Guest Contributor: Thomas B. Hodges —

The Naval Supply Systems Command, Fleet Logistics Center in Norfolk, Virginia is releasing a re-competed solicitation for Cyber Information Technology Services, including technical proficiency, skills training, and analytical support.

Now is the critical hour, while there is still time to formulate a plan to win Navy Cyber IT.  If I had a dollar for every time I have seen a company wait until too late . . .

Navy Cyber IT Challengers

Top industry SMEs are saying that, with the procurement personnel slowed down by off-site work, they want to award to incumbents.  To avoid the extra work of changing horses.  This means your proposal must be extra strong.

Navy Cyber IT Incumbents

During my 30-year career, I have seen many leading incumbents felled by the dread disease of incumbent-itis.  Even with the favoritism you find on this market, any company that fails to proceed from the premise that, we are losing and must do everything in our power to win, is courting disaster.  Just look at the power of the many strong challengers who will bid this plum opportunity.  And don’t forget, it is 50 percent cheaper to win a recompete than a new challenge.

Navy Cyber IT Program Overview

The Navy Cyber IT recompete includes technical services, skills training, and analytical support.  Small business size standard $16.5M.  Incumbents include Leidos, AT&T, Scientific Research Corporation, MacAuley-Brown, EWA Triad, Northrop Grumman, SRC, and URS, now a part of AECOM.  The IDIQ scope is large, with over 28 separate IT professional areas of mission support, Program/Project Management through the Navy Mission Essential Task Development Process.

Incumbent contracts were awarded in February 2012.  Sources Sought submissions were collected in January 2017, and the notice is available for review.  Current estimated timing for issue of solicitation is August 2020, with award in July 2021, at least according to DelTek.

Critical Requirement

The requirement to provide full staffing on day one for 40 labor categories with clearances up to TS/SCI will exclude some challengers.

Where Should Contractors Be Now?

Bidders planning to win should have items such as the following well under control:

  1. Capture strategy nearly complete
  2. Partner selection nearly done
  3. (Incumbents) Proposed contract improvements vetted with the customer
  4. (Challengers) Strategy sufficient to unseat incumbents in an incumbent-friendly year developed
  5. Budget needed to win approved
  6. A viable solution to fill in deficient labor categories identified
  7. Proposal talent of sufficient quality and quantity identified

How can you not only assemble enough qualified talent to win a contract?  But also overtake leaders like AT&T, Macaulay-Brown, and Leidos in winning task orders (TOs).

Solicitation number: N00189CYBERIT
Govwin Opportunity ID: 97153