DHS makes tweaks to $3.4B cloud contract
By
Nick Wakeman
The Homeland Security Department has adjusted the due dates for submissions for its $3.4 billion cloud migration and integration contract, along with other tweaks to the requirements.
On the eve of proposals being due, the Homeland Security Department has made a few tweaks to its $3.4 billion Data Center and Cloud Optimization contract for cloud migration and integration services.
Proposals are due Thursday for the contract to help DHS migrate its data centers to a cloud environment as part of a modernization initiative. DHS is looking for a single systems integrator to manage the process.
DHS helpfully highlighted changes in yellow in the solicitation, the performance work statement and the answer to Question 3.
Question 3 covered what CAGE code to submit if a company has multiple cage codes. DHS’ best advice is to use the parent company’s CAGE code.
A new timeline was also released and starts with a new phase one submission due date of Feb. 11, which is a change from Jan. 26. Phase two submissions are due March 10 (Feb. 16 previously). The phase three deadline is April 1, pushed back from March 11.
DHS will be responding quickly to bidders after the first two phases. Bidders will get their initial pass/fail notification from DHS by Feb. 17, and the phase two notifications will go out on March 19.
Each phase looks at different evaluation factor and bidders have to clear one phase to move to the next. Phase one is also factor one and looks at the facility clearance and level of safeguarding. Phase two is factor two -- corporate technical experience and reference checks.
I’d look for the bid protests after the second phase notifications go out, given the first phase is a relatively low bar to clear.
Phase three will then evaluate staffing and management approach, technical approach, oral presentations and price. We'll of course likely see more protests once the final award is made.
In the solicitation, changes were made in Section B.10 that covers special terms and conditions for catalog pricing and other direct costs. That mostly requires the contractor to assure competitive prices are used when responding to task orders that call for items not priced in the contract.
Other changes included cover sheets of no more than two pages the technical proposals with each phase. The price proposal for phase also has a cover letter requirement.
Price is the least important evaluation criteria.