Category: IT Services

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Celebrating two years of 8(a) STARS III

8(a) STARS III officially launched two years ago this month, and it’s worth celebrating this important anniversary milestone. This governmentwide contract has really hit the ground running, and I couldn’t be more proud of its success in helping agencies achieve their missions. I’d like to share why we are so happy with this program.

Supporting the mission of government

8(a) STARS III is a competitively awarded, multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC) set aside for participants in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program. 8(a) STARS III is GSA’s fourth-generation 8(a) GWAC and continues the legacy of creating opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses while helping federal agencies meet their socioeconomic goals and mission-critical IT requirements. 

Phased award approach

We awarded cohort one of 8(a) STARS III in June 2021 to 448 industry partners. Then awards for cohort two were announced in February 2022 to nearly 600 additional awardees. The third and final cohort award happened in June 2022 for an additional 65 awardees – just one year ago.

Traditionally, we made awards in one batch, but with 8(a) STARS III, we reinvented the award process. Using an innovative cohort approach, we gave 8(a) firms additional opportunities by allowing initially unsuccessful offerors a second and third chance. 145 of these cohort two and three industry partners have received task order awards proving that they can be successful if given an opportunity.

Major success

In just two years, 8(a) STARS III secured $1 billion in obligations through 600 task order awards to 309 small disadvantaged businesses. Notability, 177 of them have never had a task order award through GSA before. That’s incredible and really shows how 8(a) STARS III is building opportunities for the community. 

Agencies adopting 8(a) STARS III

37 federal agencies have already put their faith in the contract with an award, and more than 2,656 acquisition professionals from 54 agencies have signed up and received their delegation of procurement authority training. 

Those agencies are leveraging the contract for a variety of IT Services to meet their mission, including help desk support, database administration, emerging technologies, custom software and applications development, systems integration, and cybersecurity solutions to secure the enterprise.

Hand-in-hand with industry

This doesn’t happen all by itself. We’ve worked hard to build meaningful relationships with these small businesses through one-on-one engagement, monthly snapshot newsletters for awardees, video tutorials, and even through our new GSA Does That podcast. We’ve also created an 8(a) STARS III Resource Center where our industry partners can find just about everything that they need to be successful.

Empowering small businesses

Again, I couldn’t be more proud of 8(a) STARS III as we empower disadvantaged small businesses to deliver mission-critical IT services to the government. Visit our website to learn more about www.gsa.gov/stars3.

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Alliant 2 GWAC: Empowering businesses, large and small

We recently announced that we exercised the option on the Alliant 2 Governmentwide Acquisition Contract. This is important because it will allow Alliant 2 to continue delivering cutting-edge technology solutions for federal agencies. What’s equally important is how Alliant 2 has demonstrated its unwavering commitment to small businesses. I’d like to take a moment to highlight the outstanding performance of Alliant 2 in exceeding small business subcontracting goals, fostering diversity, and propelling economic growth.

Committed to small business

Alliant 2 has set new benchmarks by surpassing our small business subcontracting goals. The contract achieved an impressive overall small business subcontracting goals rate of 55.5 percent in option year five. This noteworthy accomplishment not only exceeds the target goal of 50 percent, but also showcases the program’s dedication to supporting small businesses.

The commitment to small business subcontracting through Alliant 2 has resulted in a substantial economic impact. Cumulatively to date, the contract has facilitated an impressive $2.67 billion for overall small business subcontracting. This remarkable figure highlights the significant role played by small businesses in delivering innovative IT solutions to federal agencies.

Further, Alliant 2 has promoted diversity, equity, and inclusion within the federal marketplace. It exceeded the goals in Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) categories, achieving rates of 25 percent and 26 percent, respectively. Additionally, Alliant 2 has made notable progress in the HUBZone, Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) categories. HUBZone achieved 10 percent, VOSB achieved an impressive 20 percent, and SDVOSB reached 13 percent – each individually exceeding their respective 3 percent goal.

Empowering small businesses

The success of Alliant 2 in meeting and exceeding subcontracting goals demonstrates its commitment to empowering small businesses. By providing subcontracting opportunities, the program enables small businesses to contribute their expertise, gain valuable experience, and thrive within the federal marketplace. Through Alliant 2, small businesses have the chance to showcase their capabilities and play a vital role in delivering innovative IT solutions to federal agencies.

