NIH Contract Guide
GWACs Benefit From Strong Industry Commitment, Partnership with NITAAC
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By Steve LeSueur

The NITAAC Industry Advisory Council (IAC) is working hand-in-hand with NIH program officials to strengthen customer services and expand outreach to federal agencies, according to IAC’s government and industry representatives.

The NITAAC IAC consists of representatives from NIH and its GWAC contract holders. IAC serves as a mechanism for communication between vendors and the NITAAC officials who oversee the GWACS. In addition, IAC’s subcommittees conduct extensive research into government policies and contracting practices to help improve the program’s performance. Diane Frasier, director of the NIH Office of Acquisition and Logistics Management, chairs the IAC, which meets bi-monthly.

The IAC has three subcommittees:

• Programs Subcommittee. Develops new ideas and creates initiatives to improve programs and processes;

• Government Affairs Subcommittee. Monitors legislation, regulatory requirements, government and industry standards that impact NITAAC, vendors, or their potential customer agencies; and provides recommendations for action;

• Marketing Subcommittee. Promotes the use of NITAAC contract vehicles to federal agencies and other vendors.

“We are like an extra set of eyes and ears for NITAAC,” said Esther Burgess, who is senior vice president and deputy chief operating officer for Vistronix, a subcontractor on CIO-SP2i task orders. For example, the Government Affairs Subcommittee will look at legislation and proposed rules that might affect the NITAAC program, such as small business recertification. It will then recommend alternatives NITAAC might consider in response to proposed rules and regulations.

“The vendors are quite active and engaged. Real work gets done at these [IAC] meetings.” Mary Armstead, NITAAC Program Director

“It’s a win-win for both sides,” said Linda Martin, director of the Federal Acquisition Center of Excellence for Unisys, which is a CIO-SP2i contract holder. Martin, who is the chair of the Marketing Subcommittee, said NITAAC gets the benefit of industry’s broad reach and resources, while vendors get a stronger contract vehicle to market among agencies.

Recently, for example, the Programs Subcommittee conducted a study of Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts and GWACs that are IT services oriented to find best practices in the federal government, including those already in place at NITAAC. Joe Corcoran, who is business development manager for Govplace, an ECS III vendor, said the study highlighted the most compelling features of contracts in the federal market. The study, delivered in July, identified “exciting new innovations, compelling value adds, and useful tools that can benefit NITAAC’s customers and contract holders,” he said.

‘Real work gets done’
NITAAC and industry officials say their relationship is highly collaborative as both groups work together to improve the program. “The NITAAC executives listen to us and are always very responsive to what we do,” Martin said.

NITAAC officials also use the IAC meetings to inform industry members of program developments and changes, such as improvements to the website and online tools. “The vendors are quite active and engaged,” said NITAAC Director Program Mary Armstead. “Real work gets done at these meetings.”