How GDI Consulting Can Help You Win the DoD CIO Mission Support Services II Contract

Introduction

The Department of Defense Chief Information Officer (DoD CIO) is the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for information technology (IT), including national security systems (NSS), defense business systems, information resources management (IRM), and efficiencies. To meet its goals and objectives for DoD information and enterprise activities, DoD CIO develops DoD strategies and policies that cover the operation and protection of all DoD IT and information systems. These efforts include the development and promulgation of enterprise-wide architecture requirements, technical standards, enforcement, operation, maintenance, interoperability, collaboration, and interface between DoD and non-DoD systems.

To support these critical functions, DoD CIO has issued a solicitation for the Mission Support Services II (MSS II) contract, which is a follow-on to the MSS I contract that was awarded in 2017 to four vendors: Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Consulting, Logistics Management Institute (LMI), and Whitney Bradley & Brown (WBB). The MSS II contract is a multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with a one-year base period and four one-year option periods. The estimated value of the contract is $850 million.

The MSS II contract will provide a full range of services to support DoD CIO in areas such as strategic planning, policy development, governance, portfolio management, data management, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital modernization, enterprise architecture, IT standards, IT acquisition oversight, IT performance management, IT training and education, IT communications and outreach, IT audit readiness, IT program management support, and other related tasks.

If you are a government contractor that has experience and expertise in providing IT services to DoD or other federal agencies, you may be interested in pursuing this opportunity. However, you will also face significant competition from other qualified vendors who are eager to win a share of this lucrative contract. How can you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of success? This is where GDI Consulting can help you.

Historical Background

The MSS II contract is not a new requirement for DoD CIO. It is a continuation of the MSS I contract that was awarded in 2017 under solicitation number HQ0034-16-R-0020. The MSS I contract had a five-year period of performance with a ceiling value of $500 million. The four awardees of the MSS I contract were Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Consulting, LMI, and WBB. These vendors have been providing various services to DoD CIO under task orders issued under the MSS I contract.

The MSS I contract was itself a follow-on to the previous Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) contract that was awarded in 2012 under solicitation number HQ0034-11-R-0001. The EITS contract had a five-year period of performance with a ceiling value of $217 million. The three awardees of the EITS contract were Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Consulting, and LMI. These vendors provided similar services to DoD CIO under task orders issued under the EITS contract.

The EITS contract was preceded by the Information Technology Support Services (ITSS) contract that was awarded in 2007 under solicitation number HQ0034-06-R-0001. The ITSS contract had a five-year period of performance with a ceiling value of $150 million. The three awardees of the ITSS contract were Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte Consulting, and SRA International. These vendors provided comparable services to DoD CIO under task orders issued under the ITSS contract.

As you can see from this historical background, DoD CIO has been relying on external contractors to provide mission support services for over 15 years. The scope and value of these contracts have increased over time as DoD CIO’s responsibilities and challenges have grown. The MSS II contract is the latest iteration of this long-standing requirement.

RFP Description

The solicitation number for the MSS II contract is HQ003420220630. The solicitation was posted on SAM.gov on June 30th 2022 with an initial response date of August 1st 2022. However, the solicitation was amended several times to extend the response date, revise the evaluation criteria, and answer questions from potential offerors. The final response date was October 15th 2022.

The MSS II contract is a multiple-award, IDIQ contract with a one-year base period and four one-year option periods. The estimated value of the contract is $850 million. The contract is open to all small and large businesses that can meet the eligibility and capability requirements. The contract is not set aside for any socio-economic category, such as 8(a), HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, or Women-Owned.

The MSS II contract will use a two-phase evaluation process to select the awardees. In Phase I, offerors will submit a written proposal that consists of three volumes: Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price. The Technical Approach volume will address the offeror’s understanding of the requirement, proposed staffing plan, management approach, quality control plan, transition plan, and corporate experience. The Past Performance volume will provide relevant examples of the offeror’s past performance on contracts that are similar in size, scope, and complexity to the MSS II requirement. The Price volume will provide a fully loaded fixed hourly rate for each labor category proposed by the offeror.

In Phase I, the government will evaluate the proposals based on the following factors: Technical Approach, Past Performance, and Price. The Technical Approach factor is significantly more important than the Past Performance factor, which is significantly more important than the Price factor. The government will assign adjectival ratings to each proposal based on the evaluation criteria specified in the solicitation. The government will then establish a competitive range of the most highly rated proposals and invite them to participate in Phase II.