Alliant 2’s support of small businesses demonstrates our dedication to fostering economic growth and promoting diversity within the federal marketplace. By empowering small businesses, the program paves the way for innovation, collaboration, and increased efficiency.

For more information, visit gsa.gov/alliant2.

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Drive success in the modern workplace with GSA’s Training Courses SIN

In today’s fast-paced world, continuous learning and development are essential for individuals and organizations to stay competitive. With this in mind, we developed the comprehensive Training Courses Special Item Number (SIN) on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule, which provides government agencies with access to a broad range of training courses to enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of their employees.

This blog post is part of a series where we’re discussing each of GSA’s key IT Services SINs on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule. Each blog will discuss the benefits for agencies in using the solution, take a look at who is using it, and share an example of how an agency successfully used the SIN to achieve its mission.

Benefits of using the Training Courses SIN:

  1. Improved employee performance: Provides access to courses designed to improve employee performance, enhance skills, and build knowledge in a variety of IT areas.
  2. Staying ahead of the curve: Provides agencies with training on hardware, software, cloud, and other IT systems.
  3. Flexible learning: Offers flexible learning options, including in-person, online, and blended learning formats. 
  4. Cost-effective: Helps agencies save time and money by providing access to pre-negotiated pricing with qualified vendors. 
  5. Compliance: Offers compliance-related courses that help agencies meet regulatory requirements, such as cybersecurity training, ethics, and anti-harassment training.

Top agencies

Agencies invested more than $46 million through the Training SIN last year. Here are some of our biggest users:

  • Social Security Administration
  • General Services Administration
  • Department of the Navy
  • Department of the Air Force
  • Department of the Army
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Department of Defense

Use Case: How the IT Training SIN helped agencies quickly and easily install learning options during the COVID-19 pandemic

An agency needed to quickly install distance learning options for their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the IT Training SIN, they were able to contract with multiple vendors to provide virtual training, both customized training as well as commercial off-the-shelf solutions for employees.

The solution also facilitated the award of completion certificates for employees, and the agency was able to easily track which courses were most popular to then increase the availability of training in those subjects.

In another example, during the COVID-19 outbreak, a military base had to quickly deploy virtual courses for officers and enlisted personnel. They used the IT Training SIN for detailed leadership training by leveraging commercial off-the-shelf courses in leadership and program management.

This meant that even during an almost two-year pandemic, more than 75 critical employees received training through one thousand hours of CLP-accredited courses. It also allowed the base to track certificates of completion in real-time.

Additionally, they used small businesses for training. As a result, over 300 employees were trained virtually.

Driving government workforce success

Agencies are modernizing their operations to better accomplish their missions. These changes impact the IT implemented at agencies, and employees need training on how to effectively use those IT products. The Training Courses SIN provides access to IT training courses to support any IT training need by allowing centralized access to pre-approved training courses, thereby saving federal, state, local, and tribal agencies time and resources.

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Improve patient outcomes with GSA’s Health IT Services Special Item Number

As technology continues to advance, the healthcare industry is rapidly evolving to keep pace with the growing demands of patients and providers. In response to this trend, we developed the Health IT Services Special Item Number (SIN) on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), an innovative solution that provides agencies at all levels with access to a wide range of health IT services.

Health IT is the use of computer hardware, software, or infrastructure to record, store, protect, and retrieve clinical, administrative, or financial information. It’s a critical factor in improving the quality of healthcare, preventing medical errors, protecting data, increasing administrative efficiencies, and decreasing the need for paperwork.

This blog post is part of a series where we’re discussing each of GSA’s key IT Services SINs on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule. Each blog will discuss the benefits for agencies in using the solution, take a look at who is using it, and share an example of how an agency successfully used the SIN to achieve its mission.

