Note from the Author, Eileen Kent:

In past "On the Sales Firing Line" articles, Fedmarket.com revealed that veteran groups have been asking for more contracting dollars since DOD has awarded $514 million a year, or only 0.3%, to service-disabled veteran owned businesses. As veteran groups have repeatedly pointed out, the 0.3% figure is well under the government's stated 3% goal. Our veteran-related articles have spurred discussion with veteran-owned businesses and other small businesses - many of whom have asked for further information on contracting vehicles that are set-aside for their business segment. The result is the following article discussing GSA's VETS GWAC and other governmentwide acquisition contracts.

GSA VETS GWAC To Open Opportunities For Service-Disabled Veteran Businesses - Win $5 Billion in Government Contracts

June 30, 2005 - In response to President Bush's executive order requiring agencies to award service-disabled veterans three percent of their contracts each year, GSA has created a contract known as the "Veterans Technology Services Governmentwide Acquisition Contract" (VETS GWAC) and the solicitations are due today.

According to a story published June 15 by Govexec.com magazine entitled, "Veterans Businesses Set to Receive $5 Billion" by Kimberly Palmer, "the impact of the GWAC will be particularly significant because there is a relatively small group of companies that are eligible." Brian Haney, an industry expert and Director of Research Operations at INPUT, a Reston, Va-based market research and consulting firm, told Ms. Palmer that businesses owned by service-disabled veterans will, through VETS GWAC and other similar programs, receive $3 billion annually by 2009, compared to the total information technology (IT) market, which is estimated to be $70.7 billion.

With that in mind, Haney told Palmer that "he would expect to see more joint ventures and subcontracts between businesses owned by service-disabled veterans and other businesses interested in the GWAC, as well as mergers and acquisitions that are structured in a way such that service-disabled veterans retain majority ownership."

According to GSA, "Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts" are IT task order or delivery order contracts established by one agency for governmentwide use. Each GWAC is operated by an executive agent. To use GWACs, agencies must obtain a delegation of authority from the GWAC Program Office.

VETS GWAC KEY LINKS:

GSA Office of Small Business Utilization VETS GWAC Page: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_BASIC&contentId=18036&noc=T

VETS GWAC Solicitation http://www1.eps.gov/spg/GSA/FSS/6FG/6FG2005MTV00001/listing.html

SBA Unit to Help Service-Disabled veteran-Owned Small Businesses Gain Access to Federal Contracting Opportunities http://www.sba.gov/news/05-35-Service-Disabled-Vets.pdf

Service-Disabled Veterans Executive Order 1336 October 21, 2004 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/10/20041021-5.html

Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 and Veterans Benefit Act of 2003 http://www.sba.gov/vets/acts.html

VETS GWAC Teaming List (Parties interested in teaming) 311k http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_BASIC/VETS%20Teaming%20List%206-23-05_R2-uX1-i_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.xls

GSA's March 22 GWAC Pre-solicitation Conference Presentation 264k http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_BASIC/VETS%20Presolicitation%20Conference2_R2-uX1-i_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.ppt

Conference Net Participant List (who logged onto the web portion of their presentation) 187k http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_BASIC/GSA-FSS%20VETS%20Net%20Conf%20Participant%20List%203-22-05_R2-uX1-i_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.xls

SBA Final Rule on SDVOSB 78k http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_BASIC/SDVO%20SBC%20SBA%20Final%20Rule_R2-uX1-i_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.pdf

FAR Final rule on SDVOSB 719k http://www.gsa.gov/gsa/cm_attachments/GSA_BASIC/SDVO%20SBC%20FAR%20Final%20Rule_R2-uX1-i_0Z5RDZ-i34K-pR.pdf

OTHER GWAC CONTRACTING VEHICLES:

The following information concerning governmentwide acquisition contracts has been extracted from the GSA website:

Solution-Based GWACs As Described By GSA Hardware, software, and services may be purchased through GWACs as part of a total technology solution. Task orders placed against GWACS may be customized to meet the full range of IT service solutions, including, but not limited to:

• Service/product integration
• Systems integration
• Systems operation and management
• Software engineering management
• Communications
• Information systems engineering
• Information systems security services
• Network/management telecommunications
• Web enabled solutions

Other GWACs include:

8(a) STARS - (an 8(a) set-aside) A contract vehicle that provides small businesses historically left out of the procurement process with a chance to compete in the federal marketplace. There are more than 400 award-winning industry partners distributed across eight areas of expertise.

8(a) STARS link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/channelView.do?pageTypeId=8199&channelPage=%252Fep%252Fchannel%252FgsaOverview.jsp&channelId=-15625

Alliant - Provides flexibility to efficiently support the federal government's needs in its daily operations, the protection of its infrastructure, the fight against terrorism and the development and marketing of emerging technologies. Contracts awarded under Alliant will have ten-year contract periods (five-year base and one five-year option).

Alliant link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=9FG4&contentId=14264&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

Alliant Small Business Set Aside GWAC: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?programId=9425&channelId=-13266&ooid=11135&contentId=18122&pageTypeId=8199&contentType=GSA_BASIC&programPage=%2Fep%2Fprogram%2FgsaBasic.jsp&P=6FG1

HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone) - The first GWAC set aside exclusively for HUBZone certified small business firms. These are five-year contract periods and provide technology services in seven functional areas. There are 36 companies on this GWAC. HUBZone GWAC link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/channelView.do?pageTypeId=8199&channelPage=%252Fep%252Fchannel%252FgsaOverview.jsp&channelId=-13471

ITOP (Information Technology Omnibus Procurement II) - Provides federal agencies with best value IT solutions including Information Systems Engineering, Systems Operations and Management and Information Systems Security Support Services. ITOP GWAC link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=9FG6&contentId=14691&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

Millenia - Fulfills the demand for large system integration and development projects by providing IT support contracts in the areas of software engineering, communications and systems integration.

Millenia link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=9FG7&contentId=10377&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

Millenia Lite - Created for IT capital planning, studies and assessments. It is also for high-end information technology services, mission support services and legacy systems migration. Projects include biometrics, nanotechnology, capital planning, information assurance and security, critical infrastructure protection, knowledge management, systems enginnering, application development, software development, computer-aided design and systems analysis.

Millenia Lite link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=7FG2&contentId=10654&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

According to GSA, there are also specialty GWACS including:

ACES (Access Certificates for Electronic Services) - Facilitates secure electronic access to government information and services through the use of public key infrastructure/digital signature technology.

ACES link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=9FG3&contentId=9577&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

SMART Cards - Identification, building access, property control, biometrics, logical access, and more.

SMART Card GWAC link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=7FG3&contentId=10657&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

Virtual Data Center Services - Provide a full range of data processing and support services, allowing agencies to outsource their data center operations and focus on their core missions.

Virtual Data Center Services GWAC link: http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=9FG8&contentId=10378&contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW

Remember, it's up to you to develop the relationship at the agency and establish trust with the end user that you can complete the job within budget and with flying colors. These GWACS and GSA schedules are closing mechanisms. Good Luck!