Winning SEWP VI – Annotated Outline of RFP Requirements

This outline is prepared to help bidders quickly see what is required to win SEWP VI.  ALL qualifying offerors win a contract.

OCI has helped bidders from SEWP I to SEWP V, including 10 winning bidders on SEWP V alone.  Among them, they sold $1.5B through SEWP V.

Inside Scoop

Two unwritten factors are very important:

    1. Clearly demonstrate the breadth and depth to continually respond to many RFP.
    2. Offer something innovative that provides an advantage to SEWP customers, like a unique method of service delivery, product combo, etc.

Structure – Three Phases

The bid has 3 Phases – all due at same time.  The phases and vol. numbers coincide.

PHASE 1 / Volume 1

Certifications

Does the bidder have the required certs:

    • ISO 9001:2008 or 9001:2015 Certification (all 3 categories)
    • CMMI-DEV or CMMI-SVS Level 2 or higher (Categories B & C)
    • In addition, NAICS Code 541512 is required

If a bidder doesn’t have these certs, find a source to help get there prior to RFP submission.  This is an estimated seven or eight months from now, given the usual delays.

Mandatory Experience – Pass / Fail

Cat. A – IT and AV products

Competition pools:

    1. Unrestricted
    2. Small Business

Requirements: 2,000 CLINS for each of 6 sub-areas for total 12,000 CLINS

Sub-areas:

    1. IT Computer Systems / Storage Devices / Compute Facilities
    2. Networking Technology / Mobility & Communications
    3. Software and Cloud Technology
    4. Supporting Technology / Security Technology
    5. A/V Equipment and Accessories
    6. Product-based services

Cat. B – Enterprise hardware, software, and services

Competition pools:

    1. Unrestricted
    2. Small Business

4 Related Experience Programs (REPs) of $30,000,000 for each of 10 sub-areas required for Large Businesses or $5,000,000 for Small Businesses.

Sub-areas:

    1. IT Managed Services
    2. Enterprise-Wide Network Services
    3. Enterprise-Wide Innovation Services
    4. IT Service Management
    5. Enterprise Service Program Integration
    6. Enterprise-Wide Information and Data Analytics Services
    7. Enterprise-Wide Application Services/Software Development
    8. Enterprise-Wide Cybersecurity Services
    9. Enterprise-Wide Cloud Services
    10. Enterprise-Wide Digital Multimedia and Technical Communications Services

Cat. C – IT and AV Services

Competition pools:

    1. Small Business
    2. Reserved

Requirements are REPs of $30,000,000*

    1. Small Business – 3 REPs
    2. HUBZone, SDVOSB, and EDWOSB – 2 REPs

Sub-areas:

    1. Network Services
    2. Innovation Services
    3. Information and Data Analytics Services (IDAs)
    4. Application Services/Software Development
    5. Cybersecurity Services
    6. Cloud Services
    7. Digital Multimedia and Technical Communications Services.
    8. IT Operations and Maintenance / Help Desk/Call Center Support
    9. Database Services
    10.  In-Scope Training

PHASE 2 – Volume 2 – Past Performance

Past Performance – Must score only “moderate” on pass – fail.

Category A

Small Business – Must submit at least 3 references of $500,000 each for a moderate score.

Large Business – Must submit at least 4 references of $2.5M each for a moderate score

Cat. B

Small Business must submit at least 3 references of $1,000,000 each for a moderate score

HUBZone, SDVOSB, EDWOSB – Must submit at least 2 references of $1,000,000 each for a moderate score

Large Business – Must submit at least 4 references of $2,500,000 for a moderate score.

Cat. C

Small Business – Must submit at least 3 references of $500,000 each for a moderate score.

HUBzone, SDVOSB, EDWOSB – Must submit at least 2 references of $500,000 each for a moderate score

PHASE 3 – Volume 3 – Mission Suitability

Here is a critical item.  Mission Suitability includes the Technical Approach and Management Approach.

Unlike the just-barely responses acceptable in Phase 2, bidder Mission Suitability responses must score “high confidence” in order to pass.  So, bidders must either be able to score high here or consider a no-bid.

Technical Approach

When describing their offerings for the sub-areas, bidders should address the scalability and extensibility of their capability to provide the full range of solutions needed for the sub-area.

Categories A and B (only)

For each sub-area, bidders must list the providers whose products and services they resell with a full list of products and services offered and a point of contact at the provider company.

The bidder must describe the relationship between the bidder and the provider including the ability to supply the Government with the full breadth and depth of that provider’s technology.

Category A (only)

Small Business – Must provide technology solutions for a minimum of 3 technical sub-areas with each sub-area proposal consisting of a minimum of 2,000 CLINs.  Overall, a minimum total of 6,000 proposed CLINs is required. The proposal must include a suite of technology that covers at least 25% of the additional non-mandatory Technical sub-areas.

The bidder must describe their IT-based solution services and how the proposed architectural features provide technological leadership in allowing for the next generation of technology.

Large Business — Must provide technology solutions for all 6 technical sub-areas with each sub-area proposal consisting of a minimum of 2,000 CLINs.  Overall, a minimum of 12,000 proposed CLINs is required. The proposal must also include a suite of technology that covers at least 50% of the additional non-mandatory Technical sub-areas.

Category C –Must show scalability and extensibility of the offeror’s capabilities that demonstrate Its ability to deliver the full range of IT Solutions for Category C.  The Government will evaluate the Offeror’s technical approach to the relevant experience projects, for effectiveness, reasonableness, and efficiency.

Management Approach

  1. Commitment to Product and Services Diversity – Need policies and processes to ensure vendor and partner diversity
  2. Commitment to Supply Chain Management – Need policies and procedures in place to reduce the risk of counterfeiting, tainting, product substitution, etc.
  3. Commitment to Sustainability – Policies and procedures to assure that both the bidder and their vendors are committed to environmental factors like recycling
  4. Program Management – Critical importance considering need for outstanding delivery management to win a contract

What should bidders be doing now?

  1. Proposal Readiness Review – analyzes offerors’ capabilities against the RFP requirements to determine the likelihood of an award
  2. Develop strategy needed to win and make best profit
  3. Decision to do it in-house or with consultants?
  4. Fix critical delivery process problems
  5. Find responsive past performance programs
  6. Find ways to strengthen weaknesses
  7. Form a mentor relationship if appropriate

OCI provides:

  1. Proposal Readiness Review (PRR)
  2. Consultants have SEWP experience
  3. Strategy
  4. Staff augmentation – any position – SEWP experience
  5. Whole proposal team
  6. Work on your delivery process
  7. Whatever you want

FIND OUT HOW OCI CAN HELP YOU WITH SEWP VI.