Estimated Releases:
Small-Business Set-Aside: 10/10
Full and Open: 10/10
Solicitation #:DHSEAGLE2
ESTIMATED VALUE: $45 Billion
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a significant and continued need for IT services to support the execution of its mission. EAGLE II – Unrestricted will continue to be a suite of Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity services-based contracts that will enable all DHS components to acquire IT support services to accomplish their mission objectives.
Program Name: Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions (EAGLE) II (for Small Business)
History: The original EAGLE suite of contracts was awarded to 25 large businesses (in June 2006) and 28 small businesses (in September 2006) across five (5) functional categories with a five year base period and two (2) one (1) year options. Under this arrangement, individual task order competition can be limited to small businesses within a selected functional category if there are two or more small businesses that can provide the required services.
As required per the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), contractors are required to re-represent their size status for long-term contracts, those contracts in excess of 5 years, if a merger or acquisition occurs, or if there are contracts with novation agreements. The purpose of the re-representation rule is to improve the accuracy of small business size status reporting. This rule was added to all of the EAGLE contracts. Nine (9) of the original 28 EAGLE small businesses have since been acquired by larger firms; thus, they no longer have small business status but can compete for task orders which are not set-aside for small businesses. DHS expects that a majority of the existing EAGLE small businesses will not qualify as ‘small’ at the end of year 5 of the contract. With 19 small businesses remaining in the EAGLE suite of contracts and 2 1/2 years of contract performance remaining, DHS does not plan to “ramp-up” (add contractors to the EAGLE suite of contracts). Instead, the plan is to consider proceeding now with EAGLE II – Small Business and later with an unrestricted EAGLE II.
Solicitation Number: DHSEAGLE2 (NOTE: This is an RFI, which has closed)
Agency: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Estimated Value: (As of 07/09 current EAGLE statistics): Small Business - $631M; Unrestricted - $6.2B
Description: The RFI for small business has been issued and responses received and evaluated. The unrestricted RFI is currently in process. The government is currently solidifying its acquisition strategy based on the overwhelming responses from industry. Additional information will be provided through subsequent FBO announcements regarding which alternative strategy the government intends to utilize for the upcoming EAGLE II-Small Business procurement. EAGLE II will be designed for use as a Department-wide acquisition vehicle and is available for use by any DHS program or component agency.
Contract Type and Other Characteristics: EAGLE II – Small Business will continue to be a suite of Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity services-based contracts that will enable all DHS components to acquire IT support services to accomplish their mission objectives.
Goals and Objectives of EAGLE II: TBD
Areas of Technology: The existing EAGLE contract serves as a department-wide platform for acquiring Information Technology (IT) service solutions in five functional categories (FC's):
• FC1 – Engineering Design, Development, Implementation and Integration
• FC2 – Operations and Maintenance (2 tiers; 1 without telecommunications and 1 with telecommunications)
• FC3 – Independent Test, Evaluation, Validation and Verification
• FC4 – Software Development
• FC5 – Management Support Services
In reviewing the EAGLE task orders awarded to date, DHS has observed that FC3 has rarely been used and FC5 is best leveraged when included as part of each EAGLE task order requirement. In addition, preliminary small business market research has indicated that the small business IT community is capable of providing services involved in categories FC1, FC2, and FC4. Further, DHS has noted that an increasing number of small businesses are capable of providing IT services that have a substantial telecommunications element - currently FC2 – Tier 2.
Structure of the RFP: TBD – The Small Business RFP is currently under development; The unrestricted RFI to be posted in July 2009. RFI Questions and Responses to the Small Business RFI were posted to FedBizOps in July 2009. The unrestricted RFP is scheduled to be released in the October-December 2009 timeframe.
Proposal Preparation Challenges:
Activity Anticipated Date
RFI to Industry for Small Business Procurement Feb 10, 2009
RFI to Industry for Large Business Procurement July 21, 2009
Industry Outreach Day July 27, 2009
Pre-solicitation Conference – Small Business To be Determined
Pre-solicitation Conference – Unrestricted To be Determined
EAGLE II – Small Business RFP Issued 1st QTR FY10
EAGLE II – Unrestricted RFP Issued 1st QTR FY10
EAGLE II – Small Business proposals due 2nd QTR FY10
EAGLE II – Unrestricted RFP proposals due 2nd QTR FY10
Resources of OCI can be beneficial
A competitive and compliant EAGLE II for Small Business proposal will require forward and detailed planning. Special emphasis should be placed on teaming agreements, mentor/protégé arrangements, and whether or not to bid as a subcontractor. Please watch the FedBizOps (FBO) for developing details.
OCI has the expertise and resources of professional proposal consultants to assist you with any or all of the following:
Capture planning Pricing analysis
A Black Hat Review Proposal Production
Competitive analysis Red Team Review
Proposal Management Whole Proposal Team
Proposal Writing