POLARIS/CMS PD📰; IRS ITSM/CDC IT/VA TA/DHA & Army SharePoint/SEC EDW wins; New VA&OPM AI/NIH/DIU/TTS/USDS Exec moves; MDA revisiting 100+M TEAMS-Next

This month’s OS AI Fresh Squeezed Daily News sponsor:

Niyam IT, Inc. (Niyam) applies Human-Centered Design, Data Engineering, Geospatial Technology, and Cloud Computing to deliver program outcomes. Our industry & technology experts deliver mission-centric solutions that address current and future needs. Learn more.

🚨 Last Chance – Only 3 Days Left and Seats are filling fast for the Vanguard FedCiv 250 event – This event is chock-full of value and is one not to miss! Leaders from CMS | VA | DHS | DHA | FDA | DOT | Commerce | GSA and more will share insight; attendees will gain perspective on M&A from KippsDeSanto; and from GSA on OASIS +. Red Team and HigherGov will also share insight on GovCon Opp Data! A new administration is coming and this event will help you get out of the gate quickly, sharing intel from featured Acquisition Leaders, Federal CXOs, and industry disruptors on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities for 2025! Register someone from your team here.

2025 is shaping up to be a transformative year for the Federal Government and GovCon leaders, filled with change and opportunity. While many anticipated a slow start with a new administration on the horizon, the reality is quite the opposite. To help you stay focused here are two new efforts:

• 🚀OrangeSlices launches GovCon M&A Talk podcast with sbLiftOff – The show will illuminate the twists and turns of dealmaking, interviewing buyers, sellers, and M&A experts working in the federal government space. Sharon B. Heaton, CEO of sbLiftOff, an M&A advisory firm with deep expertise in government contracting, will moderate the show. More here.
• The first podcast in the new series – 2025 M&A Market Forecast:⚡- In our first episode, Sharon interviews Bob Kipps, the legendary dealmaker and founder of the GovCon M&A firm KippsDeSanto. Not only does Bob tell his own story of being a client in an M&A process, he talks about what is coming down the pike this year, reviews market trends, assesses the impact of the new administration on the M&A market and valuations, and gives practical advice for owners eying an exit. Listen here.
• 🍊Orange Slices AI, with support from sponsor Ad Hoc, has launched a new Artificial Intelligence capabilities page where you can track the latest scoop when it comes to AI and GovCon. This new community-driven resource will highlight a range of community leaders discussing how AI is impacting their agencies. More to come soon. See the page here.

🐝The Morning Buzz:

• Who will be teaming with who? New SB Alliances announced for 16 IT & Consulting leaders across FedCiv and DOD
• Post-Award Protests starting to pile up on $10B Polaris GWAC Small Business Pool
• ICYMI: M&A: Digital Services leader Oddball takes next big step, Announces Strategic Partnership with Private Equity firm
• Nichol Case shared: Are you pursuing the CMS MEDIC fraud/waste/abuse work? Looking to improve your pwin?
• ED’s Calvin Mitchell inquires: How familiar is the small business community with acquisition innovations? Weigh in here.
• Coming to a contract protest near you, loser pays legal fees

The Juice🥤: Big Investments do not guarantee Big results, but they do signify intent! Some leaders set to make an impact in 2025:

• VA Office of the Chief AI Officer taps new Acting Deputy Director
• State Department’s Paul Bean takes role as Acquisition Strategist at U.S. Digital Services
• GSA TTS Analytics leader takes new Chief Data Officer role
• OPM names Taka Ariga Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer
• DoD Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) recruits David Henry to serve as Deputy CIO
• Former NIH NCI CBIIT CIO hangs out a shingle
• Industry growth/ops leader Tabitha Frost to serve as President of Tunica-Biloxi Services
• Rividium recruits Rob Snyder to serve as VP Business Development/Capture
• Mike Ledbetter takes on the role of Exec Vice President/Chief Operating Officer at COLSA
• RELI Group Welcomes Sarah Sanchez as Vice President of Digital Services
• Leidos appoints Megan Block as National Security Capture Excellence Executive
• Paul Kolebuck is now President, Federal at Take2 Consulting And Scott Baillie recruited to drive BD
• Harmonia recruits Anthony Cristillo from Guidehouse to serve as Senior VP & Fed Health Portfolio Lead
• Dan Herlihy promoted to Senior Vice President of Growth at Blue Water Thinking
• Chainguard recruits Allison Mueller from GitLab to drive Army Account
• Steampunk adds Amanda Van Hooser as a Director of Operations

AND Meet Alpha Omega’s first Chief Scientist Stephen D. Ambrose – An Opportunity to Help Government Prioritize More here.

🔍   This is a dynamic marketplace with a lot of comings and goings. To help you keep up with all of the action, check out this report highlighting top Senior Industry and Federal Leaders on the move from this week.

