Tag: VETS2

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Ensuring VETS 2 mission delivery

Due to its popularity as a critical tool for federal agencies that delivers faster, more compliant, and less costly IT acquisitions, GSA’s VETS 2 Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) increased its ceiling to $6.1 billion. This decision ensures the continued availability of this vital resource, supporting federal agencies in meeting their IT needs while promoting opportunities for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs).

Why the increase?

The VETS 2 GWAC experienced significant growth, with current obligations nearing $3.6 billion. Projections indicate that we will reach 80% of the original ceiling ($5 billion) within this fiscal year. To maintain the contract’s viability and avoid disruptions, we are increasing the ceiling to $6.1 billion. This adjustment also aligns with the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, which raised the governmentwide goal for SDVOSB participation from three to five percent, making the availability of VETS 2 to the federal government even more critical.

Benefits of the ceiling increase

  • Continued Support: The ceiling increase ensures that VETS 2 remains available to support federal agencies as they address the FY24 NDAA-directed SDVOSB goal increase through the end of the ordering period on February 22, 2028.
  • Avoiding Disruptions: By raising the ceiling before reaching the original limit, we can avoid the need for stringent ordering controls that could hinder the use of the contract.
  • Economic Inclusion: This move supports the administration’s goals for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, ensuring SDVOSBs have ample opportunities to participate in federal IT procurements.

VETS 2 GWAC successes

VETS 2 has proven to be a critical tool for federal agencies, with numerous high-value task orders awarded to SDVOSBs. Some notable examples include:

  • A $248 million order for IT support services for a digital infrastructure services center.
  • A $166 million order for enterprise services integration and modernization.
  • A $404 million task order for the U.S. Army Futures Command’s Enterprise Information Technology Support Services.

Looking ahead

GSA is also preparing for the next generation SDVOSB GWAC. We are currently evaluating offers under the SDVOSB Pool of the new Polaris GWAC program, which won’t have a contract ceiling. With awards expected in the next fiscal year, Polaris will continue to expand opportunities for SDVOSBs and support the evolving IT needs of federal agencies.

For more information about VETS 2, please reach out to vets2@gsa.gov.

Visit our website to learn more about VETS 2, or use our IT Solutions Navigator to find the right vehicle for you.

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GSA Celebrates American Veterans

This Veterans Day, I’m contemplating GSA’s long history of working with service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB). I’m proud of the work they do every day to help agencies across the federal government achieve their mission.

Our Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) like VETS 2 demonstrate our ongoing commitment to our Veteran community – and I want to make sure I communicate clearly that we believe VETS 2 will continue its success and have a strong future as part of GSA’s suite of IT contract solutions for many years to come. We’re taking the necessary steps to execute the option period and doing all that we can to cement VETS 2’s future.

VETS 2: the right IT solutions, right now

In just 3 ½ years, VETS 2 has an estimated $1.87 billion value from 145 task order awards.

VETS 2 gives agency customers access to a wide variety of customized IT services and solutions. It also helps agencies receive SDVOSB credit toward their Small Business Procurement Scorecard and Best-in-Class (BIC) Tier 3 credit toward Spend Under Management goals.

The highly qualified companies on VETS 2 can complete almost any IT service requirement including agile software development, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and other emerging technologies.

SDVOSB pool on Polaris

In addition to our ongoing support for VETS 2, GSA is broadening opportunities for Veterans to work with the federal government. We recently announced a new contract pool for SDVOSB firms on Polaris, a new next-generation GWAC.

Polaris will bring more innovation to the small business community, federal agencies, and the acquisition workforce. This innovation will lead to substantial benefits for small businesses, improved technology for federal agencies, and greater flexibility for acquisition professionals across government.

Polaris will have 4 pools: small business, women-owned small business (WOSB), SDVOSB and businesses located in HUBZones. These pools will be awarded in phases to help our customers deliver on their missions and meet their socio-economic goals.

Our first priority is to release the request for proposals (RFP) for the small business and WOSB pools January 2022. The small business pool will be awarded first, later in the year. The HUBZone and SDVOSB RFPs and awards will follow.

Subscribe to our Small Business Community of Interest on GSA Interact to keep up to date.

Veterans help government through two GSA GWACs

We’re committed to the SDVOSB community. Together, VETS 2 and Polaris will deliver on our commitment to SDVOSBs. They’ll continue to deliver value for our customers well into the future and help ensure there will be no gap in access to SDVOSB contract offerings.

Find out more about VETS 2 and discover customer training opportunities at www.gsa.gov/vets2. Please send any questions to vets2@gsa.gov.

Additional information about Polaris can be found at www.gsa.gov/polaris. Please send any questions to polaris@gsa.gov.

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Veterans Technology Services 2 (VETS 2) GWAC Awarded

If small businesses are the backbone to our economy, then veterans of the armed forces are the backbone of our country. Even after their sacrifices through military service, many veterans continue to serve our great nation by providing innovative information technology (IT) solutions to government.

GSA prides itself on delivering mission critical IT solutions that make a meaningful difference to the agencies we support and the citizens that count on them. This philosophy is at the center of our development of new IT contract vehicles and I’m proud that it played a vital role as GSA created our new Veterans Technology Services 2 (VETS 2) Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC).

VETS 2 – a unique acquisition vehicle

The new VETS 2 GWAC is a unique contribution to the federal acquisition community — the only GWAC set-aside exclusively for Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB). VETS 2 is designed to be flexible enough to meet diverse agency IT requirements, including new and emerging technologies. VETS 2 also enables GSA to continue its support of the SDVOSB Procurement Program, while helping federal agencies achieve their socio-economic goals.

Contract development at its best

Lessons learned from our original VETS contract played a big role in building VETS 2, as did extensive market research. In conjunction with issuing a request for information (RFI) and draft request for proposal (RFP), we also surveyed hundreds of past and current GWAC ordering contracting officers, created a government customer working group, and utilized a GSA Interact page to collaborate with more than 1,000 members from industry and government to design VETS 2. The result is a multiple award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a best-in-class designation and 70 of the world’s premier SDVOSB IT service providers.

What’s new with VETS 2

All of the team’s research and due diligence, coupled with VETS success resulted in a VETS 2 contract that is even better than its predecessor. New key features include:

  • The ability for cost-type contracts
  • An expanded scope for virtually any IT services-based solution – including cybersecurity and new, emerging technologies
  • An overall simplified contract through the elimination of functional areas – a simplified scope covering all IT services
  • A larger pool of suppliers — an even greater proportion of which now hold International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) certifications, facility clearances levels, audited/approved cost accounting systems, and experience working with multiple agencies.

We couldn’t be more thrilled about the launch of VETS 2 as we continue our commitment to providing IT solutions with the ongoing help of the veteran community.

For more information, please visit www.gsa.gov/VETS2 or contact VETS2@gsa.gov.

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