Yesterday ACC APG and PD CHESS held an industry day with ITES-3S and RS3 Primes to discuss the possible combining of two major Army IDIQs: the RS3 follow on, named ACCESS, and the ITES-4S recompete (of ITES-3S).
BLUF (Bottom Line up Front): The Army has NOT YET decided to combine these two major acquisitions.
The purpose of the industry day -- as well as the current RFI (due 3 May) for ACCESS (found on SAM.Gov ACCESS) -- is to explore the practicality of combining these two to determine if this is desirable or even feasible. The main reason for doing this would be to “streamline” both ACCESS and ITES-4S.
At this time both ACCESS and ITES-4S are still two separate acquisitions, and industry should continue to track both. If the two are combined, expect an RFP out before the end of this fiscal year. If the two remain separate…expect both to RFP separately before the end of this fiscal year.
Some other key takeaways from Monday’s plenary session:
- Both vehicles are ending in Sep 2027; hence the consideration of combining the two to reduce the workload on both industry and Government.
- The desire is to have both Professional Services and IT Services on one contract.
- They want to include numerous NAICS and socioeconomics across the scope of the IDIQ.
- While specific NAICS were not described for a combined vehicle, it is reasonable to expect at least 541712, and 54151X. Currently RS3 is 541712 and ITES-3S is 541519.
- The term “Suites” was used to describe how they would partition the NAICS and socioeconomics, but no further description was given.
- The formerly used terms on ITES-4S of “High-Level” and “Low-Level” tasks would be built into the “Suites.”
- Additional LCATs might be considered.
- Per the Government, the ACCESS portion would still be managed by ACC APG and the current RS3 program office while the ITES-4S portion would continue to be managed out of ACC RI and the PD CHESS ITES-3S Program Office.
rTurner note: this does not apply well to the “streamlining” comments… - A question asked by industry was whether there would be one task order forecast report (in reference to the “good” one done by the RS3 Program Office). None by the ITES-3S Program Office due to its “decentralized ordering,” but they were going to look at that.
rTurner note: this also does not apply well to the “streamlining” comments… - One portal is desired where any forecasting is automatic and updated daily vice the monthly RS3 CAS report. ITES-3S has a portal, but still no forecasting.
- While the Government stated they wanted to place a cap on awardees, they could not (or would not) discuss specific numbers.
rTurner note: RS3 has ~260 primes and ITES-3S has over 130 Primes, therefore we estimate on either (or both if combined) several hundred bidders, and subsequently no less than 150 awardees, at least.
Potential timeline: currently there is NO combined timeline. The timelines for BOTH ACCESS and ITES-4S remain the same as already published by both Program Offices:
- DRFPs – Summer 2024
- RFPs – Estimated September 2024
If the two are combined, we anticipate that the timelines would remain roughly the same.
We will bring you further updates to this when we get them
Leave a comment