FAA again gives more time for $2.4B IT contract bids
Gettyimages.com/ Andriy Onufriyenko
By
Nick Wakeman
The Federal Aviation Administration remains at work on answering vendor questions, which could affect the proposals companies turn in.
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued another extension for companies working on their proposals for a 10-year, $2.4 billion IT services contract.
Bids are now due to the FAA Nov. 30. Work on answering questions from industry continues to be a challenge for the FAA with the overwhelming number of them.
This is the seventh amendment extending the deadline since the solicitation was first issued in March and sixth that mentions time needed to answer vendor questions.
At one point, the FAA said it would post answers by June 30. That has not happened yet.
The agency has said it will post the answers least 20 days before proposals are due so bidders can review them and incorporate changes into their proposals for the IT Innovative Procurement for Strategic Sourcing contract.
It is possible the FAA will release the answers and extend the proposal deadline at the same time.
The FAA expects to make 10 awards with two or three to large businesses and the rest for small businesses. Two or three 8(a) companies will be in the pool of winners.
Known as ITIPSS, that vehicle is a consolidation of nearly 70 existing contracts and task orders for application and technology modernization at FAA facilities.
Examples of core services include email, instant messaging, information security, network storage, help desk, mobility, enterprise software and collaboration tools.