Benefits of the Health IT Services SIN:

  • Improved patient outcomes: Provides agencies with access to cutting-edge health IT solutions that can improve patient outcomes by streamlining healthcare delivery and facilitating more efficient communication between healthcare providers.
  • Faster procurements: Does the heavy lifting upfront to offer agencies a streamlined procurement process to find solutions to manage their health IT needs quickly and efficiently. Buying through MAS simplifies the procurement process by providing access to pre-vetted, qualified contractors who can fulfill the agency’s requirements.
  • Improved security: Provides access to health IT solutions that are compliant with federal regulations and industry standards, ensuring that patient data is secure and protected.
  • Wide range of solutions: Open access to a broad range of health IT services, including electronic health records, health information exchanges, and telehealth solutions. These solutions can help agencies to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
  • Cost savings: Helps agencies save money by eliminating the need for extensive market research and evaluation of potential contractors. Additionally, the solution’s pre-negotiated pricing ensures that agencies receive the best value for their purchases.

Top agencies

Agencies invested more than $750 million through the Health IT Services SIN last year. Here are some of our biggest users:

  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Department of the Interior
  • Department of the Air Force

Use Case: Health IT Services SIN modernizes Southeast hospitals

An agency was looking to modernize some of its hospitals in the Southeastern part of the United States as a “test case” for possible expansion across the whole country. Through the Health IT Services SIN, they instituted major changes at 10 pilot hospitals in their system.

They used the SIN to deliver connected health services between hospitals, share electronic health records and information, and also to provide new health informatics and emerging health IT research resources between doctors and nurses.

This allowed the patients in these 10 hospitals — more than 5,000 patients total — to receive the highest quality and well-informed care because their healthcare providers had access to the latest healthcare information in the most secure, efficient and effective way possible. It also enabled the agency to test out new emerging health IT research and systems for further analysis for possible development in the future.

The final outcome of the pilot was better and more efficient care for patients and more efficient healthcare systems for doctors and nurses providing state-of-the-art care.

Transforming government healthcare delivery

The Health IT Services SIN is an innovative solution that can help federal, state, local, and tribal agencies improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. As demonstrated by the top ten agencies using this technology, Health IT Services SIN is a proven solution that can be implemented successfully in a wide range of government healthcare settings.

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Unlocking the power of E-Commerce for government agencies

​IT modernization is mission-critical for many federal agencies and quick, easy access to the latest technologies is key to their success. However, finding the right IT services to supply those solutions isn’t always easy. That’s why we developed the Electronic Commerce and Subscription services (E-Commerce) Special Item Number (SIN) on the GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). This solution enables agencies to access a wide range of e-commerce solutions: from networking to email, internet, data, and more, the SIN provides a broad range of leading-edge technologies and resources.

This blog post is part of a series where we’re discussing each of GSA’s key IT Services SINs on the Multiple Award Schedule. Each blog will discuss the benefits for agencies in using the solution, take a look at who is using it, and share an example of how an agency successfully used the SIN to achieve its mission.

Benefits of the E-Commerce SIN:

  1. Cutting-edge solutions: Provides access to a range of e-commerce solutions, including online marketplaces, e-procurement tools, and supply chain management systems. These solutions can help agencies stay ahead of the curve and adapt to new technological advancements.
  2. Faster procurements: Offers a streamlined procurement process that allows government agencies to manage their needs quickly and efficiently. This solution simplifies the procurement process by doing much of the heavy lifting through the master contract and providing access to pre-vetted, qualified contractors who can fulfill the agency’s requirements.
  3. Cost savings: Helps agencies save money by eliminating the need for extensive research and evaluation of potential contractors. Additionally, the solution’s pre-negotiated pricing ensures that agencies receive the best value for their purchases.

Top agencies

Agencies invested more than $430 million through the E-Commerce SIN last year. Here are some of our biggest users:

  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • Department of the Navy
  • Department of Defense
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Department of the Air Force
  • General Services Administration
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Department of Treasury
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • United States Tax Court

Use Case: E-Commerce SIN helps military base provide email and internet access to deployed soldiers

A military base in Kansas had an immediate need to add email services and internet access to over 3,500 soldiers that were temporarily deployed to train soldiers for overseas activities.

The base was quickly able to use the e-commerce SIN to locate several local small businesses, as well as women-owned small businesses, to add additional email services and internet access services for these soldiers that were placed in forward warehouses during the 120-day exercise.

The contracting staff on base also used this same SIN to provide private phone lines for the mobile headquarters staff, as well as mobile smartphones and hosted PBX services for secured communication between the headquarters staff and forward operating units during the joint exercises. This enabled the home-based and visiting unit soldiers to use real-world scenarios in their training.

