Air Force starts the bidding for $750M CENTCOM support contract
The exterior of MacDill Air Force Base, home to Central Command's headquarters. Air Force photo
By
Ross Wilkers
The service branch plans to award approximately 20 positions on the vehicle that will be open to more Defense Department buyers than just Central Command.
The Air Force has given industry the green light to start working on and submitting proposals for a potential five-year, $750 million professional services contract vehicle focused on U.S. Central Command’s headquarters.
Bids for the multiple-award contract known by the acronym of CHIPS are due no later than 10 a.m. Eastern time on Jan. 9. Questions must be submitted no later than 10 a.m. Eastern time on Dec. 20, the Air Force said in a Tuesday notice to release the final solicitation.
Air Force officials plan to award approximately 20 positions on the vehicle, which is reserved for companies with the service-disabled veteran-owned and 8(a) distinctions. The service branch is also eyeing an even split of awards between both groups.
Offerors must declare to which small business designation they are proposing, in this case either SDVOSB or 8(a).
Work under the CENTCOM Headquarters IDIQ will primarily take place at the location indicated, or in this case at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. CENTCOM’s area of responsibility includes 21 countries that are mostly in the Middle East.
The contract covers support for CENTCOM directorates, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff and other Defense Department components.
Awardees will compete for task orders to carry out program management services, management and program analysis, assessment, monitoring, and evaluation, information technology, data science, logistics management, operational contract support, vendor threat mitigation, acquisition management, and intelligence services.
CHIPS is a brand new requirement with no incumbent. The period of performance is one initial base year with up to four individual option years.