Introduction
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking contractors to provide Enterprise Program, Project, Integration Services (EPPIS) to support its Information Technology (IT) Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO). The EPPIS contract is a full and open competition with a partial small business set-aside, and it has an estimated value of $1.8 billion over a 7-year period of performance. The solicitation number is RFQ1661227 and the expected release date is November 2023.
The EPPIS contract will assist the EPMO in offering a range of services to manage and support IT operations, oversee program implementations, and ensure compliance. The EPPIS contractors will also provide end-to-end program management support for the delivery of enterprise-level IT capabilities, aligned with program cost, performance requirements, and scheduling demands.
If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, you will need a strong proposal that demonstrates your understanding of the IRS’s needs, your technical and management capabilities, your past performance, and your competitive pricing. This is where GDI Consulting can help you. GDI Consulting is a leading provider of capture and proposal services for government contractors, with a proven track record of winning multi-billion dollar contracts for its clients.
Historical Background
The EPPIS contract is not a new requirement for the IRS. It is a follow-on to the existing Enterprise Program Management Support Services (EPMSS) contracts that were awarded in 2016 to six vendors: Accenture Federal Services LLC, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., CGI Federal Inc., Deloitte Consulting LLP, Grant Thornton LLP, and Lockheed Martin Corporation. The EPMSS contracts have a ceiling value of $1.1 billion and expire in 2024.
The EPMSS contracts provide similar services as the EPPIS contract, such as program management support, business process reengineering, change management, risk management, quality assurance, and performance measurement. However, the EPMSS contracts are limited to supporting only four major IT programs: Customer Account Data Engine 2 (CADE 2), Affordable Care Act (ACA), Return Review Program (RRP), and Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).
The EPPIS contract will expand the scope of services to cover all IT programs under the EPMO’s portfolio, as well as new initiatives that may arise in the future. The EPPIS contract will also require contractors to have experience in agile and DevOps methodologies, as well as COTS integration and mobile app development.
RFP Description
The IRS has not yet released the final RFP for the EPPIS contract, but it has issued a draft performance work statement (PWS) in August 2020 that outlines the general requirements and expectations for the contract. According to the draft PWS, the EPPIS contractors will be required to perform 20 task areas, such as:
- Program Management Support
- Business Process Reengineering
- Requirements Management
- Configuration Management
- Data Management
- Testing Support
- Training Support
- Transition Support
- Independent Verification and Validation
- Quality Assurance
- Risk Management
- Change Management
- Performance Measurement
- Communications Support
- Stakeholder Management
- Governance Support
- Acquisition Support
- Financial Management Support
- Security Support
- Technical Support
The draft PWS also specifies that the EPPIS contractors will have to provide support services regardless of the selected engineering lifecycle path, methodology or approach for development and delivery of program capabilities. The IRS may use agile, waterfall, iterative, COTS, mobile apps, managed services, or other approved software development lifecycles.
The draft PWS indicates that the IRS intends to award multiple indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts under the EPPIS solicitation, with task orders issued on a firm-fixed-price or labor-hour basis. The IRS expects to award at least two contracts to small businesses under the partial set-aside portion of the solicitation.
The draft PWS does not provide any information on the evaluation criteria or proposal structure for the EPPIS solicitation. However, based on GDI Consulting’s experience and analysis of similar solicitations, we anticipate that the IRS will use a best value trade-off approach to evaluate proposals based on technical/management factors, past performance factors, and price factors.
Who Should Participate
The EPPIS contract is a lucrative opportunity for any contractor that has experience in providing IT program management support services to federal agencies, especially to the IRS or other financial or tax-related agencies. The EPPIS contract is also an opportunity for small businesses to compete for a share of the $1.8 billion market.
However, not every contractor is qualified or ready to pursue the EPPIS contract. To be successful, contractors will need to meet the following criteria:
- Have a GSA Schedule 70 contract or be able to obtain one before the proposal submission date
- Have a Top Secret facility clearance or be able to obtain one before the contract award date
- Have relevant and recent past performance in providing IT program management support services to federal agencies, preferably to the IRS or other financial or tax-related agencies
- Have experience in supporting IT programs using agile and DevOps methodologies, as well as COTS integration and mobile app development
- Have a strong team of key personnel and subcontractors with relevant skills and certifications
- Have a competitive pricing strategy that reflects the complexity and risk of the contract
If you meet these criteria, you should consider participating in the EPPIS contract. However, you will also need a compelling proposal that showcases your strengths and differentiators, and addresses the IRS’s needs and challenges.
Challenges
The EPPIS contract is not without challenges. Some of the potential challenges that contractors may face are:
- High competition: The EPPIS contract is expected to attract many competitors, including the incumbent EPMSS contractors and other large and small businesses that have experience in IT program management support services. Contractors will have to demonstrate their unique value proposition and competitive edge to stand out from the crowd.
- Complex requirements: The EPPIS contract has a wide scope of services that cover all IT programs under the EPMO’s portfolio, as well as new initiatives that may arise in the future. Contractors will have to show their capability and flexibility to support various IT programs using different engineering lifecycle paths, methodologies, and approaches.
- Stringent security: The EPPIS contract involves handling sensitive and classified information related to the IRS’s IT systems and operations. Contractors will have to comply with strict security requirements, such as having a Top Secret facility clearance, implementing security controls, and conducting security audits.
- Uncertain schedule: The EPPIS contract has an uncertain schedule, as the IRS has not yet released the final RFP or announced the exact proposal submission date. Contractors will have to monitor the solicitation closely and be prepared to respond quickly when the RFP is released.
Conclusion
The EPPIS contract is a great opportunity for contractors that have experience in providing IT program management support services to federal agencies, especially to the IRS or other financial or tax-related agencies. The EPPIS contract has an estimated value of $1.8 billion over a 7-year period of performance, and it is open to both large and small businesses.
However, winning the EPPIS contract is not easy. Contractors will have to overcome high competition, complex requirements, stringent security, and uncertain schedule. Contractors will also need a strong proposal that demonstrates their understanding of the IRS’s needs, their technical and management capabilities, their past performance, and their competitive pricing.
If you are interested in pursuing the EPPIS contract, contact GDI Consulting today at www.gdicwins.com. We can help you win this lucrative opportunity and grow your business with the IRS.
