EPA opens competition for help desk services in Boston facility

The Environmental Protection Agency has started the clock on a study to determine whether IT maintenance services in its Boston office should be outsourced to the private sector or retained within the agency.

In a recent notice, EPA said it started the streamlined competition Dec. 29 under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 for its help desk and computer hardware services in its Region 1 facility.

The streamlined competition under Circular A-76 lets agencies compete 65 or fewer employee positions for inherently commercial jobs by either soliciting proposals from contractors or conducting market research from multiple-award schedule contracts.

EPA said it will conduct market research to determine the cost of private-sector performance for these functions.

It anticipates concluding the analysis by March 29.

The agency last October issued streamlined competition for similar services in other regional offices, and it also decided to retain help desk services in its Washington headquarters.