due by May 8.

The RFI is part of GSA’s effort to develop a comprehensive framework and acquisition strategy for Network Services 2020, which will become the federal government’s strategic sourcing center for network-based and network-enabled services. The agency plans to solicit bids for NS2020 in fiscal 2015.

According to Roger Waldron, president of the Coalition for Government Procurement, the plan sets up small and midsize suppliers to fail. The organization’s concerns relate to the scope of services envisioned under the RFI and the designation of mandatory versus optional services, he added.

Keep reading this article at: http://fcw.com/articles/2014/05/05/industry-group-gsa-telecom-strategy.aspx?admgarea=TC_Management

March 8, 2013 By AMK

Defense agencies look to replace $3.7 billion procurement dinosaur

The Navy and the Defense Contract Management Agency have both started the process of replacing the 1996-vintage Defense Department Standard Procurement System, which managed 800,000 contracts worth $190 billion in 2011.

The Navy, in a request for information to potential vendors posted on FedBizOpps Saturday, said it wants to acquire an electronic procurement system to replace the contract writing capabilities of the Standard Procurement System. DCMA posted a Feb. 21 notice seeking similar, new contract writing software.

Navy officials said they are aiming to deploy the new system for training in fiscal 2014, with full operation by 2015. The service is seeking a commercial system that is ready to go “out of the box.” DCMA said it too wants to acquire a commercial contract writing system, which will “improve efficiency, reduce procurement process times, and increase data accuracy.”

Keep reading this article at: http://www.nextgov.com/defense/2013/02/defense-agencies-look-replace-37-billion-procurement-dinosaur/61503/?oref=nextgov_today_nl.

October 19, 2012 By AMK

Procurement documents show why acquisition reform isn’t easy

Two solicitation documents posted yesterday demonstrate how difficult information technology acquisition reform — a top priority for both the White House and Congress– can be.

The first, for cloud hosting services at the Interior Department, has been a regular on FedBizOpps, the government’s contracting website, for months. The request for proposal dropped July 18. By August 27 the department had received 474 questions from vendors about the solicitation. Rather than respond to those questions one by one, Interior opted to re-issue the RFP multiple times until all the concerns had been dealt with. What may be the final set of clarification came out Wednesday.

Questions from vendors are to be expected with any complex solicitation. Nearly 500 questions, however, might suggest some basic miscommunication between acquisitions staff, IT staff and vendors.

Keep reading this article at http://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/emerging-tech-blog/2012/10/tale-two-solicitations-it-reform-wont-be-easy/58718/?oref=nextgov_today_nl.

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