Using the MAS e-commerce SIN allowed the agency to quickly implement new electronic commerce services while also allowing them to deliver on a mission-critical need while getting their agency closer to meeting their women-owned and small business goals.

Acquire leading-edge technology and services for your modernization efforts

GSA’s e-commerce SIN provides eligible users with easy access to technologies and services that can support their modernization efforts. As demonstrated by the top ten agencies using this technology, it’s a proven solution that can be implemented successfully in a wide range of government settings.

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Revolutionize citizen communication with Automated Contact Center Solutions

The demand on government agencies is fast-paced, complex, and constantly evolving. It’s no surprise that citizens often face difficulties in connecting with agencies when looking for help, which can cause frustration, impede their ability to get the assistance they need, and ultimately they have a bad experience.

With this in mind, we established an innovative solution to this problem — the Automated Contact Center Solutions (ACCS) Special Item Number (SIN) on the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS-IT). This contract vehicle can help agencies streamline their communications, improve citizen satisfaction, and increase overall efficiency in the execution of their mission.

This blog post is part of a series where we’re discussing each of GSA’s key IT Services SINs on MAS. Each blog will discuss the benefits for agencies in using the solution, take a look at who is using it, and share an example of how an agency successfully used the SIN to achieve its mission.

There are a number of benefits to using the ACCS SIN; here are five of the most important:

  1. Enhanced citizen experience: ACCS provides a range of interactive voice response options that allow citizens to access information quickly and easily, without having to wait on hold or navigate complex menus. This significantly improves citizen satisfaction and reduces the number and workload of call center agents.
  2. Increased efficiency: ACCS automates routine tasks such as call routing, call recording, and call back, freeing up agents to focus on more complex inquiries and tasks. This can help agencies handle a higher volume of calls and reduce wait times for citizens.
  3. Improved analytics: ACCS provides detailed analytics that can help agencies to identify patterns, track performance, and optimize their call center operations. This data can also be used to identify areas where additional resources may be needed, such as staffing or training.
  4. Scalability: ACCS is designed to be scalable and flexible, allowing agencies to easily adjust their capacity based on demand. This can help agencies handle spikes in call volume without sacrificing service quality.
  5. Cost savings: By automating routine tasks and improving efficiency, ACCS can help agencies to reduce their operational costs and allocate resources more effectively.

Use Case: Quick deployment of additional support for hurricane response efforts with the help of small businesses

An agency had an urgent need for additional contact call center support out of their main office. They already had a contact call center with approximately 80 personnel in a 24/7 operation but wanted additional capability added in support of Hurricane Ida and other potential hurricanes that were predicted to hit the Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama coastlines in 2021.

Their contracting staff used the ACCS SIN to quickly add vendors that could support their existing customer service representatives with technologies such as artificial intelligence monitoring, chat-bot technology, web callback services, hosted email web forms, text-to-speech communications, and hosted FAQ services for citizens calling in for information about various hurricanes.

Their staff also utilized this same SIN to take advantage of small businesses offering various services under this SIN and identified both women-owned small businesses as well as service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that were able to assist in some of the new capability development.

This resulted in the agency not only improving its contact center capabilities but also enabling them to take advantage of using small businesses to help succeed in its overall mission.

GSA’s ACCS SIN help you communicate

Agencies invested more than $385 million through the ACCS SIN last year — with the Department of Homeland Security leading the way. ACCS supports providing the public with ready access to government information and services and helping agencies ensure timely, consistent, and accurate responses to citizen inquiries. ACCS provides federal agencies with easy access to a broad range of contact center services that will make that vision a reality.

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Empowering government operations with cutting-edge IT solutions through IT Professional Services SIN

In today’s digital age, technology plays an essential role in every aspect of our lives, including government operations. But agencies don’t always have the resources or expertise in-house to take advantage of the benefits technology can bring. To help agencies that may be stretching resources and budgets in addition to the workload of their acquisition workforce, GSA provides a wide range of IT services through the IT Professional Services Special Item Number (SIN) on the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS-IT). This SIN enables federal, state, local, and tribal agencies to access a broad range of IT solutions from experienced contractors at competitive rates.

