Introduction

The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is seeking to modernize its base IT infrastructure across the globe through the Enterprise IT as a Service (EITaaS) initiative. EITaaS aims to deliver secure, reliable, resilient, and agile IT services to its users at the point of need, leveraging industry best practices and innovations. The DAF has recently issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the Base Infrastructure Modernization (BIM) line of effort under EITaaS, which covers the design, installation, operation, maintenance, upgrade, and decommissioning of base IT infrastructure components such as routers, switches, firewalls, servers, storage devices, cables, and wireless access points. This article will provide an overview of the historical background, RFP description, participation criteria, and challenges of the BIM procurement.

Historical Background

The DAF launched the EITaaS initiative in 2018 as a strategic decision to outsource basic IT services to commercial partners, allowing its personnel to focus on core missions such as cyber operations and warfare superiority. The DAF conducted risk reduction efforts (RREs) at nine pilot bases to test the feasibility and benefits of EITaaS in three service areas: network, end-user services, and compute and store. The DAF awarded contracts to AT&T, Microsoft, Accenture Federal Services, Unisys Federal Systems, and Verizon for the RREs. The RREs demonstrated significant improvements in user experience, network performance, security posture, and cost savings. Based on the RREs’ success, the DAF decided to move forward with the full-scale implementation of EITaaS through multiple waves of procurements.

RFP Description

The DAF issued the RFP for the BIM procurement on June 30, 2023 under solicitation number FA8726-23-R-B001. The RFP is open to full and open/unrestricted competition. The type of award is an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) – multiple award contract (MAC) with a duration of five years base plus one five-year option. The contract type is a combination of firm fixed price, cost reimbursement, cost plus fixed fee, cost plus award fee, and IDIQ. The primary requirement is IT services for wired telecommunications carriers and telephone apparatus manufacturing. The place of performance is multiple locations in CONUS and OCONUS. The RFP response date is August 31, 2023 and the award date is estimated to be December 31, 2023. The value of the contract is to be determined. The number of expected awards is multiple – number unknown.

Who Should Participate

The BIM procurement is a great opportunity for IT service providers who have experience and expertise in delivering modern network infrastructure solutions to large and complex organizations. The DAF is looking for vendors who can provide end-to-end services that meet its technical, operational, security, and organizational requirements. Vendors should be capable of modernizing and operating both unclassified (NIPR) and classified (SIPR) networks at any given base. Vendors should also be able to integrate their solutions with other EITaaS service areas and DAF systems. Additionally, vendors should demonstrate their ability to comply with DAF policies and standards, as well as federal laws and regulations.

Challenges

EITaaS BIM is a challenging procurement that requires vendors to overcome several obstacles. Some of the challenges include:

  • Managing the complexity and diversity of base IT infrastructure across different locations and environments.
  • Coordinating with multiple stakeholders within the DAF and other EITaaS service providers to ensure alignment and interoperability.
  • Balancing innovation and standardization to deliver customized solutions that meet the DAF’s unique needs while adhering to common frameworks and architectures.
  • Ensuring security and resilience of network infrastructure against cyber threats and physical hazards.
  • Achieving cost savings and efficiency gains while maintaining or improving service quality and performance.

Conclusion

EITaaS BIM is a key component of the DAF’s digital modernization strategy that aims to transform its base IT infrastructure from in-house, base-centric delivery models to an enterprise service model. EITaaS BIM offers a new opportunity for IT service providers who can provide state-of-the-art network infrastructure solutions that enhance the DAF’s mission effectiveness and user satisfaction. However, EITaaS BIM also poses significant challenges that require vendors to demonstrate their technical capabilities, operational excellence, security competence, and innovation potential. GDI Consulting is a leading provider of proposal writing services that can help vendors prepare winning proposals for EITaaS BIM. GDI Consulting has extensive experience in supporting federal IT procurements across various agencies and domains. GDI Consulting can help vendors craft compelling narratives that showcase their value proposition, differentiation factors, past performance, and risk mitigation strategies for EITaaS BIM. Contact GDI Consulting today at www.gdicwins.com to learn more about how we can help you win EITaaS BIM.