DHS opens proposal window for $8.4B professional services vehicle

The Homeland Security Department is now ready for small businesses to start working on their proposals for a potential 10-year, $8.4 billion contract vehicle that is a go-to for acquiring professional services.

DHS has set a due date of March 29 for bids in pursuit of this third iteration of PACTS -- Program Management, Administrative, Clerical, and Technical Services.

PACTS III also has that same number of functional commercial service categories for contractors to bid on, as outlined in this Monday notice to release the final solicitation.

Everything DHS is asking for is spelled out in the contract's name: administrative and management consulting services in functional category one, office administrative services in the second, and engineering services for number three.

DHS has reserved PACTS III for small businesses with the socioeconomic labels of service-disabled veteran-owned, woman-owned, HUBZone and 8(a).

The department expects to make eight awards in each of those tracks, and within each of three functional categories. We use the word "each" twice deliberately in the prior sentence as that is exactly how DHS phrases it.

Within those blocks of eight, DHS intends to make two awards to prime contractors and two to each of the different types of small business teaming arrangements. Joint ventures, prime/subcontractors and mentor-protégé partnerships are examples of partnerships DHS calls out in the solicitation.

Bidders may pursue an award in more than one functional category but have to submit separate and distinct proposals for each.

DHS says it will evaluate bids on a best-value basis, or in its words the highest-rated technically-rated offerors with fair and reasonable prices. The technical factors are higher in order of importance than price.

The department has to-date obligated approximately 77% of the current PACTS II contract's $1.5 billion ceiling, according to GovTribe data. DHS expects to sunset PACTS II by the end of February 2025.

Of the $1.1 billion in current obligations, Information Technology Coalition Inc. and Sciolex have won more than half of them combined. ITC represents approximately 28.8% and Sciolex makes up for 23.3%.

Work under PACTS III will take place over an initial three-year base period, followed by three option periods of two years each and then a one-year option that would add up to the full 10-year duration.

Task orders may have a period of performance that extends to up to five years beyond the date of issuance.

Below is a video DHS posted to overview the PACTS III solicitation.