This blog post is part of a series where we’re discussing each of GSA’s key IT Services SINs. Each blog will discuss the benefits for agencies in using the solution, take a look at who is using it, and share an example of how an agency successfully used the SIN to achieve its mission.

A few key benefits to using GSA’s IT Professional Services SIN are listed below:

  1. Experienced industry partners: Access a pool of experienced IT professionals who have worked on government projects. These contractors have the knowledge and expertise required to design and implement complex IT solutions that meet the specific needs of your agency.
  2. Faster procurements: Quickly and easily access IT solutions through the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). This saves time and resources and enables you to focus on your core mission.
  3. Cost savings: Leverage competitive rates, lower administrative burden, and reduced use of agency resources. Buying IT solutions through SIN is faster and easier, driving costs down when compared to the costs of the open market.

Top agencies

Agencies invested almost $10 billion through the IT Professional Services SIN last year. Here are some of our biggest users:

  • US Customs and Border Protection
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • General Services Administration
  • Department of Defense (Various Offices)
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Department of the Navy
  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • Department of the Air Force
  • Department of the Interior

Use Case: Small businesses provide low-cost, secure application for agency’s foreign aid program

A federal agency administering aid to foreign countries needed to create an application that could run efficiently and effectively on low-cost tablets. This application also needed to operate in areas where only low-speed internet access was available.

In addition, the application had to be secure and protect personally identifiable information and health data.

The agency released a request for information (RFI) under the IT Professional Services SIN using GSA eBuy. The RFI allowed the agency to survey existing capabilities among the vendors on the SIN to determine what requirements to include in a request for proposal (RFP). The agency used the RFI market research to draft and issue a performance work statement (or PWS) under the IT Professional Services SIN for the Field Employee Support Tablet Initiative project. They received six proposals.

Ultimately, a group of three small businesses using a contractor teaming arrangement (or CTA) received the contract award.

GSA’s IT Professional Services SIN, serving you

GSA’s IT Professional Services SIN provides agencies — at all levels — with access to experienced IT professionals, a faster procurement process, and cost savings. By leveraging the expertise of contractors through the IT Professional Services SIN, agencies can implement IT solutions that meet their specific needs, improve efficiency, and better fulfill their missions.

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GSA supports National Strategy to Secure 5G with new acquisition guidance

GSA’s Acquisition Guidance for Procuring 5G Technology supports an ongoing, multi-agency effort to document and share best practices for optimal 5G deployments.

National Strategy

As discussed in past posts, the Federal Government views 5th generation (5G) wireless technology as a future driver of the global economy. It also views the security of 5G information and communications technology and services infrastructure, and the data transmitted and stored on it, as a key national security interest. In addition to protecting data on the network, a trusted, secure supply chain is also paramount. We cannot ensure the security of 5G networks if untrusted equipment or software is allowed to control any part of them.

The National Strategy to Secure 5G is our country’s game plan to manage the risks associated with next generation wireless technologies and the new use cases they open up. GSA’s role is to establish acquisition processes and facilitate federal agency adoption of 5G infrastructure with appropriate security safeguards and adherence to national policies. The desired outcome is a resource that helps agencies identify their standards, specify security controls, and catalog other relevant requirements to provide a secure 5G infrastructure.

GSA guidance

Screenshot of the front page of the "GSA Acquisition Guidance for Procuring 5G Technology" with a white and navy background. There is a colorful technology graphic at the bottom right of the screen.
Download the PDF at buy.gsa.gov or order physical copies at cmls.gsa.gov.

The subject matter experts behind our Wireless Mobility Solutions contracts applied this directive to the early 5G use cases they were observing at various agencies. We coordinated extensively with the interagency Federal Mobility Group, and we incorporated valuable input from experts in other agencies and industry. The result is our Acquisition Guidance for Procuring 5G Technology, a plain-language white paper that charts the progression of 5G in the public sector, outlines its core standards, explores government use cases, and delves into acquisition strategies that balance flexibility with security requirements. In particular, the Guidance features:

  • Tools and strategies for contracting 5G – A model acquisition process that details how technical staff should go about defining requirements and how contracting staff should use them to structure a solicitation.
  • 5G use cases in government – A living list of 5G use cases and pilot programs applicable to the public sector;
  • Standards for 5G – A detailed accounting of the international and U.S. standards that are used to determine requirements for 5G;
  • General background – A plain language narrative describing the evolution of cellular technology, the capabilities 5G offers, its relevance to the public sector, efforts underway to secure it, and its potential to shape future telecommunications products and services.

