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GSA announces new start date for $50 billion IT service contract, Google says it will not renew controversial Pentagon contract, and much more. This is Public Spend Forum’s Weekly Roundup for June 8, 2018.

GSA Expects Alliant 2 Unrestricted GWAC to Take Effect in July

The General Services Administration (GSA) now expects the unrestricted track of a potential 10-year, $50 billion governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC) for IT products and services to take effect on July 1 after GSA won in protests that reached the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. GSA said the Alliant 2 unrestricted GWAC has a base term of five years that will now run through June 30, 2023 and a five-year option term that will extend through June 30, 2028. GSA in November 2017 awarded 61 companies spots on the unrestricted portion of Alliant 2 that covers cloud, cybersecurity, big data, agile development, software development and other IT support services.

Agencies Can Now Buy Innovative Tech at Shark-Tank Speed

Due to a new General Services Administration (GSA) program, every agency can benefit from authority formerly limited to the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. The AAS Express Program just opened fast-buying capability to all agencies and offers high-speed, streamlined source-selection for innovative commercial items and processes. Express will work with agencies to solicit white papers from suppliers about solutions that meet their needs. If Express and the agency are interested in a paper, Express will invite the supplier to submit more information or come in for an oral presentation. If there’s a match with the client agency’s needs, Express will invite the provider to submit a full proposal, the first step in negotiating all the terms and conditions of a proposed contract. Express promises that its average procurement action lead time is between 30 and 120 days due to its streamlined, customized workflow process.

Commentary: Fixing Cloud Procurement Problems

Michael Garland, founder of Garland, LLC, a consulting firm that advises clients on issues related to federal procurement law and the business of IT, offers insights on how cloud presents some unique problems for contracting officers but how addressing those ambiguities would pay big dividends. “The cloud value proposition is obvious,” he writes. To take full advantage of cloud, Garland suggests we “assess the entire universe of cloud procurement ambiguities, reduce those issues to manageable and clear guidance, and thereby significantly improve the government’s chances of realizing the full benefits of cloud.”

Reports: Google Won’t Renew Controversial Pentagon Drone Program Contract

Google will not seek another Project Maven contract once this one ends in 2019. The Silicon Valley tech giant reportedly announced to employees last week it won’t seek another contract with the Air Force artificial intelligence initiative and the announcement comes after significant backlash from company employees. Project Maven is an artificial intelligence and machine learning initiative that aims to help Air Force analysts make better use of full-motion video surveillance. Google reportedly plans to unveil a set of “principles” to guide its work in AI and, specifically, defense and intelligence contracting soon.

GSA Issues Presolicitation for $2.5 Billion SaaS Procurement Program

The General Services Administration (GSA) plans to launch a potential $2.5 billion competition to update the government payroll and work schedule and leave management systems. A FedBizOpps notice says GSA considers awarding one or two blanket purchase agreements with a performance period of between 10 and 13 years under the NewPay Software as a Service Solution Procurement program. The agency and the Office of Management and Budget will conduct the acquisition through a phased evaluation approach among Information Technology Schedule 70 contract holders under Special Item Numbers 132-40 and 132-51.

Also in the news:

Industry Perspective: Demystifying Agile Procurement

GAO Rules Against DoD’s $950 Million Cloud Deal

DHS Awards $3 Million in Small Business Grants


Image Courtesy of Shutterstock

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