Army’s $12.1B ITES-4S Essential Update: Draft RFP Schedule

U.S. Army CHESS (Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions) is expected to issue a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) this summer for its highly anticipated Information Technology Enterprise Solution – 4 Services (ITES-4S) contract. ITES-4S, an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with a $12.1 billion ceiling and a 10-year period of performance, is the Army’s strategic sourcing vehicle for Army IT requirements.

The ITES-4S Contracting Office recently updated SAM.gov with information from a February Industry Day event, as well as questions and answers and a list of potential teaming partners for the ITES-4S opportunity. The agency issued a Request for Information (RFI) in February to gather information to help shape its draft RFP.

If you’re interested in bidding on ITES-4S, there’s no time to waste. It’s crucial for interested contractors to begin forming teams and performing capture immediately to position your company to win.

ITES-4S At a Glance:

• Status: Pre-RFP
• Draft RFP: Expected Summer 2024
• Final RFP: Fall 2024
• Award Date: September 2027 (Government Estimate)
• Competition Type: Small Business Set-Aside; Full and Open / Unrestricted
• Type of Award: Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) – Multiple Award Contract (MAC)
• Duration: 5 years base with 1 x 5 years option(s)
• Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price, Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity, Time and Materials
• Number of Expected Awards: Multiple, exact number not yet specified
• NAICS Code(s): 541519 (Other Computer Related Services)
• Size Standard: $34.0 million annual receipts, except 150 Employees for Information Technology Value Added Resellers

Industry Day Insights

For those who could not attend the Industry Day in February, these slides include detailed information on the ITES-4S procurement process, scope of services, and evaluation criteria.

Hot Buttons: The recent industry day brought to light a pressing issue: Task Orders (TOs) are consistently lacking proposals due to contractors’ low response rates to RFIs/Sources Sought. This situation is pushing clients to consider alternative contract vehicles for their IT support needs, despite ITES being the Army’s designated strategic sourcing vehicle. ITES 3S started with a mandatory requirement to respond to at least 30% of all task orders, but the bid quota was reduced later on. A similar requirement is likely for ITES 4S, so bidders should evaluate the commitment required to meet that performance threshold.

Additionally, the CHESS office remarked on how many ITES 3S proposals looked exactly the same, and they stressed the importance of ensuring your proposal writing company are not copy-and-pasting from the same proposal.

Bidders will need to know these industry day insights and much more to best the competition and win a spot on the ITES-4S contract vehicle. OST Global Solutions specializes in developing targeted responses that capture the unique value your company brings to the Army. We leverage our deep understanding of the ITES-4S procurement process, incorporating feedback from market research and industry trends, to ensure that your proposal is well positioned to win before you even start writing. From conducting thorough analyses of solicitation documents to optimizing your proposal strategy, OST Global Solutions helps you navigate the complexities of the ITES-4S bid process, putting you on a path to victory.

Expected Proposal Effort

We anticipate that the proposal for ITES-4S will require a similar level of effort to its predecessor, ITES-3S, which was a significant writing effort including five volumes. Our services are designed to alleviate the proposal burden by providing expert proposal management, writing, graphics support, and desktop publishing. We tailor our approach to each client’s specific needs, ensuring that your Mission Support, Past Performance, Small Business Participation, and Price volumes are fully compliant and compelling.

Ready to take the next step in winning a spot on ITES-4S? Contact us.

OST Global Solutions is a professional business development consulting firm. We have experience supporting large, strategic bids like ITES-4S. We can provide capture and proposal teams to develop a complete, winning ITES-4S proposal, or we can provide consultants on a case-by-case basis to fill gaps on your business development team. Our services related to the ITES-4S proposal consist of capture management, price to win, proposal management, proposal writing, graphics support, editing, desktop publishing, and cost volume development.

Contact us to discuss your bids, so we can help you develop a winning proposal.

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