The wheel keeps turning

A six-sided "5G Wheel" in shades of purple depicting what the GSA Acquisition Guidance for Procuring 5G Technology features: Technology, Standard, Security, Policy, Acquisition, and Use Case.
The “5G Wheel” is one model of visualizing the components that enable resilient deployments.

We’ve previously described our “5G for Government” strategy as the understanding of six core concepts: Technology, Standards, Security, Policy, Acquisition, and Use Cases. Use cases are the real-world applications that agencies are pursuing, or want to achieve. Acquisition is the nuts and bolts of getting the solution in place in the most efficient and effective way. Once you understand the technology, know the standards, consider the security aspects, and are up-to-date on governmentwide policies, then it’s time to plan and execute. If you think of this strategy as a circle or wheel, the Use Case is the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. Each rotation strengthens our collective understanding of what makes a 5G deployment secure and successful. The Acquisition Guidance for Procuring 5G Technology is GSA’s first effort to distill this collective knowledge into a usable format to help government technology managers, their contracting offices, and trusted industry partners buy, build, and use secure 5G systems. As a living document, the Guidance will be frequently reviewed to keep pace with changing technology, ensure governmentwide cybersecurity requirements are accurate, and incorporate feedback from stakeholders. Send feedback, questions, and suggestions to wireless@gsa.gov.

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FY22 in review, informing the future

At the beginning of every fiscal year, we sit down to develop our targets, and as I look back on the last year I’m very proud to see what we’ve been able to deliver for agencies.

Employee, customer, and industry input is key

Results of the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), Customer Loyalty Satisfaction Survey (CLS), and the Industry Satisfaction Survey (ISS) are all part of a broader feedback ecosystem that drives our decisions. These three surveys collectively show a top-line level of ITC health and our progress in improving engagement and experience across ITC’s employees, customers, and suppliers.

This feedback is driving many of the decisions we make. At the end of the day, we’re here to serve, and so we look very closely at those survey results. I’m pleased that year over year, ITC customer loyalty and industry satisfaction remained steady, but I’m even more interested in what these surveys tell us about areas where we can improve.

Customers are telling us that ease of acquiring is the strongest driver of your loyalty and that you’d like to see us further improve internal processes, customer service, and communications generally.

Industry, on the other hand, said procurement process and industry expertise were your strongest drivers of satisfaction. You, too, would like to see improved processes and communications.

We hear you both and are working on ways to improve these concerns. There’s clearly some overlap here, and this gives us some clear direction.

If you’re a small business that’s new to the government market, it can be daunting. We’re working on solutions to make this all easier. One great example that we’re seeing is from the 8(a) STARS III GWAC where of the 258 industry partners who have task order awards, 149 of them received their first GSA contract vehicle task order award through 8(a) STARS III. Brand new to GSA contracting, and they’re already out the gate with orders.

This is great news, and we’re learning what we can from these results.

By the numbers

In every IT subcategory (Hardware, Software, IT Services, Telecom, and IT Security), we exceeded our FY22 targets.

IT Services on the Multiple Award Schedule had a particularly strong year surpassing our target by nearly 29 percent, with a year-over-year positive variance of more than 16 percent.

Mission spend through our IT contracts reached just shy of $34 billion for the first time and surpassed the previous year by nearly 5 percent. Volume over the last 4 years has increased by about $8.5 billion, which is truly remarkable. And most importantly, ITC helped agencies save nearly $2 billion through cost avoidance in the last year alone.

While we celebrate these successes, we’re also looking to the future for what’s next.

Table depicting the FY22 Final dollar spend on each IT Category (IT Hardware, IT Software, IT Services, Telecom Services, IT Security/Shared Services, GWACs, ETS, and HSPD-12, PKI). The total for ITC in FY22 was $33,735,217.