🌟Elev8 GovCon Spotlight: CivicActions: Embedding Balance, Openness, and Care to Drive Innovation and Lasting Change – Following recent wins with CMS and USDS, and key strategic moves including naming an Open Standards and Practices Lead, GovCon honoree CivicActions shares some of its tips for success as a remote and distributed team. Read on here.

🍊OS AI Premium: Handpicked, crisp, juicy content for our Premium Sponsors/Subscribers.

• Take two as Missile Defense Agency to make new award on $120+M TEAMS-Next contract

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⚖ GAO and the Courts – Check out the latest:

• Post-Award Protests Piling up on $10B Polaris GWAC Small Business Pool
• CMS Protest Filed: Medicare Advantage Provider Directory Accuracy Review and Analysis
• Protest Denied: Air Force Solicitation Number FA564124R0004 | The Mission Essential Group

We know it can be hard to stay on top of all of the latest news and activity. To help keep you abreast, here are some of the recent protest actions the OS AI team noted over the past week.

⚡Check out some of the key Contract Awards:

• SEC: Oddball wins $16M SEC Enterprise Data Warehouse IT Support task on Digital Services BPA
• IRS: Intact Technology beats out 3 to win OCIO IT Service Management (ITSM) IRWorks Operation contract
• IRS adds Ignite and ActioNet JV to list of 100+M Infrastructure Operations Support Services (IOSS) BPA awardees
• CDC: Accenture beats out 2 to win a $55M IT Services task win on Alliant 2
• CDC: TBM awarded OIGA and NCHS products and services support contract
• VA: Gotham Government Services (GGS) beats out 2 to win $23M Training Analysis and Development Support contract
• FAA: Cypher scores Management Technology Support task on eFAST
• DHA awards FROID SharePoint RMF Support contract to Command Cyber Solutions
• Navy awards SeaPort NxG contract to 1023 awardees as part of rolling admissions
• Navy: SBIR Phase III award to VSolvit for $94M Enterprise Business Systems (EBS) Enhanced Ops Environment support
• DoD: Resource Management Concepts adds Clearinghouse Support Services contract
• DCMA: AMSG and Xcelerate Solutions JV wins $15M support task on Analytical and Tech Support Services (ATSS) IDIQ
• DHA Updated: Ivyhill Technologies beats out 10 to win $50M IRMAC Call Center/Referral Management Support contract
• Air Force Academy: Ardent Technologies beats out 6 to win $15M Faculty Advisory Support Services task on OASIS SB
• Air Force: Deloitte wins SAF/FM Enterprise Governance Risk and Compliance (EGRC) Support task
• Army: Alesig Consulting led JV beats out 9 to win IMCOM SharePoint Developer Support task on ITES-3S
• Army: Triune Solutions scores US Army IGNET Network/Helpdesk IT support contract
• Air Force Contract Award: AI Data Center IT Hardware and Software on SEWP
• Army awards Cybersecurity Support Services bridge contract to PingWind

🔍Looking for a specific award or other news? Check out OS’s Advanced Search Function here Did we miss highlighting your key win? Message us at support@orangeslices.ai” style=”mso-line-height-rule: exactly;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #1f5301;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;”>support@orangeslices.ai.

🎯Three GovCon events to get in on now:

• DOD to host OUSD(R&E) Mission Capabilities (MC) Office Industry Engagement Technical Exchange Meeting
• 2025 MAINSAIL and ATOMATA Industry Day Notice
• First U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Industry Happy Hour of 2025

🚀 OS AI launched a new GovCon Events Calendar! – Track More Federal GovCon Events Here.

🔥 Hot Off The Presses – Announcements posted recently that are drawing interest:

• ECCO Select Awarded GSA’s OASIS+ IDIQ Contract Vehicle
• Coast Professional, Inc. Announces Joint Venture Strategic BPO Solutions
• Ascolta, LLC Selected for the Navy’s SeaPort Next Generation Contract Vehicle
• Partner Forces is a Prime Awardee under NAVSEA SeaPort Next Generation contract
• RP Professional Services Receives Seaport NxG Prime Contract Award
• RIVA Solutions Awarded Full and Open Digital Experience (DX) BPA by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
• ICA Launches “ICA Insights” – A New Initiative for Thought Leadership in Public Health and Data Science

🌶 Solicitation Updates/Opportunities Drawing Interest:

• VA re-releases RFI for DaVINCI Data Services on GSA eBuy
• VA RFI: Privacy and Security Event Tracking System Application in ServiceNOW Development
• DHS RFI: Desktop Support Services 3.0
• DHS ICE to award non-competitive OCFO Business Management Office (BMO) Position Management Support contract
• FEMA RFI: Mitigation Electronic Grants system and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program System Sustainment – HMA Support
• IRS Sources Sought: 508 Program Office Support and Services
• NASA Pre-Solicitation: NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) PHASE II
• NSF RFQ: Unified Network for Innovative Technology and Engineering” NSF-Wide BPA
• DOD: DIU AI-enabled Diligence Evaluation – AIDE solicitation just posted 
• DOD RFI: Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) NAFS GP Dynamics GP Replacement