DHS lays out timeline for commodity IT recompete

The Homeland Security Department has given small businesses a more specific timeline on the agency’s plan to recompete a large commercial IT commodity product and services contract vehicle.

In a Beta.Sam.Gov notice posted June 30, DHS said it has set July 31 as the date for its industry day to overview the FirstSource III contract to interested small businesses. Responses to questions from the industry will go out Aug. 5.

Before all of that, industry feedback on DHS’ statement of work and evaluation factors is due to the agency July 21.

From there, DHS is eyeing late August to release a draft solicitation and mid-October to issue the final request for proposals with awards in January of next year.

DHS components and offices use the FirstSource vehicle to acquire commodity IT products and services from small businesses with the 8(a), HUBZone, woman-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned.

Like its predecessor, the next iteration of FirstSource will have four set-aside categories based on those designations. A fifth track will be open for all small businesses.