Trends, informing the future

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives are particularly important to the Biden-Harris Administration, and a big part of that is helping small businesses succeed in government contracting. I’m happy to report that ITC handily exceeded our small business utilization goals last year for small businesses generally, women-owned, services-disabled, and HUBZone small businesses. Small Disadvantaged Business performance was also very strong. Small businesses have won approximately $8.45 billion in FY22 (up 9.4 percent from $7.7 billion in FY21) through their work on ITC contracts.

We’ve been working hard on ways to make it easier for small businesses to support the government. We’re setting up Polaris, our next small business contract, and so I expect to see this trend of small business utilization continue.

In terms of the market, IT services are in high demand, and I would expect that to continue too. Automated Contact Center Solutions, Health IT, Cloud adoption, Earth Observation, and Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services were all particularly strong year over year.

Speaking of cybersecurity, that’s another important topic to watch this year. We’re tracking trends and technologies that can help our customers improve their cybersecurity hygiene and strengthen their cybersecurity posture.

Looking forward, together

As we wrap up FY22 and kick off FY23, I want to thank our customers, industry partners, and ITC staff. It’s because of our close collaboration that we have these successes to celebrate.

Visit our website to learn more about our solutions, or use our IT Solutions Navigator to find the vehicle that’s right for you.

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Celebrating our Veterans

In thinking about Veterans Day this year, I want to pay special tribute to America’s Veterans for their service and dedication to this great nation. I’m grateful for the sacrifices they have made to defend our nation. Our Veterans are an example of the strength, courage, and resolve that allows our country to overcome so many of the challenges we face.

I have spent time with Veterans and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) owners and know their desire to serve continues after they leave active service. I am proud that GSA is committed to working with this community.

GSA working with Veterans

GSA is dedicated to tapping into that strength, courage, and resolve by bringing the SDVOSB community to the federal IT market.

There were more than 800 SDVOSBs across the entire government-wide IT category last year that reported sales. ITC is represented by 357 of those industry partners through our Multiple Award Schedule – IT (MAS-IT) contract and the Veterans Technology Services 2 (VETS 2) and 8(a) STARS III IT services Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC). Through these acquisition vehicles, SDVOSBs won more than $1.46 billion of the IT market last year.

Through GSA contract vehicles like VETS 2, service-disabled veterans continue to serve our nation by providing innovative IT solutions in support of agency missions and the military. VETS 2 is currently the government’s only GWAC set aside exclusively for SDVOSBs.

The VETS 2 option period is coming up next year and we have every intention of exercising that option for those SDVOSBs meeting the terms and conditions of the contract. This will provide federal agencies with continued use of this socio-economic small business, best-in-class solution for their long-term IT service project needs, with the performance of task orders extending out through 2033.

SDVOSBs bringing real mission impact

While I can’t call out individual SDVOSBs, I do want to offer a couple of examples of their great work:

  • One of our customer agencies recently awarded a $248 million order through VETS 2 to provide IT Support Services for their digital infrastructure services center. Through these IT support services, the SDVOSB will fill the agency’s need for maintaining legacy operations and to innovate, at an accelerated pace, to meet the customer’s requirements into the future.
  • Another recent innovative task order award for $166 million was for enterprise services integration and modernization. The scope of the task order is to provide a quality-focused process and capability that enables effective sustainment and modernization of command, control, communication, computers, and information technology systems. The task order will modernize military headquarters to include operations centers, planning rooms, and conference rooms, utilizing innovative technologies such as video walls, audio processors, and multi-classification video teleconference systems.

Veterans, key to the future

Our commitment doesn’t stop with VETS 2 and MAS-IT. GSA’s next small business and socio-economic small business GWAC, Polaris, will have an SDVOSB pool. Polaris is designed to assist agencies in acquiring customized IT services and IT services-based solutions while expanding opportunities for SDVOSB firms. Stay tuned to our Small Business Community of Practice Interact page for updates.

These contracts drive progress on important public policy objectives, including the President’s Executive Order 13985 On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government as we work to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.

I’m grateful for the meaningful partnership we have with our Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses and for their continued hard work and dedication to helping agencies achieve their missions every day. I’m really excited for what the future holds.

Visit our website to learn more about VETS 2, MAS-IT, and Polaris or use our IT Solutions Navigator to find the vehicle that’s right for you.

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