Introduction

The General Services Administration (GSA) is planning to release a solicitation for the CIO Modernization and Enterprise Transformation II (COMET II) contract in the near future. This contract will provide a range of IT services to support the GSA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) in their digital transformation efforts. The COMET II contract is expected to be a multiple-award, blanket purchase agreement (BPA) with a five-year term and an estimated value of TBD. This article will provide an overview of the COMET II contract, its historical background, its scope and objectives, the eligibility and evaluation criteria for potential offerors, and the challenges and opportunities for winning this contract.

Historical Background

The COMET II contract is a follow-on to the COMET I contract, which was awarded in 2019 to four vendors: Accenture Federal Services, Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Consulting, and Digital Management. The COMET I contract had a ceiling value of $150 million and a one-year base period with four one-year options. The COMET I contract was intended to provide agile development, cloud migration, data analytics, and other IT services to modernize the GSA’s legacy systems and applications. The COMET I contract was also designed to align with the GSA’s Enterprise Architecture Framework (EAF), which defines the vision, principles, standards, and governance for the GSA’s IT environment.

The COMET II contract will build on the achievements of the COMET I contract and expand the scope of services to include more strategic and enterprise-level initiatives. The COMET II contract will also support the GSA’s OCIO and FAS in implementing their strategic plans and goals, such as enhancing customer experience, improving operational efficiency, increasing cybersecurity, and fostering innovation.

RFP Description

The COMET II contract will consist of two functional areas: Architectural and Programmatic Services (APS) and Application Maintenance, Enhancement, and Transformation Services (AMETS). The APS functional area will provide high-level guidance and oversight for the GSA’s IT portfolio management, enterprise architecture, governance, strategy, and innovation. The AMETS functional area will provide technical support for the GSA’s application development, maintenance, enhancement, migration, integration, testing, and deployment.

The COMET II contract will use a performance-based acquisition approach with task orders issued on a firm-fixed-price or time-and-materials basis. The task orders will be competed among the BPA holders using fair opportunity procedures. The task orders will also include performance metrics and service level agreements to measure the quality and timeliness of the contractor’s deliverables.

The COMET II contract will require the contractors to use agile methodologies, DevSecOps practices, cloud-native technologies, open source software, and user-centric design principles to deliver IT solutions that meet the GSA’s business needs and user expectations. The contractors will also have to comply with the GSA’s EAF, IT security policies, data standards, accessibility requirements, and other applicable regulations and guidelines.

Who Should Participate

The COMET II contract is open to all vendors that hold a Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contract under the Information Technology Category (ITC), specifically under the Information Technology Professional Services Special Item Number (SIN) 54151S. The vendors must also have a valid Top Secret Facility Clearance (TS/FC) at the time of proposal submission. The vendors must also demonstrate their relevant experience and capabilities in providing IT services similar to those required by the COMET II contract.

The vendors that are interested in participating in the COMET II contract should monitor the GSA eBuy website for updates on the solicitation release date, pre-proposal conference details, questions and answers, amendments, and other relevant information. The vendors should also conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in relation to the COMET II contract. The vendors should also prepare their proposal strategy, teaming arrangements, technical approach, pricing model, past performance references, and other proposal elements in advance to ensure a timely and responsive submission.

Challenges and Opportunities

The COMET II contract presents both challenges and opportunities for potential offerors. Some of the challenges include:

  • The high level of competition among qualified vendors that hold MAS contracts under SIN 54151S
  • The complex and dynamic nature of the GSA’s IT environment and business requirements
  • The stringent performance standards and expectations of the GSA’s OCIO and FAS
  • The evolving technologies and best practices in the IT industry
  • The compliance with various federal laws, regulations, policies, and standards

Some of the opportunities include:

  • The potential for long-term partnership with the GSA as a strategic IT service provider
  • The opportunity to showcase the vendor’s innovation, creativity, and technical excellence in delivering IT solutions
  • The opportunity to leverage the vendor’s existing capabilities, resources, and partnerships to enhance the GSA’s IT portfolio
  • The opportunity to expand the vendor’s market presence and reputation in the federal IT sector
  • The opportunity to contribute to the GSA’s mission of delivering value and savings in real estate, acquisition, technology, and other mission-support services across government

Conclusion

The COMET II contract is a highly anticipated and lucrative opportunity for government contractors that specialize in IT services. The COMET II contract will enable the GSA to achieve its digital transformation goals and enhance its IT capabilities and performance. The vendors that are interested in pursuing the COMET II contract should prepare themselves for a rigorous and competitive procurement process that will require them to demonstrate their technical expertise, business acumen, and customer focus. The vendors that are able to win the COMET II contract will have the privilege of working with one of the most innovative and influential agencies in the federal government.