Are you interested in bidding for the DHS PACTS III contract? If so, you might want to know some tips and tricks to increase your chances of winning. In this blog post, we will share some information about the PACTS III Federal Solicitation.

About PACTS III

PACTS III is a multiple-award, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract that provides a range of professional, administrative, clerical, and technical services to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The contract has a total ceiling value of $5.6 billion and a ten-year period of performance. The contract is reserved for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses(SDVOSB), 8(a) Set-Aside, HUBZone, and Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Set-Asides and is divided into three functional categories: FC1-Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611 Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services), FC2-Office Administrative Services (561110 Office Administrative Services), and FC3-Engineering Services (541330 Engineering Services).

One of the most important factors to be successful in PACTS III

The most critical factor determining your success in PACTS III is your experience. DHS will evaluate your past performance based on the number and size of projects you have completed (or are ongoing) in the past two years that are relevant to the functional category you are bidding for. The projects should have a minimum of six months of performance and an amount ranging from $50K to $5M (you can use larger amount contracts, but the score they will bring you will be less). You can use your experience as a prime contractor or a subcontractor. You can also use your experience from a Small Business Teaming Arrangement (SBTA), but only if you are the prime contractor or the lead partner in a joint venture.

The more experience you have, the better. DHS is looking for offerors who can demonstrate their capability to perform contracts of similar size, scope, and complexity as PACTS III. Therefore, having too large a project may raise questions about your ability to manage smaller tasks efficiently and effectively. On the other hand, having too small projects may indicate that you lack the capacity and resources to handle larger and more complex tasks. Of course, they are not going to look at it that way. They have set up the scoring system in such a way that too small or too large contracts will not get enough points, and at the end of the day, it is the score that drives who will be awarded.

Optimize your experience portfolio

So how can you optimize your experience portfolio? One way is to form a joint venture (JV) with another company with a similar set-aside or form a mentor-protégé JV (MPJV). A JV is a legal entity formed by two or more businesses for the purpose of performing a specific contract. An MPJV is a special type of JV that involves a mentor firm that provides business development assistance to a protégé firm under an approved mentor-protégé agreement.

By forming a JV or an MPJV, you can leverage the experience of your partner(s) and increase your chances of winning PACTS III. However, not all JVs are created equal. You must carefully select your partner(s) based on their experience, size, and compatibility with your business goals and culture. Also, note that creating set-aside JVs and getting them approved by SBA is a time-consuming process that might go past the release of the RFP and even the submission deadline.

 

Tips to help you find the best Partners

Here are some tips to help you find the best JV partner(s):

  • Look for partners with complementary experience in the functional category you are bidding for. For example, if you are bidding for FC1 – Program Management and Technical Services, you may want to partner with a firm with experience in project management, quality assurance, risk management, or other related services.
  • Look for partners with projects within the revenue range of $50K to $5M. Having projects that are too large or too small may not be helpful for PACTS III evaluation.
  • Look for partners who have projects that have at least six months of performance and have occurred in the past two years. These are the criteria that DHS will use to assess your past performance.
  • Look for partners who are small or mid-sized businesses. Having a large or well-established firm as a partner may not give you an advantage in PACTS III evaluation. DHS is looking for offerors who can demonstrate their capability to perform contracts of similar size, scope, and complexity as PACTS III. Therefore, having a partner who is too big or too experienced may not be beneficial.

Conclusion

Don’t miss this opportunity to win a share of the $5.6 billion PACTS III contract. Following these tips, you can find the best JV partner(s) for PACTS III. However, finding a partner is only half the battle. You also need to prepare a compliant and winning proposal. That is where GDI Consulting can help as an expert in self-scoring RFPs, and we’ll be happy to assist.