Winning the AIMSS Contract: A Comprehensive Guide for Small Businesses
AIMSS
The Agency Information Management and Software Services (AIMSS) contract is a new contract vehicle that was issued by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on December 10, 2021, with a response due date of February 11, 2024. The AIMSS contract is a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract that will provide a wide range of non-IT services to support MDA’s data collection, analysis, archiving, and dissemination activities.
Historical Background
AIMSS is a new contract vehicle that was created to replace the existing Data Management Services (DMS) contract that was awarded in 2015. DMS is a single-award IDIQ contract that provides data management support services to MDA’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC). The DMS contractor is responsible for managing devices in support of data collection and analysis efforts. The DMS infrastructure includes two test zones: test zone A for data distribution and archival; test zone B for data analysis.
The DMS contract was awarded to KBRwyle Technology Solutions LLC (formerly Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc.) for a five-year base period with one five-year option period. The total ceiling value for DMS is $900 million. The DMS contract is expected to expire in September 2025.
Contract Details
AIMSS is designed to expand the scope of services beyond data management to include software development and engineering services, as well as increase the number of socio-economic categories for set-asides. AIMSS will also cover a wider range of MDA customers and requirements, not just TRMC.
The AIMSS contract will have three functional areas (FAs) of services:
- FA1 – Data Management Services;
- FA2 – Software Development Services;
- FA3 – Engineering Services.
The competition type is targeted for 8(a) Set-Aside, HUBZone Set-Aside, SDVOSB Set-Aside, and WOSB Set-Aside, with NAICS codes 541511 and 541330.
The aggregate ceiling for AIMSS is $2.4 billion over 10 years (five-year base period and five one-year option periods).
The task orders will be issued on a firm-fixed-price (FFP), cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF), or cost-plus-incentive-fee (CPIF) basis, depending on the type and complexity of the services required.
The evaluation criteria for AIMSS are based on four factors: technical approach, past performance, small business participation, and price.
The AIMSS contractor will be responsible for providing non-IT services that support MDA’s data collection, analysis, archiving, and dissemination activities. These services include:
Data Management Services: managing devices in support of data collection and analysis efforts; maintaining data repositories; ensuring data quality, security, and accessibility; performing data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL); developing data standards and policies; providing data governance and stewardship; supporting data distribution and archival; providing data visualization and reporting; supporting data migration and integration; providing data backup and recovery; supporting data audits and assessments.
- Software Development Services: developing customized software applications to support data analysis, archiving, test resource planning, and other MDA functions; performing software design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance, and documentation; using agile methodologies and best practices; ensuring software quality, security, and performance; providing software configuration management; supporting software accreditation and certification.
- Engineering Services: providing engineering support for MDA’s test resources, systems, and infrastructure; performing engineering design, analysis, testing, evaluation, integration, validation, verification, and documentation; using systems engineering methodologies and best practices; ensuring engineering quality, security, and reliability; providing engineering configuration management; supporting engineering accreditation and certification.
Performance Locations:
The AIMSS contractor will be required to perform these services at various locations within the continental United States (CONUS) and outside the continental United States (OCONUS), depending on the task order requirements. The primary location for AIMSS services will be at Von Braun Complex on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Other possible locations include Fort Greely in Alaska; Vandenberg Air Force Base in California; Schriever Air Force Base in Colorado; Fort Belvoir in Virginia; Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands; Kauai Test Facility in Hawaii; Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii; Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands; Wake Island Airfield in Wake Island.
Who should participate?
The AIMSS contract is open to small businesses that meet the following criteria:
- valid socio-economic status as an 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, or WOSB business.
- primary NAICS code of 541511 or 541330.
- relevant experience and capabilities in providing non-IT services that support MDA’s mission objectives.
- strong past performance record with MDA or other federal customers.
Why is AIMSS important?
The AIMSS contract is a not-to-miss opportunity for small businesses that want to do business with MDA and support its global missions. MDA is one of the most important and complex agencies in the Department of Defense (DoD), with a mission to develop, test, deploy, and operate a layered missile defense system to protect the United States and its allies from ballistic missile attacks.
AIMSS offers several benefits for small businesses, such as:
- Access to a large and diverse customer base within MDA, with potential task orders from all MDA components and offices.
- Ability to leverage existing relationships and past performance with MDA customers, as well as establish new ones.
- Opportunity to showcase their capabilities and expertise in providing non-IT services that support MDA’s mission objectives.
- Potential for long-term and stable revenue streams, with a 10-year ordering period and multiple award contracts.
- Reduced competition and increased chances of winning task orders, due to the set-aside nature of the contract vehicle.
AIMSS Challenges:
However, AIMSS also poses some challenges for small businesses that want to pursue this opportunity, such as:
- High level of competition among small businesses within each socio-economic category and functional area. Small businesses will have to compete with other qualified offerors within their respective set-asides for each task order. They will also have to differentiate themselves from their competitors by demonstrating their value proposition and unique selling points.
- Complex and rigorous evaluation criteria that require extensive documentation and evidence of qualifications and experience. Small businesses will have to provide detailed technical proposals that address all the solicitation requirements, as well as provide sufficient proof of their past performance and small business participation.
- Limited project opportunities for primes, SBA small business JVs, and SBA MPPs, as 40% of projects must be performed by SBA MPP Protégés. Small businesses will have to comply with the subcontracting limitations and performance requirements for each task order. They will also have to balance their own interests and goals with those of their protégés and mentors.
- Requirement to maintain the socio-economic status throughout the life of the contract. Small businesses will have to ensure that they do not lose their socio-economic status due to graduation, recertification, or other reasons during the contract period.
GDIC’s Role in AIMSS:
To overcome these challenges and increase your chances of winning AIMSS contracts, you need a partner who can help you with every step of the process. And that’s where we come in. We are GDI Consulting (GDIC), a leading company that has been providing proposal writing services to the federal contractors since 2009 with an average win-rate of 82% in the past three years.
We can help you with:
- Market research and intelligence on MDA’s needs, priorities, budgets, and acquisition strategies.
- Competitor analysis and price-to-win strategies to gain a competitive edge.
- Capture management and proposal development services that follow best practices and industry standards. We can help you develop a capture plan and strategy that aligns with your strengths, capabilities, and goals.
- Color team reviews and quality assurance services that ensure compliance and responsiveness.
Don’t miss this opportunity to work with MDA and grow your business with GDIC’s proposal services.