In Phase II, offerors will participate in an oral presentation and a written scenario response. The oral presentation will consist of a 60-minute presentation by the offeror’s proposed key personnel on their qualifications, experience, and approach to performing the MSS II requirement.  The written scenario response will consist of a 10-page response by the offeror to a hypothetical scenario related to the MSS II requirement. The government will provide the scenario to the offerors at least 48 hours before their scheduled oral presentation.

In Phase II, the government will evaluate the proposals based on the following factors: Oral Presentation and Written Scenario Response. The Oral Presentation factor is significantly more important than the Written Scenario Response factor. The government will assign adjectival ratings to each proposal based on the evaluation criteria specified in the solicitation. The government will then conduct a best value trade-off analysis among the proposals and make award decisions based on the offerors’ technical merit, past performance, and price.

The government intends to award up to five contracts under the MSS II solicitation. However, the government reserves the right to award more or fewer contracts depending on the quality and quantity of proposals received.

Who Should Participate

The MSS II contract is a highly competitive and attractive opportunity for government contractors that have experience and expertise in providing IT services to DoD or other federal agencies. The contract offers a large and stable source of revenue for up to five years with a potential value of $850 million. The contract also offers a chance to work with DoD CIO, which is a key player in shaping and implementing DoD’s IT strategy and policies.

However, not every contractor is qualified or suitable for this opportunity. To be successful in pursuing this contract, you should meet the following criteria:

• You should have a strong track record of providing IT services that are similar in size, scope, and complexity to the MSS II requirement. You should be able to demonstrate your past performance on contracts that involved strategic planning, policy development, governance, portfolio management, data management, cybersecurity, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital modernization, enterprise architecture, IT standards, IT acquisition oversight, IT performance management, IT training and education, IT communications and outreach, IT audit readiness, IT program management support, or other related tasks. You should also be able to provide positive references from your past or current customers that can attest to your quality of work and customer satisfaction.
• You should have a deep understanding of DoD CIO’s mission, vision, goals, objectives, challenges, priorities, initiatives, stakeholders, processes, policies, standards, and systems. You should be able to show how your proposed approach aligns with DoD CIO’s needs and expectations. You should also be able to demonstrate your knowledge of DoD’s IT environment, including its architecture, infrastructure, security, interoperability, and compliance requirements.
• You should have a team of qualified and experienced key personnel who can perform the MSS II requirement effectively and efficiently. You should be able to provide resumes and certifications for your key personnel, such as their education, experience, skills, certifications, and clearance levels. You should also be able to provide a staffing plan that shows how you will recruit, retain, train, and manage your personnel. You should also be able to provide an oral presentation by your key personnel that showcases their qualifications, experience, and approach to performing the MSS II requirement.

• You should have a competitive and realistic price proposal that reflects your understanding of the MSS II requirement and the market conditions. You should be able to provide a fixed hourly rate for each labor category that covers all the direct and indirect costs associated with performing the MSS II requirement. You should also be able to justify your price proposal with sufficient documentation and analysis.

If you meet these criteria, you may be a strong contender for the MSS II contract. However, you will also need a partner that can help you prepare a winning proposal that meets all the solicitation requirements and exceeds the government’s expectations. This is where GDI Consulting can help you.

Conclusion

The MSS II contract is a great opportunity for government contractors that have experience and expertise in providing IT services to DoD or other federal agencies. The contract offers a large and stable source of revenue for up to five years with a potential value of $850 million. The contract also offers a chance to work with DoD CIO, which is a key player in shaping and implementing DoD’s IT strategy and policies.

However, the MSS II contract is also a highly competitive and challenging opportunity that requires a strong track record of past performance, a deep understanding of DoD CIO’s mission, vision, goals, objectives, challenges, priorities, initiatives, stakeholders, processes, policies, standards, and systems, a team of qualified and experienced key personnel who can perform the requirement effectively and efficiently, and a competitive and realistic price proposal that reflects the market conditions.

If you are interested in working with us on this opportunity or want to learn more about our services, please visit our website at www.gdicwins.com. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you win the MSS II contract. Thank you for your time and attention.