SEWP V almost ready to be served
NASA is on track to launch the new version of its SEWP contract by May 1 after a delay caused by several bid protests.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was originally published on FCW.com.
Despite delays in the launch of the fifth iteration of NASA's massive governmentwide acquisition contract, the program’s manager said agencies are already benefiting from its more powerful capabilities.
On Oct. 1 and Oct. 15, NASA awarded 73 contracts in three categories based on company size for hardware, software and related services under Solutions for Enterprisewide Procurement V. A series of bid protests followed soon after, and last November, NASA officials began re-evaluating those contracts as part of a "corrective action."
SEWP V contracts could not move forward until the protests were resolved. NASA officials wanted federal agencies to have access to SEWP V beginning in November 2014, but in October they extended SEWP IV for an additional six months, until April 2015.
SEWP Program Manager Joanne Woytek told FCW in an interview on March 16 that those conflicts have been resolved and the SEWP V contract awards should be announced by the end of March. She added that SEWP V is "well on track" to launch by the agency's May 1 target.
When SEWP V is implemented, it will include 80 vendors and offer a more comprehensive menu of products than what is offered by SEWP IV's 37 vendors, Woytek said.
Some new capabilities that were tied to SEWP V's implementation, including an improved ability to track information flow, were included in SEWP IV enhancements instituted in March, she added.
Woytek said possible additions to SEWP V in the next fiscal year include a verification tool for quotes and information on cloud providers that have been approved under the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program.