MIOES: A New Contract for IT Integration and Operations Support for the Missile Defense Agency

Introduction

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA – Solicitation number: HQ085722R0002) is a research, development, and acquisition agency within the Department of Defense (DoD) that is responsible for developing, testing, and deploying a layered ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) to defend the United States and its allies from missile attacks. The MDA relies on various information technology (IT) systems and solutions to support its mission objectives, such as command and control, battle management, communications, data analysis, simulation, modeling, testing, and evaluation. To acquire and maintain these IT systems and solutions, the MDA has issued a request for information (RFI) for the MDA Integration and Operations for Enterprise Solutions (MIOES) contract. This article will provide an overview of the MIOES contract, its historical background, its description, its uniqueness, its potential participants, and its challenges.

Historical Background of the RFP

The MIOES contract is a follow-on to the current Integrated Research and Development for Enterprise Solutions (IRES) contract, which was awarded to Jacobs Technology Inc. in 2017. The IRES contract is a single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with an ordering period of eight years that will expire in August 2025. The IRES contract provides IT research and development services and solutions for the MDA in five technical areas: enterprise IT services; engineering services; modeling, simulation, software development, and testing; cybersecurity; and facility operations. The IRES contract has a ceiling value of $4.3 billion, but as of July 2021, the government has awarded approximately $2.3 billion in task orders through the IRES contract.

RFP Description

The MIOES contract is expected to be released in late 2022 or early 2023. The potential value of the contract is estimated to be between $4 billion and $6 billion, but it could be higher depending on the scope and complexity of the requirements. The MIOES contract will likely follow a similar structure as the IRES contract, with five technical areas of IT integration and operations support for the MDA. However, some changes in the technical areas are anticipated based on the feedback from industry partners and stakeholders. According to the RFI published by the MDA in August 2021, the proposed technical areas for MIOES are:

  • Enterprise Information Environment and Research Development Test and Evaluation Information Technology Services and Solutions
  • Missile Defense System Mission IT Support and Solutions
  • Missile Defense System Mission Operations
  • Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center Facility Operations and Sustainment
  • Systems Engineering and Integration

The MIOES contract will likely use a best value trade-off acquisition approach, with both cost/price and non-cost/price factors being evaluated. The non-cost/price factors may include technical capability, past performance, management approach, key personnel qualifications, small business participation, etc. The MIOES contract will likely be a multiple-award IDIQ contract with a base period of five years and one five-year option period. The MDA intends to award at least one contract to a small business under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 541512 with a size standard of $30 million.

Uniqueness of the Solicitation

The MIOES solicitation is unique in several ways compared to other IT contracts in the federal market. Some of the unique features of the MIOES solicitation are:

  • It covers a broad range of IT integration and operations support services and solutions for the MDA’s complex and dynamic mission environment.
  • It requires high levels of security clearance, certification, compliance, and innovation for both personnel and systems.
  • It involves close collaboration and coordination with multiple stakeholders within the MDA, DoD, other federal agencies, industry partners, allies, etc.
  • It offers opportunities for small businesses to compete and participate in providing IT solutions for the MDA.

Who should Participate?

The MIOES solicitation is open to any vendor that can provide IT integration and operations support services and solutions that meet the specifications and requirements of the solicitation. However, some vendors may have an advantage over others depending on their capabilities, experience, past performance, pricing, and socio-economic status. Some of the factors that may influence a vendor’s decision to participate in the MIOES solicitation are:

  • The vendor’s ability to offer a wide range of IT services and solutions that are relevant, current, innovative, secure, and compliant with the MDA’s standards and requirements.
  • The vendor’s ability to compete on price and quality with other vendors in the same technical area or category.
  • The vendor’s ability to meet the technical, administrative, and contractual requirements of the solicitation.
  • The vendor’s ability to demonstrate past performance and customer satisfaction in providing IT services and solutions to the MDA or other similar customers.
  • The vendor’s ability to qualify for the small business set-aside category and benefit from the preference or exclusivity.

The Challenges

The MIOES solicitation is not without its challenges for potential vendors. Some of the challenges that vendors may face in pursuing the MIOES solicitation are:

  • The high level of competition and saturation in the federal IT market, especially in the full and open competition category
  • The uncertainty and volatility of the federal IT budget and spending, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
  • The complexity and variability of the federal IT regulations and policies, such as cybersecurity, supply chain, acquisition reform, etc.
  • The difficulty and cost of maintaining security clearance, certification, compliance, and innovation for both personnel and systems.
  • The risk and liability of providing IT services and solutions that may have security vulnerabilities, defects, or failures.

If you are interested in pursuing the MIOES solicitation and need professional proposal services, contact GDI Consulting today.