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The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is the Department of Defense (DoD) combat support agency that provides information technology and communications support to DoD agencies, the military services, combatant commands, and mission and coalition partners. DISA’s Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) is the core global enterprise network DISA uses to provide connectivity.

DISN’s current communication network program in partitioned by multiple geographic regions spanning nine contracts.  DISA envisions a future single consolidated DISN network.  This effort is named the Global Network Services (GNS) program.

GNS Contract

The GNS contract will provide the vehicle for DISA to acquire telecommunications network solutions and services that improve or enhance the DISN. This IDIQ contract is valued at $4 billion over a five-year base period with five one-year options.  

Completion is full and open. An awardee becomes a Multiple Award Contractor (MAC).  MACs can lead to future task orders issued under the GNS contract vehicle.  DISA anticipates a minimum of two MACs.

GNS Service Requirements

The GNS solicitation covers engineering, furnishing, installing, testing, and maintaining transmission services, capabilities, and circuits. Key service requirements are:

•  Network capacity services
• Telecommunications network data transfer services
• Satellite communication services
• Wireless services
• Equipment installation

Additional services will be used to equip the DISN with sufficient capability to support multimedia services including voice, data, video, and imagery transfer at any time or place.  Secondary requirements include logistics support, IT professional services, and software and systems software. Provision of services will occur in both CONUS and OCONUS.   

This program is of interest to wired communication carriers, wireless communication carriers, and satellite communication carriers and teams that combine these types of communication services.

GNS Contract Vehicle

DISA has spent more than a year developing its strategy for the GNS contract.  Deltek predicts that the final solicitation will be released in February. Awards are anticipated in September 2015. The contract is directed by DISA’s Procurement Directorate at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

GNS Proposal Responses

Responses must consist of a five-volume set provided as an Internet upload and burned to CD-ROMs. The Technical and Management Volume is the largest of the set at approximately 200 pages. The Past Performance Volume requires completion of questionnaires by customers.

The US Army’s $37.4 billion Responsive Strategic Sourcing for Services (RS3) IDIQ contract will be among one of the most hotly competed programs this year.  Given the high dollar value and the different award categories, the Army will likely receive well over 100, maybe over 200 proposals. Approximately 30 large businesses and 20 small businesses will receive awards, according to the latest information issued by the US Army Contracting Command.  The RS3 procurement (draft solicitation number W15P7T15R0008) is intended to replace a number of existing Army multiple award IDIQ contracts, including S3, R2-3G, WEBS, TIES, and TAOSS.  While incumbents on these contracts with a strong record of successful past performance are well positioned for award on RS3, the draft PWS has been prepared with intentionally broad language and covers a wide range of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) tasks, which opens the door to up and coming competitors.  PWS functional areas include services related to Engineering; Research, Development, Test and Evaluation; Logistics; Acquisition and Strategic Planning; and Education and Training.

January 30, 2015 The Contracting Office released a Modification on January 2, 2015. The purpose of the Modification is to advise the industry that due to the volume of questions received from industry in response to the HITTSS-II Industry Awareness Conference, the Contracting Office is in the process of reviewing all inquiries [...]

October 23, 2014 OCI is offering proposal consultant talent with previous experience in the CFT program.  The Air Force is expected to release the final solicitation for the $11.4 B Contract Field Team Maintenance (CFT) program imminently.  Experienced talent is scarce. Please reach out to John Cook at jcook@ociwins.com to discuss how we can [...]