CIO-SP4

CIO-SP4 Updates

CIO-SP4 Protest Decision Announced

Dec 2, 2021

On 23 November 2021, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) sustained a protest, in part, against the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC) regarding their handling of mentor-protégé joint ventures in the Chief Information Officer-Solutions and Partners 4 (CIO-SP4) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC).

NITAAC limited the number of past performance examples that could be submitted by a large business mentor in a mentor-protégé joint venture. However, the Small Business Administration (SBA) manages the mentor-protégé program and counts the capabilities of large business mentors or small business mentors in a mentor-protégé joint venture as small business capabilities.<

The GAO agreed in part with the protestor saying:

“When a mentor-protégé joint venture is approved by SBA, that entity is treated as small for competitions where the protégé firm qualifies as a small business offeror. 13 C.F.R. § 125.9(d)(1). In light of the purpose of the mentor-protégé joint venture program, we do not find that the agency explains why it has the discretion to competitively disfavor a mentor-protégé joint venture with a large business mentor as compared to all other small business offerors. We also do not find that the agency reasonably explains why it has the discretion to, in effect, favor mentor-protégé joint ventures with small business mentors over mentor-protégé joint ventures with large business mentors. We therefore sustain the protest on this basis.”

OST Global Solutions is a professional business development consulting firm. We have experience supporting large, strategic bids like CIO-SP4. We can provide capture and proposal teams to develop a complete, winning CIO-SP4 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 CIO-SP4 proposal consist of capture management, proposal management, orals coaching, proposal writing, graphics support, editing, desktop publishing, and cost volume development.

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Previous Updates

Deadline to Apply for CIO-SP4 Extended

Jun 29, 2021

The National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC) responded to questions and extended the deadline to apply for CIO-SP4. As CIO-SP4 subject matter experts, we will help you understand NITAAC’s final requirements and...

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NITAAC Releases Highly-Anticipated CIO-SP4 Request for Proposals 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CIO-SP4 Will Allow for Streamlined Acquisition of General, Health IT and Biomedical Research Across 10 Task Areas

Rockville, MD – May 25, 2021 – Today, the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC) released the solicitation for the highly anticipated Chief Information Officer-Solutions and Partners 4 (CIO-SP4) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). CIO-SP4 is designed to quickly meet agencies’ general information technology (IT), biomedical, and health IT needs across 10 task areas. Managed by NITAAC, the five-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract has a $50 billion ceiling and a five-year option.

“CIO-SP4 builds upon the success of CIO-SP3 and takes into account several lessons learned that we believe will enhance the experience of our federal agency customers and contract holders alike,” said Brian Goodger NITAAC Acting Director.

CIO-SP4 is designed for quick ordering of affordable IT solutions and services — including those from qualified small businesses — across 10 task areas:

  • IT services for biomedical research, health sciences and health care
  • Chief Information Officer support
  • Digital media
  • Outsourcing
  • IT operations and maintenance
  • Integration services
  • Cybersecurity
  • Digital government and cloud services
  • Enterprise resource planning
  • Software development

“We are excited about the possibility CIO-SP4 holds for revolutionizing the way agencies acquire IT,” said Goodger. “However, we want to remind agencies that while they anticipate CIO-SP4, CIO-SP3 still remains a vital option for their procurement needs. CIO-SP3 expires in May 2022, has ample ceiling room and awards issued before the expiration of CIO-SP3 can be extended up to five years,” said Goodger.

Proposals from potential offerors are due to the government on or about June 28, 2021. To view the CIO-SP4 solicitation, visit https://sam.gov/opp/5b025426cabe4b0fb1aa4094a7a6e130/view.

 

About NITAAC

NITAAC (NIH Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center) is housed within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and is a full-service acquisition program that has been designated a federal Executive Agent, authorized by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to administer three Best in Class (BIC) Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) for information technology (IT) acquisitions. CIO-SP3, CIO-SP3 Small Business, and CIO-CS can be used by any federal civilian or Department of Defense (DoD) agency to acquire information technology services, solutions, and commodities from pre-qualified vendors at lower than open market prices in less time than going the traditional full and open route. NITAAC has expanded its support including a new full-service Assisted Acquisition program and is one of three OMB mandatory sources for laptop and desktop buys through our Government-wide Strategic Solutions (GSS) program.

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